Medellin Youth show optimism amid rising loneliness
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In Medellin, Colombia, young people between 14 and 28 generally feel optimistic about their futures, but a new study reveals a growing struggle with loneliness and maintaining meaningful connections.
The city’s Mayor’s Office conducted the Youth Well-Being Measurement, gathering data from 3,056 individuals across the city and its surrounding rural areas, to understand the factors impacting this generation’s well-being.
The results show a contradiction, while nearly 90% of young people believe their situations will improve in five years, one in four reports feeling lonely and 27% have lost touch with friends in the past year. Researchers found that four in ten young people spend more than six hours daily using their cellphones, and nearly a quarter report never feeling reassured they have someone to rely on during difficult times.
Ricardo Jaramillo, Medellin’s Secretary of Youth, described this trend as part of a “global epidemic” of loneliness linked to social media and constant stimulation. He noted that 4 in 10 young people spend over six hours a day on their phones, observing a shift towards a “multiverse” where friendships are lost and civic engagement is low.
The city is responding with existing programs focused on mental health, youth participation, and school support, investing over COP 77.6 billion (approximately $24.6 million USD) in mental health initiatives between 2024 and 2025. Officials now plan to focus on measuring whether existing spaces are actually fostering relationships, and to address the root causes of loneliness which can include financial hardship, discrimination, and family conflict.
