Recent studies uncover that today's youth could be more lonely than ever.
With social media being such a significant part of today's youth life's, it's hard to imagine that they could be lonely. However, a recent study from London's King College showed that 62% of 1000 teenagers (between 16-24) questioned felt lonely.
The report suggested that the rise in loneliness amongst the youth could be caused by the stress of social media, puberty and even the stress of school. We spoke to 3 teenagers, all of which have felt lonely during their teenage years.
Lucy May, 20
When I was 18 I had the choice of going to University, however, I decided not too. But all my friends did, and so they all moved away and I stayed home, I quickly began to feel lonely. I would see their Instagram and Facebook post of how much fun they were having with all their new friends. It took a lot of time to get over it but I managed to stay away from social media and I started to stop feeling sorry for myself. Of course, there are still times when I feel lonely but everyone experiences them. It’s impossible to never feel lonely.
Margo Crown, 19
When I was seventeen I was in a car crash in which I lost one of my closet friends too. For a long time after, I felt as if I'd lost a part of me. I didn't know how to cope with the sudden loss of someone that was close to me and I shut myself away from the world. It was one of the worst things I could have done to myself, it made me miss out on so much. I remember one day just thinking that I was being selfish and wasting my life. Knowing that I lived and she didn't, I felt that I was taking my life for granted. So I picked myself up, began to talk to people and go out more, and I didn't feel lonely anymore.
Beth Matthews, 16
I've always been a quiet person, but it wasn't until I made the jump from primary to secondary school when I stopped being as social as I was before. My friends become socially confident whereas I found it harder and harder to talk to people. Even those I grew up with because I didn't talk to people my anxiety grew and I just felt myself feeling worse than ever. I wouldn't say I've gotten over it, but I do feel that my anxiety is more controlled and so I found it easier to talk to people.
