When I think back to my youth, I remember at times feeling lonely, despite having the most supportive of families.
Yes, it was a very different world back then, compared to the digital age today’s youth grow up in, as there were no mobile phones, social media and the other pressures almost instant communications bring.
But despite the differences of time, loneliness remains one of the most pervasive yet silent challenges affecting today’s youth, as it has been for previous generations.
As we reflect on the importance of nurturing good mental health and wellbeing for World Mental Health Day (10th October), I would like to raise the importance of tackling loneliness, particularly for young and vulnerable people.
My concerns are echoed by a recent report funded by our Randal Foundation and created by The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), called Lonely Nation: Part 2, which offers deep insights into the UK’s growing loneliness epidemic.
According to the report, 70% of 18-to 24-year-olds say they feel lonely at least some of the time, with evidence suggesting young people are spending too much time on digital devices and not enough within meaningful in-person communities, which is having a negative impact on their mental health and loneliness.
The report highlights a number of studies including one from the United States, which looked at the rollout of Facebook at college campuses. It found that access to Facebook led to an increase in severe depression by 7% and anxiety levels by 20%. University College London (UCL) researchers analysing the UK Millenium Cohort Study also found that adolescents using social media for three hours or more a day were more likely to show signs of depression at age 14, compared to their peers who used it less often. Furthermore, a 2023 study of adults in Norway, the UK, USA, and Australia found that more time spent on social media was associated with more loneliness.
The CSJ has identified six challenges that cause and perpetuate loneliness, and the report recommends 20 policy solutions for government to adopt, which would help to end loneliness and prepare the nation for the oncoming demographic change.
Part of the message of this World Mental Health Day is about encouraging adults, educators, parents, and policymakers to address loneliness in our young people. This may include encouraging open conversations about mental health and feelings of loneliness on an individual level, as well as calling on central government to provide greater support for accessible mental health services nationally.
Government support could include emphasising the importance of community-based solutions, including in schools, colleges, and universities, which often play a critical role by creating environments where young people feel genuinely connected and supported. Mentorship programmes and peer support groups also have a key part to play in giving young people opportunities to step away from the digital world and engage in face-to-face interactions.
My hope is that the positive message of World Mental Health Day, backed up with action, will lead to a commitment to building a society where all young people are heard, supported, and never feel like they are facing loneliness alone. A society that I know I would have found overwhelming to navigate, as a young person growing up in the pre-digital 1970s.
However, despite the generation gap, the need for fostering real, meaningful connections and providing the right help and support to create a future where all young people can live contented, happy lives, has never been more important.