Exclusive: More than a third of young people say loneliness disrupts daily life
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Loneliness is draining U.S. youths' mental health, with 61% saying it takes at least somewhat of a toll and 35% reporting it disrupts their daily life, according to Hopelab and Data for Progress survey results shared exclusively with Axios.
The big picture: The polls shows two different paths, with over half of respondents reporting good mental health, though that state of well-being strongly correlates with income and LGBTQ+ identity.
- The survey's results "challenges an oversimplified crisis narrative around youth mental health, showing that two things are true at once," Emma Bruehlman-Senecal, Hopelab principal researcher, told Axios.
- "One, not all young people are struggling today with mental health issues... And at the same time, there are pronounced disparities in mental health, and in particular, LGBTQ+ young people and young people who are struggling financially."
- Family problems, no clear path, school work and friendship issues were the other top issues that those surveyed said were impacting their mental health.
State of play: 55% of young people say their mental health is good, very good or excellent, according to the survey.
- But LGBTQ+ youth rate their mental health as poor at nearly triple the rate of non-LGBTQ+ youth.
- And those young people who struggle to meet basic expenses report poor mental health at more than triple the rate of those who live comfortably.
- Respondents said solo downtime, face-to-face time with friends and engaging with media are the top activities that support their well-being and mental health.
Threat level: About a quarter of youth enrolled in schools say their schools fall short on mental health support.
- More resources, training and support should be poured into schools, which serve as "an equalizer," Amy Green, Hopelab's head of research, told Axios.
- "That's why it becomes an even more important place for resources and support for young people because it has more universal impact," she said.
The intrigue: Members of Gen Z are optimistic about their own futures while expressing more concern for the future of the U.S. and the planet.
- That resonates for Maddie Freeman, 24, who said it can be hard to grapple with a "backdrop of doom." For Freeman, who runs a digital wellness nonprofit, this helps motivate activism and change-making.
The bottom line: "While these topline findings indicate that most young people report good mental health and emotional well-being, they reiterate the importance of intersectionality in mental health research and interventions," the report said.
Go deeper: Workers with mental health needs face access woes
Methodology: Hopelab and Data for Progress surveyed 1,304 respondents between 13 and 24 with a margin of error of ±3 percentage points. Poll items were created with 30 young people from across the U.S.
Editor's note: The story and headline have been corrected to reflect that 35% (not half) of America's youth say loneliness disrupts their daily life. (As shown in the chart, 51% of youth who rate their mental health as fair or poor say loneliness impacts their daily life). It has been clarified to note that the share of young people saying their schools fall short on mental health support refers only to youth currently enrolled in school.
