Our young people are experiencing a loneliness epidemic.
In the 2023 annual Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, Australians aged 15 to 24 reported being the loneliest cohort in the country.
Social isolation and loneliness can have serious impacts on our mental and physical health.
Adolescents and young people especially rely on social connection and peer acceptance for their sense of belonging, self-esteem, and overall happiness.
Loneliness looks different for everyone, and the causes can change from person to person. We explore some of the factors that may be causing loneliness among this age group, and some strategies to overcome it.
Social Media and Technology
Surveys show that while other age groups are feeling less lonely than they did at the start of the millennium, Australians aged 15 to 24 have experienced a steady rise in loneliness, particularly since 2008.
Smartphones and social media apps like Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram all gained popularity around this time, and online interactions have commonly substituted face-to-face catchups since.
Growing research shows a clear connection between heavy social media use and feelings of social isolation and loneliness.
People who spend the most time on social media (over two hours each day) have twice the odds of perceived social isolation than those who spend half an hour or less a day on those sites.
While social media and smartphones can be a great tool for keeping in touch, they can also lead to social withdrawal, alienation, and shallow connections.
Online interactions are no substitute for in-person human contact, which is proven to release “happy” chemicals dopamine and oxytocin, and help lower cortisol, the main stress hormone.
Cost of Living
The rising cost of living may be to blame for reduced social interactions as young people can’t afford to indulge in recreational activities like they used to.
Some Aussies have reported they’re skipping dining out with friends to stay in and cook instead, while others can’t fit hosting friends at home into their budget anymore.
The cost of necessities like rent, groceries, and petrol have forced many young people to be more selective about the social events they attend. Unfortunately, social withdrawal can be a common side effect of increasing financial pressures.
Shallow Connections
Relationships Australia’s 2022 Relationship Indicators Survey revealed almost half (45.9%) of young people aged 18-24 reported feeling emotionally lonely.
Emotional loneliness is different to social loneliness. Social loneliness is the lack of a social network, while emotional loneliness refers to a lack of close emotional connection.
This speaks to the quality of relationships over the quantity.
Experts have found that you don’t have to be alone to experience loneliness, and too many surface-level interactions can make us feel lonely and misunderstood.
Social Scientist Kasley Killam explains:
“Loneliness can arise from not feeling seen, understood, or validated. It can come from spending time with people who don’t share your values or interests. It can also come from too many superficial interactions and not enough deeper connections.”
As teenagers and young adults mature and learn who they are, they might find themselves outgrowing their high school friendships and struggling to find people who really “get them” on a deeper level.
Spending time with surface-level friends may leave us feeling even more disconnected than if we’d stayed at home.
Hustle Culture
‘Hustle culture’ is the mindset that we should always be working hard to achieve success. It glorifies busyness and tells us our time’s wasted if we’re not using it to tick off our goals.
Productivity and success have become increasingly important values in recent society. This is especially reflected on social media, where influencers and our peers post their highlight reels of accomplishments and aspirational content.
It’s normal for young people to compare themselves to others and experience milestone anxiety as they enter adulthood. But the pressure to be productive and pursue success can push personal relationships down the list of priorities.
How can we overcome loneliness?
Research shows loneliness is just as bad for us as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. It’s a major risk factor for mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, and it can even increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
We can overcome loneliness with some effort and small changes, such as:
- Schedule regular in-person catchups – Find low-effort, low-cost ways to catch up with your loved ones on a regular basis. Locking in a weekly boardgame night or afternoon walk as part of your routine is a great way to take away the mental load of organising your social calendar.
- Join a social club or class outside the home – Get out of the house (and out of your comfort zone) by joining a social club or hobby group. Whether it’s a sports team, book club, or painting class, this is a fun way to engage in your interests and meet likeminded people.
- Become friendly with your neighbours – It’s become less common for neighbours to know each other on a first-name basis. But something as simple as a friendly wave at the letter box or an introduction to break the ice can help increase the sense of community and safety on your street.
- Make your errands a social event – If you struggle to schedule in dedicated social time around your busy life, why not invite a friend to join you on your errands? Catch up while grabbing your produce at the markets, washing your cars, hitting the gym, or studying at the library.
- Save big news for in person – In a world where posting updates to social media takes precedence, it can be extra special to break big news to your loved ones face to face. This gives you an excuse to catch up and allows you to share your excitement in person, increasing those feel-good connection hormones.
If you need help nurturing your relationships or building the confidence to seek new ones, counselling can help.
You can learn more about our counselling services here, or call 1300 364 277 to make an appointment.
We offer advice to find deeper social connections in our blog post How to Find Your Tribe.