the paradox that has trapped 69% of young people

We usually imagine the loneliness as total isolation: an empty room and a phone that doesn’t ring. Seeing a person who is surrounded by people and with an active social life seems like they cannot feel loneliness, but the reality is very different in Spain, where studies suggest that we have never been so connected and at the same time so alone. And young people are the ones who bear the brunt.

The problem in Spain. A recent study published in PLOS One has just named a phenomenon that defines generation Z already the millennials younger: social ambivalence. And it is not that the youngest in our society lack friends or plans to make on a daily basis, but it shows that the amount of social interactions does not guarantee optimal emotional well-being. Having dozens of ‘likes’ for a publication on Instagram does not mean being accompanied.

Something that the data of the report made by SoledadES in Spain has confirmed, since its conclusions indicate that we are experiencing a silent epidemic where 69% of young people admit to having felt alone. And all this regardless of the number of followers on social networks or friends they have by their side on a daily basis.

Change of concept. For decades, sociology assumed that loneliness was simply the lack of social contact seen in people who did not go out and interact with anyone. In this way, the equation seemed quite simple: the more friends you have, the less loneliness you have.

But this is no longer the case as it has been seen in adults ranging from 18 to 29 years old. Here it has been seen that people who have a high social connection are accompanied by a simultaneous feeling of loneliness.

The most affected. The studytitled “Lonely and Connected in Emerging Adulthood”points out that this social ambivalence It occurs especially in moments of life transition. Young adults go through a period of instability, such as changing residence to go to study, entering the labor market or ending their studies.

This only breaks support networks, for example losing contact with the friends they make at university or the need to have to meet new people at work. That is why the conclusion is quite clear: having a full social agenda does not protect against feelings of isolation if the interactions lack depth or if the young person feels that they do not fit into the environment that has changed.

Radiography in Spain. He “Study on youth and unwanted loneliness in Spain”promoted by the State Observatory of Unwanted Loneliness (SoledadES) of the ONCE Foundation, gives us information that sets off our alarms.

In this case they point out that 25.5% of young Spaniards between 16 and 29 years old claims to feel alone at present. But if you broaden the focus, almost 7 in 10 young people feel alone now or have felt that way at some point recently.

Its duration. In this report, the quantity may not be the most important, but rather the duration, since this feeling is becoming chronic in the young people of our country. According to the data, three out of every four young people who suffer from this loneliness have been in this situation for more than a year. But almost half still feel like this for more than three years. Something that completely passes the critical phase of adolescence.

Because. Among the reasons that try to justify this feeling, the one that gains the most weight is instability. This is something that can be seen in those changes of environment due to studies or work that force us to make new relationships, breaking the original ties where there was greater trust.

In Spain, this is aggravated by socioeconomic factors. The difficulty of emancipation, job insecurity and uncertainty about the future make it difficult to create quality ties, which are what truly combat loneliness, unlike the mere “quantity” of social interactions.

And here it stands out that it is not important to have a large number of friends, but that even if they are few, they are of quality. And this is the quality that is sometimes missing to be able to be 100% transparent with other people that does not make us feel so alone for not being able to express our concerns and keep them to ourselves.

Images | Mert Uner Şahin Sezer Dinçer

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