The study titled “Youth, Loneliness, and Digitalization,” conducted through a collaboration between the Department of Sociology at Üsküdar University and Method Research Company, was carried out with a total of 1,009 participants across Türkiye, aged between 18 and 29, of whom 62 percent were women and 38 percent were men. The study was shared within the scope of the 7th International Loneliness Symposium.
According to the research, the age group in which feelings of loneliness peaked was young people aged 18 to 21, with a rate of 32 percent.
Time spent on social media functions not as a tool for forming bonds, but rather as a temporary refuge used to escape loneliness.
The research revealed that artificial intelligence has begun to turn into not just a technical tool for young people, but also an emotional “harbor”:
“Approximately 83 percent of young people state that they use artificial intelligence to obtain information and ask questions. Twenty seven percent of young people ask questions to ChatGPT when they feel lonely or do not want to talk to anyone. Among those who frequently experience loneliness, the rate of turning to artificial intelligence rises to 35 percent. Thirty three percent of young people state that messaging with artificial intelligence is easier than talking to a human being.”
The “Youth, Loneliness, and Digitalization” study conducted nationwide with 1,009 young people aged 18 to 29 by Üsküdar University and Method Research Company shed light on the emotional world of Generation Z and Generation Y. Drawing a portrait of young people in a modern world surrounded by social media and digitalization, the study revealed that having many friends does not eliminate loneliness, that artificial intelligence has become a new “companion in distress,” and that the sense of loyalty has been seriously damaged.
The “Youth, Loneliness, and Digitalization” study was conducted nationwide with a total of 1,009 participants aged 18 to 29, of whom 62 percent were women and 38 percent were men. The findings were presented to the public within the scope of the 7th International Loneliness Symposium.
Sixty six point three percent of young people stated that they have three or more close friends, 29.1 percent reported having one to two close friends, and 4.6 percent stated that they have no close friends at all.
Loneliness is no longer an exception, but a routine
According to the research findings, loneliness has ceased to be a temporary feeling among young people and has turned into an established emotional state. Twenty seven point one percent of participants stated that they feel lonely “from time to time,” while 27.3 percent reported feeling lonely “frequently.” The fact that more than 50 percent of young people live in a climate of loneliness reveals that loneliness has become normalized among young people, is experienced quietly, and is often internalized.
The most fragile period: Ages 18 to 21
The age group in which loneliness reached its peak was young people aged 18 to 21, with a rate of 32 percent. This rate rises to 36 percent especially among those aged 18 to 19. This threshold period, where the transition to university, separation from family, and anxiety about the future intersect, has been recorded as the time when young people feel most vulnerable and lonely.
Women share, men internalize
The research shows a clear gender difference in how loneliness is experienced. According to the findings, women constitute 61 percent of those who say “I feel lonely from time to time” and 58 percent of those who say “I feel lonely frequently.” This indicates that women express feelings of loneliness more openly. Among men, loneliness is expressed at lower rates, but this does not mean that men are less lonely. The data reveal that women are more courageous in expressing loneliness, while men, due to social roles, suppress this feeling and experience an “invisible” loneliness.
Many friends, no intimacy
One of the most striking findings of the study is the relationship between the number of friends and loneliness. Although 66.3 percent of young people state that they have three or more close friends, they continue to feel lonely. This proves that “quantitative crowds are not sufficient to establish qualitative bonds.” Even when surrounded by people, young people experience problems of feeling misunderstood and emotional insecurity.
Perceptions of loyalty and faithfulness are shaken
The trust of the younger generation in human relationships is also under serious strain. Only one third of young people believe that people act with loyalty toward one another in difficult times. Although the concept of “loyalty” is still defined as standing by someone on a difficult day, young people state that they cannot find its reflection in daily life. This lack of trust causes young people to be more distant and cautious when forming bonds.
As screen time increases, loneliness deepens
The link between digitalization and loneliness was also clearly revealed in the study. Forty percent of young people who frequently feel lonely spend more than four hours a day on social media. However, time spent on social media functions not as a tool for building connections, but as a temporary refuge used to escape loneliness. Intense contact in the digital world is not sufficient to fill the sense of emptiness in real life.
ChatGPT as the new confidant
The research revealed that artificial intelligence has begun to become not only a technical tool for young people, but also an emotional “harbor”: “Approximately 83 percent of young people state that they use artificial intelligence to obtain information and ask questions. Twenty seven percent of young people turn to ChatGPT when they feel lonely or do not want to talk to anyone. Among those who frequently experience loneliness, the rate of turning to artificial intelligence rises to 35 percent. Thirty three percent of young people state that messaging with artificial intelligence is easier than talking to a human being. On the other hand, 59 percent believe that artificial intelligence will not reduce feelings of loneliness.”
Prof. Ebulfez Süleymanlı: “Loneliness has turned into a structural experience”
Evaluating the research findings, Prof. Ebulfez Süleymanlı from the Department of Sociology at Üsküdar University stated that loneliness is no longer a temporary emotional state but has become a structural problem, and said: “This research reveals that loneliness among young people has moved beyond being a temporary mood and has turned into a structural experience connected to the quality and continuity of relationships. Although a significant portion of young people have social environments and friendship networks, the widespread persistence of loneliness indicates that expectations of trust, intimacy, and reciprocity in relationships are not being sufficiently met. In this sense, loneliness emerges not so much as a rupture, but as an expression of feeling misunderstood and insecure. Findings related to loyalty and faithfulness make visible an important social transformation underlying the experience of loneliness. Young people perceive relationships as more fragile, temporary, and conditional, which leads them to act more cautiously and distantly when forming bonds.”
Young people seek trust rather than more communication
Hale Aslı Kılıç from Method Research Company also evaluated the findings, stating, “The results regarding the use of artificial intelligence and ChatGPT point to the digital dimension of this transformation. Young people use artificial intelligence not to ‘solve’ loneliness, but rather to alleviate it and make it manageable. The research clearly shows that young people’s primary need is not more communication, but more secure, lasting, and loyalty based social bonds.”