Author: Isabella Clarke
Introduction
This is a key question following the federal government’s recent ban on social media for
under 16’s. Loneliness is a growing problem in Australia and is inherently linked to mental
health. Our mind and body experience loneliness as a stressor, which means loneliness can
lead to serious physical and mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and
loss of hope.
While we’ve historically associated loneliness with the elderly, young people aged 18-25
are actually the loneliest age group in Australia. This surprising statistic highlights a shift in
how we understand loneliness in the modern age. It’s not just about living alone – it’s about
relational poverty, and the absence of deep connections
This was the introduction from the original article
which can be downloaded in full as a PDF below
