Loneliness has become a growing issue among young people aged 15-25.
New research shows around 43 per cent of this group feel regularly lonely, and 1 in 7 are experiencing persistent loneliness lasting longer than 2 years.
According to the results from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey from 2023, only 13 per cent of Australians aged 15-24 claimed to be experiencing loneliness.
ECU Psychology Professor, Dr Jayden Greenwell-Barnden, defines loneliness as a “chronic sense of disconnection.
“People can feel lonely even in a crowd, because that can lack [the] depth of connection they need for their sense of fulfilment,” he says.
Loneliness has been a public health concern among Australians since 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic and social isolation began.
Statistics between 2020 and 2022 saw rates worsening, becoming one of the most pressing health priorities in 2022.
Ending Loneliness Together’s (ELT) CEO, Michelle Lim, suggests isolation associated with the pandemic has caused a disruption to the social development of young adults.
This leads to an inability to relate to others and difficulty connecting with people face-to-face.
Dr Greenwell-Barnden says a variety of factors have contributed to young Australians experiencing loneliness, including a skill gap, community erosion, time poverty, and an effort paradox.
“Younger people are expected to develop social skills, but they don’t necessarily have examples or the [social] map to follow like previous generations did.”
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) suggests loneliness’ concerns over life satisfaction and overall wellbeing are exacerbated by digital isolation and a lack of face-to-face community spaces.
ELT also claims digital technology has become part of the problem, identifying social media as a way of escaping in-person social interactions.
Dr Greenwell-Barnden suggests social media creates an illusion of connection.
“You don’t have to start a conversation with people or explore similar interests. You just have to follow them.
“The strength of that connection is very weak. You might have more connections, but that doesn’t mean you have more friends.”
For an individual, viewing other social media platforms with more connections can lead to a feeling of inadequacy and being unfulfilled in their relationships.
However, 22-year-old university student, Mia*, says social media has been a helpful tool throughout her teen and adult life in communicating and meeting friends easily.
“It helps offer community spaces as an adult, [where] you can find people, you have things in common [with], even though it’s not “organic” in the sense of going out and physically meeting someone.”
Mia also says she tries to make time for the people she finds most important in her life, and despite scheduling conflicts, she aims to see them at least once a month in-person to catch up.
Dr Greenwell-Barnden says to transform the experience of loneliness, individuals should seek “valued solitude”, which includes engaging in activities that are fulfilling for yourself and by yourself.
“Solitude becomes this valued time you carve out for yourself rather than something to avoid or fill with less meaningful, surface level social interactions.”
ELT’s approach to prevention and reduction of loneliness starts with acknowledging that there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution to the problem.
Instead, they aim to spread awareness of the issue and encourage seeking community suited to the diverse social needs and accessibility of an individual.
While theories circulate about potential solutions for tackling loneliness among young Australians, Lim suggests that it must start in schools.
ELT’s research shows that Australians between 15-25 years old have not been taught sufficient digital literacy.
This suggestion for systemic change within digital literacy education aims to teach the next cohort of ‘young Australians’ to differentiate between observed online relationships and those they possess in real-life.
While it may not be perfect, ELT acknowledges it is a start rooted in research suggesting a need to act on youth loneliness.
If you need someone to talk to:
Lifeline on 13 11 14
MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978
Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36
Headspace on 1800 650 890
13 YARN on 13 92 76
