SheKnows
The Lonely Generation: Why Even Social Teens Feel Isolated (and How Moms Can Help Them Reconnect)
If your teen is constantly FaceTiming, group-chatting, gaming with friends, and replying to 100+ Snap streaks a day, “lonely” might be the last word you’d use to describe them. But research shows otherwise: Gen Z — the most digitally connected generation in history — is also the loneliest.
According to GWI’s global survey, “Eight in 10 Gen Z respondents (80%) agree they’ve felt lonely in the past 12 months,” and strikingly, “The most connected generation in history is also the loneliest.” The CDC reports that “4 in 10 students had persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness,” a sign that emotional disconnection is becoming more common — even among teens who appear socially active.
Experts see it every day. Licensed counselor Sarah Whitmire, LPC-S, explains that “the lack of face-to-face interaction, which is crucial for building empathy and emotional bonds, leaves many teens feeling isolated despite being constantly connected.”Report ad
And social media heightens the pressure. As Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin, ACSW, ACHT and CEO of Parents Anonymous, told us, “Social media creates a platform for comparison — teens view idealized representations of others’ lives, which makes them feel isolated and inadequate.”
1 in 3 Parents Expect a Summer Filled With Anxiety — & as a Mom of 3, I Can Relate
Sunscreen, swimsuits, and sertraline — what else do you need for a perfect summer? Around February, my mental health takes a huge dip as I stressfully anticipate the weeks between the end of May and middle of August. Yes, my anxiety spikes 3 months early because February is the month when kids’ summer camps begin to fill up. And despite how expensive they are, those days I can drop my three kids off for a few hours provide much-needed childcare for me.
My husband works in-office the majority of the time, so I signed up my kids for a few weeks of summer camp to help me get my work done. That doesn’t totally ease my anxiety, though. After all, it just makes me busier as I have to chauffeur my kids around. In the study, 86 percent of parents believe the 2025 summer will be busier than last year, due to plans to attend more events for their kids (49 percent), managing their kids’ schedules even more (44 percent), and planning more summer camps and activities (44 percent).
Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin, a mom herself and CEO of Parents Anonymous, tells SheKnows, “Summer breaks down the carefully established routines which many families need for stability. Because schools are closed, parents face significant stress from having to juggle being entertainers, teachers and caregivers all at once to fill their children’s time.”