Young people are now three times more likely to connect with friends online than they are to meet up in person, according to a new survey by teenage mental health charity stem4 to mark Youth Mental Health Day (19 September).
But lack of social connections in the real world, and pressure to look and behave a certain way online, has left half (50%) of young people saying they lack social confidence and that anxiety and fear of rejection is holding them back from making new friends.
Could you quit social media to protect your mental health and wellbeing?
On Sunday, 26-year-old actor Tom Holland announced he had taken a social media break as social media apps had become ‘detrimental’ to him as he would continue to read things about himself online and ‘spiral’. But unlike Tom, a third (32%) of the young people told the survey they are unable to limit or reduce the amount of time they spend online, even if it would mean achieving better overall physical and mental health.
‘There is an awful stigma against mental health and I know that asking for help and seeking help isn’t something we should be ashamed of,’ the Spider-Man actor added.
Of the 2,007 young people surveyed ahead of Youth Mental Health Day, nearly half (46%) say they are currently experiencing mental health difficulties, of which three in ten (30%) have not had the courage to ask for help. These difficulties are often compounded by feelings of loneliness (44%), being left out (39%), and isolation (33%) either all or most of the time. This has led many (44%) young people to say they are struggling to make and maintain friendships. In his video, Tom then went on to say he felt compelled to come on [social media] to talk about stem4, one of the many charities The Brothers Trust is extremely proud to support.
Statement from Dr. Nihara Krause, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and stem4 Founder
‘The impact of the pandemic on social connections has had long reaching effect. Social media can be a force for good, but what this survey finds is that there needs to be more balance in young people’s lives. Social media shouldn’t be used as a replacement for positive connections in the real world. What is positive from this survey, is that young people say they want to make meaningful relationships. However, they are being held back by a fear of rejection and a lack of knowing how to make connections, particularly as they have missed out on two years of social experiences and of developing social confidence post pandemic.
We want to change this by encouraging everyone to provide young people with opportunities starting with Youth Mental Health Day. This includes having meaningful peer and family conversations.’
Want to read more?
Read more about the findings in the full press release.
[Source: stem4 survey of 2,007 regionally representative British young people aged from 12 to 21 conducted by Survey Goo, 15th to 19th July 2022]