THREE in 10 adults aged 16-29 say they feel lonely ‘often or always’ or ‘some of the time’, according to the Office for National Statistics.
That’s a higher proportion than in any older age group, including those aged 70 or over.
These recent findings are consistent with existing research showing experiences of loneliness to be more common among younger adults.
Recent research by the Mental Health Foundation, for example, found that young people aged 18 to 24 are most likely to experience loneliness than other age groups.
Another charity, The Reader, conducted a survey of approximately 2,000 participants and found that this was true of young adults.
Amy Perrin, CEO of loneliness charity The Marmalade Trust, said: “We have a biological need to have human interaction.
“Loneliness is a mismatch of the social connection you have and those you want.”
Perrin outlined the possible contributors to loneliness in young people, highlighting the influence of technology, the ‘perfect’ life on social media, multiple life transition and the cost of living and housing challenges which may mean that young adults cannot afford social time or to move away from home.
Studies have shown that chronic loneliness can have similar mortality risks to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, increase the risk of early mortality by 26%, and double the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
In 2023, the World Health Organisation declared loneliness a “pressing global health threat”, and Mark Zuckerberg has recently stated that the average American has just three friends.
Perrin added: “Loneliness isn’t solely about the amount of friends you have. You can have lots of friends but still feel lonely.
“The quality of the relationships can be more important than the quantity and it’s also helpful to that a variety of relationships can help people feel less lonely – family, community, acquaintances and those relationships that bring a sense of belonging.”
According to the Mental Health Foundation, since lockdown, young people are almost three times more likely to have experienced loneliness, with almost half (44%) feeling this way.
Anna Goldfarb, journalist and author of Modern Friendship, has stated that the pandemic “definitely, for some people, reduced their social stamina; they got out of the habit of scheduling their lives around friendships and social outings.”
Perrin said: “As lockdown restrictions began to ease, many people reported increasing levels of loneliness due to experiencing social anxiety and fear of returning to the ‘outside world’
“While online interactions can facilitate communication and create a sense of community, they lack the nuances and depth of face-to-face interactions, which are crucial for building meaningful relationships.”
The Marmalade Trust launched Loneliness Awareness Week in 2017 after Perrin, working as an NHS health care professional, noticed that there was a lot of stigma and misunderstanding around loneliness.
The week, which this year takes place from 9-15 June, sees thousands of people across the UK and globally getting involved in events to connect and discuss loneliness.
Perrin added: “Loneliness is a feeling most of us will experience, but stigma keeps us silent.”
Feature image: Melk Hagelslag on Pixabay
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