Someone to talk to: views and experiences of emotional support

Abstract

We are told that ‘emotional culture’ in Britain is changing. But have we actually become more emotionally open? Are we now more comfortable talking about our emotions, both to those we know and to those ‘trained to listen’? Do we view ourselves as emotionally vulnerable? While there are numerous studies of the experiences of those who use services, we actually know very little about the emotional life and needs of the broader population and about everyday experiences of ‘getting through’. The Someone To Talk To study (STTTS) looks at how people deal with difficulties in their emotional lives and, in particular, at the role and limits of talk.