Young people face loneliness as digital life reshapes social connections, experts say

Young man standing alone by a window, reflecting growing loneliness among young people. Photo: Sasha Freemind via Unsplash

Published : 07 Oct 2026, 10:22 PM

Updated : 07 Oct 2026, 10:22 PM

Young people are finding it increasingly difficult to form meaningful connections as academic pressure, digital life and changing social habits create a “lonely generation”, The Guardian reports.

A 2025 WHO report found that 17 to 21 percent of 13- to 29-year-olds experience loneliness, while a study across 38 countries revealed youth loneliness rose between 2002 and 2022.

The Guardian spoke to loneliness researcher Dr Michelle Lim, who says childhood has changed dramatically, with academic pressure, smaller families, fewer community spaces, rising costs and Covid reshaping how young people socialise.

Busy schedules filled with school, tutoring, exams and extracurricular activities are leaving less time for free play and spontaneous friendships, with concerns that this may contribute to “social atrophy” and greater comfort with being alone.

The problem can continue into university.

The Guardian highlighted 18-year-old Sydney student Nenyasha Dongo, who struggles to build close relationships and often spends quiet evenings watching films or scrolling TikTok before calling friends or family.

For 22-year-old student Usha Makkena, a busy academic and extracurricular schedule has also failed to prevent loneliness. What she misses, she said, is the deeper feeling of being understood by other people.

Technology has complicated that search for connection.

According to The Guardian, young people may exchange social media accounts or interact online without those encounters developing into lasting friendships.

Yet Lim does not regard social media as the enemy.

Online platforms can help people maintain relationships and provide support for young people who may feel isolated or marginalised in their offline communities.

The bigger concern is when virtual contact replaces face-to-face interaction.

Lim even imagines a future where her daughter’s closest friend could be an AI avatar, without the physical presence of a real relationship.

The Guardian also described Lim's “loneliness loop”: feeling lonely can make social situations seem more threatening, prompting people to withdraw and deepening their isolation.

Lim believes the problem cannot be left to individuals alone.

As communities lose shared spaces and opportunities to connect, she argues that meaningful social connections must be treated as essential, not a “nice to have”.

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