opinion
Jo Lockhart: Young people lonelier than ever even with instant connection

There are many reasons why we can feel lonely. The loss of a loved one, a relationship breakdown, financial hardship, ill health or distance from friends and family to name but a few. For the growing number of young people who contact Lifeline, feeling misunderstood can be the source of their painful sense of isolation. Figures from Lifeline WA paint an alarming picture when it comes to loneliness and our adolescents and young adults. As well as record numbers of phone calls to its 13 11 14 crisis support line, each month Lifeline WA also handles about 8000 to 9000 SMS and online chat conversations with people reaching out in their hour of need. Of these, more than half are under the age of 24 and of those, about a third are under the age of 16. Every month, that equates to roughly 4000 to 5000 young people aged 24 and under, all desperate to connect with someone who they know will listen without judgment. Feeling misunderstood, and a sense of disconnection and loss of purpose are reoccurring themes. Many of our young help-seekers don’t recognise that what they are experiencing is loneliness. Anger, frustration and hopelessness can all mask the pain of believing they are alone. It’s hard to disagree that the world young people are trying to navigate today is vastly different from anything that has gone before. Leaving home, house-sharing with mates, saving for a place of our own. This was once the natural order of things for those in their late teens and early twenties, and easy to look back on with fond memories. But sometimes comparison with the “good old days” only serves to widen the generational gap and dent the understanding, empathy and compassion that is so important to human connection. The previous world simply no longer exists. For an increasing number of young adults in 2025, flying the nest is a distant dream. A rental is hard to come by and a home loan often harder still. Many young adults are wrestling with finding their place in a world that is changing far faster than any of us could ever have imagined. Their sense of purpose and meaning in life can be hard to define and as the generation gap deepens this can create huge conflict in families. There’s often still the innate desire to separate from the family unit and strike out on their own, but now the hurdles can seem insurmountable and the goals unattainable. Looking into the future is arguably so much harder. Living in the family home is becoming more common for those in their twenties, but for many, this can carry a sense of shame. For others, home may not be a safe space, but they feel they have no alternative. And then there’s the power that technology holds in our lives, especially for those who were born into the digital age. With one simple touch of a button, people have the power to isolate others. Block, unfriend, unfollow. Social media posts are openly ignored. A sense of isolation that can be hard for older people to comprehend. Even the language families once used to communicate has morphed into a series of emojis and abbreviations that have the potential to create barriers between generations or be easily misconstrued. Young people today are trying to operate in a different world so perhaps it’s not surprising that so many feel adrift and lonely. At Lifeline, “No one gets me” is a phrase we hear often. Many young help-seekers also say they don’t want to be a burden by sharing their feelings with their family. Feeling lonely can be a painful and uncomfortable space to sit in. But loneliness is not something to be ashamed of. It is a natural part of being human, which is why it’s important we talk about it more. We’re learning that loneliness takes different forms for different people and for different age groups. For our young people, being seen and heard and understood is key. It’s important that everyone — whatever their age — knows they can and should reach out for connection with our dedicated Crisis Supporters. They are there to offer a safe space in which to chat if someone is feeling lonely or disconnected. Jo Lockhart is the crisis support manager at Lifeline WA. For 24/7 support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 text, 0477 13 11 14, chat onlinelifeline.org.au/crisis-chat or visit wa.lifeline.org.au.

opinionJo Lockhart: Young people lonelier than ever even with instant connection

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opinion
Jo Lockhart: Young people lonelier than ever even with instant connection