Surrounded yet alone: The hidden loneliness behind Israel’s mental health crisis - opinion

A psychologist reflects on the suicide of Bar Asraf at his murdered girlfriend's grave, using it to examine a University of Haifa and Ben-Gurion University study of online mental health helpline data after October 7. The study found loneliness became a dominant concern over time, especially among women and younger users. The piece explores loneliness as a symptom and risk factor, calling for greater attention to it in mental health care and daily life.

The recent suicide of Bar Asraf at the grave of his murdered girlfriend, Liron Barda, serves as the entry point for a psychologist's reflection on loneliness as a hidden driver of Israel's mental health crisis. The writer cites a University of Haifa and Ben-Gurion University study of online mental health helpline data following the October 7 massacre, which found that while expressions of suicidality and depression decreased over time, loneliness became a dominant concern — especially among women and younger users. The piece distinguishes loneliness from social isolation, noting that Asraf was surrounded by family at his brother's wedding yet felt profoundly alone. It describes loneliness as a symptom of unmet emotional needs and a bidirectional risk factor for mental illness, particularly depression. The writer, a psychologist with the Tikva Helpline, calls on mental health professionals to focus more on patients' experiences of loneliness and urges the public to reach out to those who may be suffering invisibly.