New Study Shows 1 in 4 Millennials Don’t Have Any Friends

(Photo Credit: Shutterstock)

Bella Breakdown

One in five Millennials, the generation born between 1980 and 1995, say they have no friends at all. The survey, conducted by the research company YouGov, surveyed more than 1,500 Americans and yielded alarming results.

“A third of the 20- and 30-somethings also reported feeling lonely often or always, compared with 20 percent of Gen Xers and 15 percent of boomers,” The New York Post reported.

On the bright side, 49 percent of Millennials said they have between one and four close friends, and 70 percent said they had a “best friend.” However, as the New York Post reported, in many cases, a Millennial’s best friend might be their only friend. More than half of respondents told YouGov they find it difficult to make new friends, and only a third of Millennials had befriended someone new in the last six months.

What’s behind these depressing numbers? Many experts blame the rise in social isolation fueled by increased screen time and social media use.

“YouGov’s research for this survey didn’t directly examine why millennials might be feeling more lonely than older generations, but earlier studies point to social media and the internet as potential influences,” YouGov reported.

A study from the University of Pennsylvania found a link between social media use and decreased well-being. Speaking about the study she and her team conducted, psychologist Melissa G. Hunt said, ‘Here’s the bottom line: Using less social media than you normally would lead to significant decreases in both depression and loneliness.’