Does a child you know ever feel lonely when they’re online? In a study by the UK’s Office for National Statistics, 14% of 10–12-year-olds said that they DID often feel lonely – so any child experiencing those feelings is, sadly, far from unusual. To support Mental Health Awareness Week – which this year has the theme of ‘loneliness’ – we spoke to a group of children and teenagers, who told us some of the things that make them feel isolated when they’re online. They also suggested some ways they use technology to make themselves feel better when that happens, and we’ve compiled their ideas into a loneliness-busting #WakeUpWednesday guide.
In the guide, you’ll find tips such as taking breaks, playing single-player games and listening to your favourite audiobooks.
Research by the Mental Health Foundation found that loneliness has been exacerbated by the Covid pandemic, with more people experiencing it to an even more severe degree. This increased loneliness has contributed to higher levels of distress, resulting from people’s heightened feelings of isolation and diminished ability to connect with others.
The online world can help us feel more connected to people – but it can also leave us feeling even more cut off. For this week’s special #WakeUpWednesday guide, we canvassed the opinions of a group of young people, who told us what makes them feel lonely online … and how they use their digital devices to lift their spirits
