Erin Yarwood is a Journalism senior and Mustang News opinion columnist. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang Media Group.
In 2023, the United States Surgeon General reported that loneliness is an epidemic. An epidemic means that there has been a sudden increase in a disease or behavior that affects health.
Loneliness is connected to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. The loneliness epidemic is already causing and will continue to cause health and social issues. But to change it, we need to change the social fabric of our country: an intimidatingly enormous task.
When I first heard about the loneliness epidemic, I thought of two probable culprits: COVID-19 and technology.
The COVID-19 pandemic must have a big part to blame for the uptake in people feeling disconnected from others and alone. However, even before the pandemic, one in two Americans reported experiencing loneliness. Clearly, this is a more significant societal issue than one caused by social distancing during 2020 and 2021.
The loneliness epidemic is no longer a rare discussion. It has become a frequent conversation in my day-to-day life and a problem space for individuals seeking genuine connections. Professors bring it up, the media focuses on it and more people are beginning to realize the gravity of loneliness.
So, I began to look into the problem. To my surprise, the loneliness trend is higher in Gen-Z. Not to my surprise, the loneliness epidemic is a lot more detrimental to men.
No group has been hit as hard by the loneliness epidemic than men. This didn’t entirely surprise me. I’ve always been aware of the differences between male and female friendships and how these differences impact men’s mental health.
The societal stigmas around men expressing emotions and forming deep friendships must be to blame, right? Then why are Gen-Z men, who tend to be more progressive and reject these toxic ideologies, affected the most?
As a 21-year-old, I feel like many people my age, including myself, enjoy one of the most social times in our lives. This is why it surprised me when I found that ages 16-24 are actually the loneliest age group.
Unfortunately, increased screen time and reduced in-person interactions have led to increased social exchange online and reduced social exchange in person. It’s these in-person exchanges that build deeper bonds.
Technology enters the problem, inhibiting young people’s ability to build social skills or look away from their phones to have a meaningful conversation. To me, it seems that this, combined with men’s decreased ability or belief in the ability to lean on one another for emotional support, is why Gen-Z men are hit the hardest by this epidemic.
As with any epidemic, we naturally ask the question: is there a cure? How do we fix this? At what point does this become a problem that men must solve themselves?
It’s time to dismantle the toxic structures that they inherited from themselves and often perpetuate. These toxic structures put pressure on men to be the provider and constantly emotionally unshaken. Embracing vulnerability as a strength is necessary because that’s what it is. Emotional expression strengthens your mind and body.
As college students, we are responsible for providing social spaces and groups that are available as a resource to foster connections. After all, it’s our generation that is affected the most. Mental health initiatives focused on in-person interaction are a significant first change. Starting with simply talking about the loneliness epidemic and making it known will make those experiencing the detriments of it feel less alone.
The loneliness epidemic is an issue for everyone, regardless of age or gender. It’s a societal issue. I plea to all of us collectively to decide to be part of the solution. So today, reach out to somebody you haven’t talked with in a while. It’ll make you both feel a little better. I promise.