Scientists have named the generation most suffering from loneliness

Sociologists are increasingly calling young people the loneliest. Data for Britain confirms this trend - citizens under 30 are rated as the most lonely generation, reports the BBC.

According to research from the Office for National Statistics, 33% of Britons aged 16 to 29 reported feeling lonely “often or always”. This is the highest figure among all age groups.

“Adults aged 18 to 24 are the loneliest. They are followed by older people,” Professor Andrea Wigfield, director of the Center for the Study of Loneliness, told the BBC.

Data from the World Health Organization confirms that young people and adolescents have the highest levels of loneliness. However, in some countries, loneliness rates rise sharply after age 85 and reach levels among people aged 18 to 30.

Experts interviewed by the BBC say the gay lives of twentysomethings portrayed in shows such as Friends are largely misleading and untrue.

"We tend to romanticize adolescence as a carefree time, even though it is often the most miserable time in people's lives," said Professor Richard Weissburg.

The increase in loneliness was also influenced by the coronavirus pandemic, which intensified the trend to work from home. The publication notes that remote work can hit people over the age of 20 especially hard, as it prevents them from socializing.

Social networks also influence the feeling of loneliness, as they push users to constantly compare themselves with an idealized picture of the life of bloggers or random people suggested by the algorithm. In addition, as experts note, social networks can create unrealistic expectations from relationships and worsen social skills in real life.

Over the past eight years, there have been at least 100 million more lonely people in the world. Thus, in the 26 richest countries, the proportion of single people has increased since 2010. And in the United States, the proportion of young people living without a spouse or partner has doubled in 50 years.