Loneliness should be treated as a social issue

Rather than placing all responsibility on a person suffering from loneliness, we need to look at societal solutions, which offer broader and more sustainable impact.

- Kathryn Bates

Anyone who has experienced loneliness knows how deeply personal it feels. We feel lonely when our social and emotional needs aren't being met. Because of this, psychological research often focuses on individual-level solutions, encouraging people to change their perceptions or behaviour through therapy. But this focus misses the heart of the issue: the absence of meaningful connection with others.

It's right to be concerned about high rates of loneliness among young people, especially given the negative impact of severe loneliness on physical and mental health. Some argue that technology is to blame and point to increased time spent on mobile phones or social media.

While studies do show that higher internet use is linked to greater loneliness, the direction of this relationship remains unclear. Are young people lonely because they're online, or online because they feel lonely?

The internet is not devoid of social interaction. In fact, studies suggest that young people's online activities often mirror their offline behaviour, especially when it comes to seeking connection and communicating with friends. This complicates the idea that technology alone is to blame for feelings of loneliness.