Is it getting harder to make real friends these days?
When your phone is full of people, why can it still feel like you do not have anyone to call?
Making friends as a teenager or young adult can be surprisingly complicated. You might chat to people online, follow each other, send the occasional message, and still feel like something is missing. The friendships can look busy from the outside, yet not always feel close.
A recent report from England has brought attention to a growing concern about young people experiencing fewer close friendships and greater disconnection. It explores what may be happening beneath the surface, including the effects of social media, financial pressures, education, work and the changing opportunities to meet people.
The report found that the proportion of young people aged 16–21 with no close friends has increased fivefold since 2014.
It does not mean everyone is lonely, or that phones are the cause. It does invite us to think about what makes a friendship feel real, supportive and worth having.
