A BOLTON psychologist believes going for lunch with your neighbours could be the key to combatting a worrying condition which is on the rise — loneliness.

While we may seem more connected than ever before — with the rise of social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook — people are actually spending less time interacting with each other face-to-face.

In fact, in the North West, adults spend on average less than one hour interacting.

And so this summer Dr Rebecca Harris of the University of Bolton is urging people to get involved in The Big Lunch — an annual get-together designed to help neighbourhoods and communities meet up and form new bonds.

Dr Harris, who has been working with Big Lunch organisers the Eden Project on research into loneliness, said: “The findings show that we’re spending less time having social interaction than we used to, we have fewer friends than we’d like and we’re finding it harder to make new friends.

"This decline in social contact could be contributing to the rise of loneliness in the UK.

"Loneliness is far more complicated than people imagine. It’s often seen as a one dimensional state, either ‘lonely’ or ‘not lonely’ and that just isn’t the case. It can be a temporary state, but when prolonged, it’s a serious issue.

"Research shows that our brains treat loneliness in the same way as physical pain and it has been associated with poor mental and physical health, so it’s important that people take steps to overcome loneliness.”

People are being called upon to host a big lunch on Sunday, June 7.

It was revealed adults in the North West spend only four per cent of their time — 59 minutes a day — engaging in social interaction and, in a typical week, interact with only six friends, family members or neighbours, be it a face-to-face conversation, a phone call or chatting online.

More than a quarter of respondents in the North West wish they had more friends but 31 per cent admit they find it harder to make new friends than they did 10 years ago, with over one in 10 of this group saying they do not know how to start friendships any more.

While the impact that loneliness has on older people has been widely acknowledged, The Big Lunch survey reveals that many younger people are also lonely. Sixteen per cent of 18-34-years-olds say that they always feel lonely but around half of people aged 55 plus say they never feel lonely.

As a result of the survey, The Big Lunch and Dr Harris have created the 'four personalities of social interaction’ which enables people to identify how much social interaction they may need and help them find opportunities to connect with others.

The majority of UK adults have a small number of close friends, making them 'casual confidants' or 'long-term investors', while the rest of the population are either 'self-assured soloists' who are happiest alone or 'social butterflies' with many connections.

Sir Tim Smith, executive vice chairman and co-founder of the Eden Project and The Big Lunch, said: “The Big Lunch is even more important in 2015 than it was when we launched it six years ago.

"In the tens of thousands of neighbourhoods around the UK where Big Lunches have taken place, people often comment how it has helped to build community spirit and make their street a happier and less lonely place."

Anyone who would like to host a Big Lunch can request a free planning pack from www.thebiglunch.com or by calling 0845 850 8181.

To find out which personality you are visit theboltonnews.co.uk to see an infographic on the four personalities of interaction.