When Hospitality Hides Loneliness

Key points

Economic hardship—not social skills—drives much of loneliness in Türkiye.

Many people in Türkiye reframe loneliness as opportunity for growth rather than purely negative experience.

Deep connections to nature, animals, and places matter as much as human relationships.

Political climate and societal polarization contribute to social disconnection.

Written by Hans Rocha IJzerman, Duygu Taşfiliz, and Seher Sav.

"It is a beautiful feeling that allows you to discover new things, but it also makes you feel very unhappy and lonely."

This paradoxical description comes from a research participant in Türkiye in our multi-country investigation of social connection. In Türkiye—a culture synonymous with çay (tea) shared among friends and legendary hospitality— loneliness wears an un