Why are young people so lonely?

The feeling of loneliness peaks at age 64. So we were told, but this no longer holds true. The latest 安盛 Mind Health Survey found that younger people feel lonelier than any other age group today. Here are four reasons why.

More than a billion people worldwide live with a mental health?problem, and lonliness is a one. And it is the one that affects young people most, as 安盛 new Mind Health Report reveals.

Survey found that younger people feel lonelier than any other age group today. All too often they see airbrushed versions of other people’s lives with rising social media use. They promote standards of perfection few can live up to. And this is only one of four reasons to end up feeling worse about their own lives.

Pressures from peers, social media, the environment is not always conducive to developing good mind health. And more recently, increasing uncertainties around war, diseased, climate crisis, political and economic instabilities have left many young people puzzled.

More than a billion people worldwide live with a mental health?problem today.

INSIGHTS FROM THE REPORT

With this year’s study, we wanted to pinpoint the factors that weigh heavy on those aged between 18 and 24. The aim is clear - how can we begin to build consistently better mind health for younger people.

Our study found that the main drivers behind the mind health of younger people were: uncertainty over the future, loneliness and body image. Young people were also more worried about climate change than most other age groups. Based on our study, these concerns tend to decline steadily with age.

Younger people suffer the most from uncertainty over the future, loneliness and body image.

TECHNOLOGY ADDICTION

Drilling down on data of 33000 respondents across 16 countries, AXA’s survey found that negative sentiments were driven by the amount of time people spend online, either on computers or mobile phones.

• 27% of the surveyed identified tech addiction and social media use as having a strongly negative impact on their mental wellbeing.
• Among 18-24-year-olds, this figure was 38% – higher than any other age group.
• Online, younger people often see versions of other people’s lives. These have been edited and filtered, they promote standards of perfection few of us can live up to. Instead, younger people end up feeling worse about their own lives.

DOOM-SCROLLING MAKES THE WORLD EVEN DARKER

安盛 's survey showed that people who spend a lot of time online absorb much more negative news than those who don’t.

• This “doom-scrolling” makes the world seem a darker and more hopeless place than it really is.
• Extensive social media use exposes younger people to airbrushed versions of other people’s lives. In the survey, technology usage which was perceived as affecting wellbeing negatively was correlated with a negative body image and uncertain future outlook. And lower self-acceptance, as a tragic consequence.

Younger people often see airbrushed versions of other people’s lives online. These promote standards of perfection few can live up to. They end up feeling worse about our own lives.

As a result, the difference between younger people and older age groups can be distilled into four factors: tech addiction, loneliness, negative body image and uncertainty about the future.

安盛 ’s survey shows that, if we strip these four factors away, there would be more 18-24 year-olds flourishing than any other age group, with the exception of the over 64s.

PLUGGING OFF FROM THE "ALWAYS-ON"

Technology also plugs younger people into an “always-on culture.” It can give a false sense to be connected to a wider, virbant world of interactions. However, there is little real human contact happening. Being always-on also blurs the distinction between work and leisure. Young people find it even harder to enjoy rejuvenating downtime.

As a bottom-line, difference between younger people and older age groups can be distilled into these four factors: tech addiction, loneliness, negative body image and uncertainty about the future. AXA’s survey shows that, if you strip these four factors away, there would be more 18-24 year-olds flourishing than any other age group, with the exception of the over 64s.

WITH NEW UNDERSTANDING THERE IS NEW HOPE

We believe that with new understanding there is new hope. An essential purpose of society is to create an environment in which our young ones can thrive safely. They can develop healthy and fulfilled lives and contribute to our societies. But this is rather aspirational. Mind health is a vital topic for younger people which deserves more and full focus, from all of us.

AXA publishes the third edition of its Mind Health Report |...

Mirjam Bamberger is member of the Management Committee of AXA's European Markets & Latin America. Until January 2022, she has been?CEO of AXA Luxembourg and CEO of AXA Wealth Europe. Prior to this she served in various roles as a board member of AXA Switzerland, having completed an international trajectory in High Tech and Financial Services across US, Asia and Europe