Gen Z’s Loneliness Epidemic -

By Madeleine Gregg

No one’s life is perfect, and loneliness is a part of life, even for the most outgoing people. However, when I hear Boomers and Gen Xers talk about their high school and college lives, I have the sense that teenagers and young adults were generally much happier than they are today. There are many reasons for this, but a major one is Gen Z’s loneliness epidemic.

In the spring of 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared loneliness an epidemic in the United States. Americans of all ages have expressed their loneliness, but Gen Z has been hit especially hard. It seems as though many young people have lost the art of making new friends, approaching people they are romantically interested in, behaving in professional settings, and communicating nonverbally. Everyone has personal reasons for shyness or social anxiety, but two common reasons are the lingering effects of COVID and an overreliance on digital communication and digital entertainment.

Gen Z was forced into COVID lockdowns during middle school, high school, and college, all of which are critical points of development. They needed face-to-face interactions, but they had to rely on digital communication instead. According to Dr. Amennuddin at the Mayo Clinic, “The parts of the brain that activate during a face-to-face interaction may have gotten a little rusty for older kids.” Because of hindered brain development, COVID caused a delay in adolescents’ social skills that is still seen four years after the pandemic.

Even though it has been a few years since the pandemic, Gen Zers are just as addicted to their devices as they were then. Digital communication does connect people, but it does not replace the substance of connecting with people in-person. An overreliance on devices for communication and for entertainment has made many Gen Zers less confident in their ability to form and maintain in-person relationships. Therefore, digital communication feels safer.

Before today’s digital age, entertainment mostly involved interacting with people face-to-face in some way or another. Everyone had to practice putting themselves out there. People can still attend in-person social events, of course, but young people today tend to rely on passive entertainment, or the entertainment people get from using technology. This could be watching YouTube, binge-watching Netflix’s latest series, doomscrolling, or listening to podcasts. Passive entertainment is addictive, so many people today do not have as much energy or motivation to form in-person relationships. Deep down, though, they do want face-to-face connections, since humans are social by nature.

Despite Gen Z’s addiction to their devices, young people who are frustrated by loneliness are actively seeking out opportunities to form in-person relationships. Gen Z workers are going to networking events and are doing everything they can to ensure that they can attend work in person. In-person events, including speed dating, happy hours, and concerts, are becoming more popular with young people. Confidence is built over time, and taking small steps towards it will gradually help Gen Z find the social fulfillment they need.