Loneliness is Growing Among Medellin’s Youth

Medellin's Youth Well-Being Measurement reveals a growing concern about loneliness, excessive screen time, and weakened social connections among young people. While many Medellin youth display optimism and ambition, the same study highlights that loneliness is a growing issue for a significant portion of the city's youth population.

The comprehensive assessment, which surveyed 3,056 young people across the city's 16 urban districts and five rural townships, reveals that nearly 90% of respondents believe their situation will improve in five years. However, 25% of young people report feeling lonely, and 27% lost contact with most of their friends over the past year. Moreover, 40% of respondents spend more than six hours a day on their cellphones.

While digital technologies enable young people to study, work, and maintain long-distance friendships, the measurement indicates that the issue is not simply about the amount of time spent on screens but rather how digital time displaces face-to-face interactions, physical activity, and community participation. Medellin's Secretary of Youth, Ricardo Jaramillo, emphasizes that the challenge lies in preventing digital gratification from eclipsing social experiences that require effort and time.

The World Health Organization has also highlighted the growing problem of social isolation and loneliness, calling for a new level of attention comparable to that given to physical and mental health. In Medellin, the growing number of young people who feel lonely and struggle to maintain relationships despite access to opportunities, education, and employment suggests that the city must address the challenges posed by the growing divide between digital and social connections.