Why young people are turning to AI for mental health support
source:
Huffington Post
originally published: 8 July 2026
While some might associate loneliness with an older demographic, data is increasingly suggesting Gen Z is one of the loneliest generations.
Last year, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shared survey results showing two in five (40% of) respondents aged 16 to 29 years old reported feeling lonely often, always or some of the time. This was the highest of all age groups polled. In contrast, 17% of people aged 70 and over reported this level of loneliness.
Almost one in five (18%) say it has a serious impact.
What actually is loneliness?
Loneliness can be hard to explain to others – it can be equally difficult to recognise.
Psychology Today describes it as “the state of distress or discomfort that results when one perceives a gap between one’s desires for social connection and actual experiences of it.
”Humans are “designed to be in connection with others”, according to counsellor and psychotherapist Amanda Macdonald. When this connection isn’t present, loneliness can rear its unwanted head. “We can be surrounded by colleagues at work, or family, or friends, but we need to experience a connection to know we are not alone,” she said.
People who are lonely might feel restless, agitated, irritable, or even afraid. They might also experience changes in sleep or appetite, said the therapist.
There’s no denying social media, which is now set to be banned for under-16s as of next year, has dominated much of Generation Z’s youth – increasingly, so too is artificial intelligence (AI).
Gen Z typically refers to those born between 1997 and 2012, who will be aged between 14 and 29 as of the time of writing.
