Loneliness in young people is a growing problem that is affecting an increasing number of young people worldwide (WHO, 2022). In the words of Perlman and Pepau (1981), loneliness is a stressful feeling that results from the mismatch between desire and the reality of existing social networks. We can observe a first scheme: loneliness is not only being alone, but there is a degree of subjective perception in terms of quantity and quality which requires knowledge and recognition of the status in which —and because of— the person is.
One can be lonely while having company, and one can be lonely without knowing it without identifying oneself. A significant proportion of today's youth experience unwanted loneliness. According to the study by Qualter et al. (2015), 11-20% of these young people aged 12-15 were ‘sometimes’ lonely. The latest data in some countries shows figures as high as 60%, sometimes even exceeding the numbers of older people in unwanted loneliness. The percentage is highest in the 12-17 age range, which can lead to chronic feelings of loneliness (Mundi et al., 2020) through isolation leading to mental and physical problems and in the worst case, to youth suicide.
Learning to feel good being alone or to learn not to be alone too much? What is the good and bad of Technologies and Social Media? We tent to blame them, but What are the alternatives for young people to do after School, during Weekends or Holidays if they didn’t have these? What is the School, Families, Work environment and Society role for young people?
