View of the Berlin TV Tower / Chris Curry
Why is loneliness such a big issue in Berlin in particular?
It is not without reason that Berlin is repeatedly referred to as the “capital of loneliness.” The city reflects many social developments associated with loneliness. The proportion of single households here is significantly higher than in the rest of the country. At the same time, traditional social structures such as religion, club life, and family networks are becoming increasingly less important—for many young Berliners in particular, they hardly play a role anymore.
Berlin is crowded, loud, and colorful—people and life are everywhere. And yet many feel lonely, because physical proximity is no substitute for emotional relationships.
You're developing an app to combat loneliness. Why?
Loneliness is not only an underestimated problem, but also an extremely underserved one. Because loneliness is not an official medical diagnosis, the healthcare system has so far done little to address it—there is a lack of concrete, low-threshold services. This is exactly what we want to change with platoniq.health. When people talk about “solutions to loneliness,” they often think of initiatives that bring people into contact with each other. Such approaches are valuable—but especially among young people affected by loneliness, it is clear that it is not necessarily about meeting new people. The real challenge often lies in building stable, deeper relationships.