Extent of Australia's loneliness and the stigma surrounding it revealed

Well you're not alone with one in three Australians saying they lack social connection.

And it's young people aged 18 to 24 who are the most affected according to a new report from national organisation Ending Loneliness Together.

This is despite nearly half of Australians believing only older people endure loneliness.

It was something Lily, 27, experienced when she moved from a small country town to a Melbourne university college at 18 and was surrounded by people she felt she didn't fit in with.

"There were so many people around me and I felt like I shouldn't be feeling lonely. It almost felt shameful or embarrassing to admit that to someone," she said.

Her sentiments were in line with findings that more than half of Australians who feel lonely don't talk to others about it due to associated stigma.

Ending Loneliness Together's Dr Michelle Lim said it was a common misconception that people who were often surrounded by others couldn't be lonely.

"While being alone or being socially isolated can predispose us to feel lonely, you don't have to be alone to feel lonely," she said.

More than 4,000 Australian adults were surveyed for the report, released for Loneliness Awareness Week from August 7 to 13.

It found Australians who felt lonely were more likely to have depression, social anxiety and poorer wellbeing.

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They were also less productive in the workplace and more likely to have a social media addiction.

"It's clear that many people understand the consequences of loneliness but do not know how to talk about it, how to ask for the connections they need and where to get help," Dr Lim said.

"While the detrimental health, economic and social impacts of loneliness are well established, community awareness and action remain low."