A new survey by marketing research company YouGov apparently shows millennials are twice as likely to experience loneliness than their Baby Boomer counterparts. 30% of millennials (ages 26-28) often or always feel lonely. That compares to 15% of Baby Boomers (ages 55-75 years old) who responded they often or always felt that way.
Millennials were also the most likely to report having zero friends (22%), zero close friends (27%) and zero acquaintances (25%). By comparison, nine percent of the Baby Boom cohort in the study of nearly 1,300 reported having no friends or no acquaintances. OSF HealthCare Behavioral Health Director Cheryl Crowe says online time may be a contributing factor with an age group which tends to spend more time on the internet and social media.
Click here for Crowe’s comments
Other studies have decisively linked heavy social media and internet use with both loneliness and depression. Crowe suggests trying new things like volunteer work can be a great source of connection. OSF HealthCare also offers free behavioral health navigation services to help understand all resources available in your area.
(Copyright WBGZ Radio / www.AltonDailyNews.com)
