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| Childline: More children seeking help for loneliness | Childline: More children seeking help for loneliness |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Childline has seen a 14% rise in the number of children contacting the charity about loneliness. | Childline has seen a 14% rise in the number of children contacting the charity about loneliness. |
| In 2017/18, the charity delivered 4,636 counselling sessions on loneliness, compared to 4,063 the year before. | In 2017/18, the charity delivered 4,636 counselling sessions on loneliness, compared to 4,063 the year before. |
| Nearly 80% of sessions went to girls. Some said watching their friends socialise without them on social media made them feel increasingly isolated. | Nearly 80% of sessions went to girls. Some said watching their friends socialise without them on social media made them feel increasingly isolated. |
| This is the second year loneliness data has been recorded - it used to go down as "low self-esteem" or "unhappiness". | This is the second year loneliness data has been recorded - it used to go down as "low self-esteem" or "unhappiness". |
| The youngest person to call with the problem was just 10 years old. | The youngest person to call with the problem was just 10 years old. |
| One teenage boy told Childline: "I see all my friends having a good time on social media and it gets me down, I feel like no one cares enough to invite me. | One teenage boy told Childline: "I see all my friends having a good time on social media and it gets me down, I feel like no one cares enough to invite me. |
| "My mood is getting worse and now I'm just upset all the time and can't stop crying." | "My mood is getting worse and now I'm just upset all the time and can't stop crying." |
| The charity's founder Dame Esther Rantzen said: "Loneliness needs to be taken seriously because it is potentially damaging to children's physical and mental health. | The charity's founder Dame Esther Rantzen said: "Loneliness needs to be taken seriously because it is potentially damaging to children's physical and mental health. |
| "The crucial question is what is causing this rise among the young? | "The crucial question is what is causing this rise among the young? |
| "Are we all too busy to make space and time for our children? Is it that we have lost the habit of eating together? | "Are we all too busy to make space and time for our children? Is it that we have lost the habit of eating together? |
| "Or is it the illusion created by social networks that everyone else is liked, popular and enjoying a far more exciting life so they feel lonelier than ever?" | "Or is it the illusion created by social networks that everyone else is liked, popular and enjoying a far more exciting life so they feel lonelier than ever?" |
| Younger people are more prone to feeling lonely than older age groups, according to the Office for National Statistics. | Younger people are more prone to feeling lonely than older age groups, according to the Office for National Statistics. |
| Research in April found that almost 10% of people between the ages of 16 and 24 were "always or often" lonely, more than three times higher than people aged 65 or over. | Research in April found that almost 10% of people between the ages of 16 and 24 were "always or often" lonely, more than three times higher than people aged 65 or over. |
| Mental Health Foundation's Cal Strode said loneliness among young people could be driven by social media. | Mental Health Foundation's Cal Strode said loneliness among young people could be driven by social media. |
| "Teens can have thousands of friends online and yet feel unsupported and isolated," he said. | "Teens can have thousands of friends online and yet feel unsupported and isolated," he said. |
| "Technology - including social media - could be exacerbating social isolation." | "Technology - including social media - could be exacerbating social isolation." |