Digital Love

Are Millennials The Loneliest Generation?

Loneliness is a common emotion, but some studies suggest that millennials might feel it the hardest.

by Irina Dvalidze

Everyone feels lonely from time to time, and that emotion has definitely become something more collective and common in 2020. However, even before the COVID crisis and quarantine, studies showed that millennials might actually be the loneliest generation. But why?

First, let’s look at the facts. According to some studies, 30% of millennials have reported feeling intense feelings of loneliness. That might not seem like a super high number, but compared to other generations, it’s noteworthy. Unlike millennials, only one in five Gen Xers report feeling lonely. Even fewer baby boomers report feeling lonely — just 15%.

So what gives? Why are millennials the loneliest generation? Sadly, one study showed that 15% of millennials actually said they had no friends. That same study showed that 27% of millennials said they had no close friends and no best friends.

Don’t get too depressed yet; there are a lot of other factors at play when it comes to loneliness. It’s a completely natural human emotion, and some studies even say that loneliness is related to age or life circumstances. Plus, even though millennials might be the loneliest generation, they’re also the most connected to social media (a way to keep in touch) and the most open to destigmatizing conversations around mental health.

With that in mind, check out the video above from Bustle’s Digital Love series. It highlights a group of millennials on feeling lonely, what their reasons are, and what they do to combat it.

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Executive Creative Director: Lauren Sofair

Executive Producer: Whitney Buxton

Supervising Producer: Irina Dvalidze

Producer: Lauren Tegtmeyer

Director of Photography: Marshall Stief

Videographer: Jasmine Velez

Editor: Meline Rosales

Design Director: Andenew Ayele

Motion Designer: Jeff Donlan

Video Assistant: Sasha Mahmood