Copyright huffingtonpost
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), social isolation and loneliness are increasingly being recognised as public health issues across all age groups. One in six people worldwide, the WHO added, face the problem, which they say can have “a serious impact on physical and mental health, quality of life, and longevity”. That is not to say, of course, that having a small friend group necessarily means you feel lonely. But new figures from Talker Research have found that the number of mates people have on average has shrunk once again. And Gen Z reported a higher number of friendships fading in the past 10 years (10.4) than Boomers (7.7). What’s the average number of friends? According to this data, which involved 2,000 participants, the figure balances out to 3.6 close pals per person. As Vice points out, this figure seems to be “shrinking every year”, with younger generations seemingly increasingly affected. Distance, life transitions, and not having enough time were cited as the top three reasons for growing apart. In a separate YouGov Friendship Study, 58% of UK respondents said they had less than 10 friends, of any closeness level, overall. 12% of Britons said they had just one close friend, while 41% put it at two to three; meaning a majority (53%) have three close friends or fewer. 7% of people polled by YouGov said they didn’t have a single person they don’t have anyone they’d call a close mate (women and men formed equal parts of that figure). How can I find and keep friends in adulthood? Speaking to HuffPost UK previously, Dr Uma Darji, a family doctor who told us she’s often felt too tired to hang out with her friends, said, “What matters most is staying emotionally connected, not necessarily seeing each other constantly”. She added, “I suggest adjusting expectations. If you aren’t up for a long dinner, try to engage with a short voice note or quick meme exchange to keep the lines of communication and connection alive without draining you... Be honest with your friends, you don’t have to pretend that you can do it all.” And after seeing the Talker research we mentioned earlier, Kyle Sligar, a psychologist at All In Bloom Therapy, said “taking initiative, being consistent, and stepping into vulnerability” can help you to form new connections, too. “There are so many other adults out there feeling lonely,” he added. The psychologist recommends attending community meet-ups, trying new classes, volunteering, and even trying new online groups.
