VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
----🙣🕮🙡----

FINAL ASSIGNMENT
SUBJECT: SOCIOLOGY
“THE LONELY AND FRAGILE GENERATION”
Teacher: PhD. Đinh Phương Linh
Student: ID:
Đào Thanh Thủy :20030078
Mai Anh Thư :20032702
Nghiêm Đức Anh Quân :20032695
Nguyễn Thị Thanh Trúc :20032708
Lê Thị Khánh Hòa :20032607
Đặng Diễm Quỳnh :20032696

Kinoshira Takeshi
Class: Management Science – SOC1051-E TT23

Hà Nội, tháng 6 năm 2022

 TABLE OF CONTENT

OPENING............................................................................................................3

I. THE DARK REALITY OF THE MODERN GENERATIONS..............4

1. The background information....................................................................4

1.1. What Is Generation Z (Gen Z)?...........................................................4
1.2. Understanding Gen Z............................................................................4
1.3. What Are Generation Z Characteristics?............................................4
1.4. Generation Z in the Workplace............................................................5

2. THE PICTURE OF GEN Z......................................................................5

2.1. The land of loneliness..........................................................................5
2.2. The virtual world blends into the real world.......................................6
2.3. A fish on a land.......................................................................................8
2.4. The pressure on “need to be perfect"..................................................8
2.5. Alone in the crowd...............................................................................10

II. THE ROOTS AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE PROBLEM...........10

1. The reasons for “The lonely fragile and stressed generation”.............10

1.1. The external factors.............................................................................11
1.2. The internal factors.............................................................................12
1.3. The consequences of this problem.....................................................14

III. THE CONCLUSION...............................................................................16

REFERENCES..................................................................................................18

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 OPENING

Generation Z, by some logical definitions, is the generation that grew up in modern

times, is constantly evolving due to access to the Internet and digital devices from a
young age (citizens of the digital age) or can also be understood in a simpler way as
"the generation that carries within itself the dynamic nature of youth and a mission to
continue the achievements of previous generations". They are the ones who will
change and orient the future, as they dare to do, value themselves more, create trends,
and have great influence on many areas of life such as entrepreneurship, fashion,
music, ...

At first glance, it may appear that Generation Z is an optimistic generation living

freely and expressing its self-confidence freely. But this is also just the surface of an
iceberg that everyone appreciates and cares about because people only like the glitz of
a new thing rather than its dark hidden corners. In fact, when we take a more inclusive
multidimensional perspective on Gen Z, we realize that today's younger generation is
still facing many of the negatives surrounding their daily lives, loneliness being one of
these.

A recent study has indicated that young people in the United States, known as
Generation Z, have experienced feelings of loneliness greater than any other
generation in modern history. This can be attributed to the unprecedented access to
information and knowledge provided by the Internet and an increased reliance on
social networks such as Facebook and Twitter for updates about relationships with
friends, family members and society at large. The UCLA Loneliness Scale, developed
in 1996 by psychologist Daniel Russell, is used as a benchmark in surveys. The scale
rates loneliness on a scale from 20 to 80; however, the average score is 43. According
to a survey conducted by Cigna on 20,000 American adults in 2018 (U.S. Loneliness
Index Report, Cigna, 2018), 18- to 25-year-olds in the survey scored 48.3 points on the
UCLA Loneliness Scale—higher than millennials (45.3 points) and Gen Xers (45.1
points). This raises the question of why we feel more out of place and alone than ever
before when we live in an age of technological achievement, such as when
refrigerators and coffee makers are connected to the Internet.

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 I. THE DARK REALITY OF THE MODERN GENERATIONS
1. The background information
1.1. What Is Generation Z (Gen Z)?
Gen Z, also known as iGen or Centennials, is a term used to describe young people
born from 1997 to 2012 and therefore encompass the majority of children currently in
elementary and secondary school. The term is used to differentiate people born after
Generation Y and Millennials. The oldest members of Generation Z have reached age
25, with many now out of college, getting married, and starting families. They follow
on the heels of their millennial predecessors (born 1981 to 1996), many of whom are
now reaching those same milestones. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly
affected members of Generation Z, who will inherit a world more uncertain than that
which previous generations encountered.

1.2. Understanding Gen Z

While previous generations have been involved in social issues, Generation Z is more
socially conscious than its predecessors. The Annie E. Casey Foundation reported that
Gen Zers have a strong interest in seven key social issues: health care, mental health,
higher education, economic security, civic engagement, race equity, and the
environment. Many Gen Zers will soon be ineligible for their parents' health insurance
coverage and may struggle to pay for their own. This problem is further exacerbated
by increased mental health treatment among members of Gen Z; as noted by the
American Psychological Association, 37 percent sought treatment in 2015. Gen Z
members also prioritize education; 57 percent of those aged 18 to 21 were enrolled at
either a two- or four-year college. Members of Generation Z are fighting for social
change and racial equity in greater numbers than previous generations.

1.3. What Are Generation Z Characteristics?

As a generation, Generation Z is the most diverse to date. The rise of technology has
been accompanied by a drastic increase in the amount of time spent online or on smart
devices for this demographic. In fact, one study showed that 98 percent of Gen Z
members own a smartphone. Research indicates that financial stability is an important
issue for this group; many grew up during the recession of 2008 and watched their
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parents struggle financially. As such, they are more likely to open savings accounts
early on and avoid debt later in life.

1.4. Generation Z in the Workplace

Generation Z is the youngest generation in the workforce, and it is not yet known how
they will be defined as employees. Early research suggests that they tend to be
independent, hardworking, and highly educated. As children of financial hardship,
they have also witnessed many economic issues and are motivated by job stability and
financial incentives. Because Gen Z is the most diverse generation, they are concerned
with issues of equality in the workplace and want to work for organizations that
prioritize such. Perhaps one of their most evident workplace characteristics is their
penchant for multitasking. Many Gen Z'ers are used to quickly switching between apps
on their phones or computers and may take a similar approach when working on
projects.

Although Generation Z is constantly connected to their devices, a recent study shows

that 72 percent of respondents prefer face-to-face conversations over digital
alternatives. This change in preference may be due to the increased use of
collaboration tools like chat and email in the workplace, which could eventually lead
to a return to more traditional, interpersonal communication.

2. THE PICTURE OF GEN Z

2.1. The land of loneliness
Scientific research indicates that loneliness is an unpleasant and stressful experience
associated with dissatisfaction with emotional needs. Simply put, loneliness is a
complex emotional state that exists and has existed throughout human history and will
likely continue to exist in the future. Modern humans sometimes harbor that emotion
that we do not seem to know whether it is ingrained in the subconscious mind or
whether it forces us to accept it as a necessity and live with it indifferently. We should
realize how lonely we used to be when we burst into tears in an empty place for no one
for any reason but only to feel lost; when we stand in the middle of a vibrant party, a
sea of people who still feel alone; or when we wander the streets—the familiar alleys
that in our hearts are uncertain and helpless about who is around us and whether we
should continue something.
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Gen Z are the people born after 1995, which makes them today's youth. They are the
ones behind most of the trends on social media and technology. These young people
have more opportunities than previous generations to connect with other people and
assert their personalities. The oldest Gen Z is 24 years old now and the youngest Gen
Z is 12 years old now, so these young people are beginning to grow up and assert
themselves. Social researchers and market researchers both study them closely because
they are a very important group of individuals. Researchers often use these traits to
describe Gen Z: Gen Z were the first true digital citizens because they grew up just as
intelligent information and communication technologies began to become widely used.
The first iPhone was released in 2008 when some Gen Zs were already 13 years old.

In a world with so many communication applications at our fingertips, Gen Z's face-to-
face communication is different from previous generations. Gen Z doesn't necessarily
have to be in the same physical location as someone else to have a face-to-face
conversation; the two people can simply video chat via Zoom, Skype or Google Meet.
Ironically, for an increasingly connected generation like Gen Z, they are the loneliest
people. In the West, many Gen Z respondents said they felt lonely often. Many
sociologists and market researchers consider Gen Z to be the loneliest generation ever
—but why? One prominent reason is that Gen Z spends more time socializing in
cyberspace than creating real-life social relationships.

Although younger generations feel most lonely, their parents and siblings share some
of that feeling. This also makes sense. When we look back a little at human history, we
see that since the first industrial revolution—which occurred around the end of the
eighteenth century and early nineteenth century—massive changes in human society
began to occur. People left their farms to work in factories and other places of
business. Village communities that had existed for hundreds of years began to
disintegrate, being replaced by large urban areas full of people working in factories. It
seems that it is no longer suitable for those who live in such areas to have so many
walls surrounding them; instead, it would be better if they lived in something like a
small rural town where everyone knows everyone else and can easily talk to others or
spend time together when needed.

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2.2. The virtual world blends into the real world
Although new forms of communication have developed, such as texting and instant
messaging, they cannot replace face-to-face communication. It is this new method of
communicating that has quietly eaten away at one of our most human personalities:
empathy. Technology can't take full responsibility for stripping us of our ability to
empathize. However, it's hard to understand anyone through just a few text messages
and emotional icons instead of facial expressions, voices, and gestures. We'll never
know if our comments or messages really comfort the other person or even hurt them
inadvertently.

In the past, a small community where our grandparents or parents lived was the only
place we could have access to. Now, the world is an infinite space in which we can
communicate with people thousands of kilometers away from us. We may feel excited
about it, but sometimes this feeling can turn into fear when we are alone and see our
friends' pictures full of radiant faces on social media. These photos may make us think
that everyone is having so much fun without us, and we will feel like being abandoned
by our friends. This is probably why we often have a "fake" feeling with online
connections. In this way, we can see that human emotions are confused between real
life and virtual reality because as the virtual world has become an integral part of our
daily lives, it has become more difficult to distinguish between fantasy and reality.

For that reason, Generation Z is the first generation to face a widespread mental health
crisis. According to the US Center for Disease Control, suicide is the second leading
cause of death among young people in 2019. If you look broadly at developed
countries, the suicide rate is also increasing gradually among young people.
Depression and anxiety are on the rise. In Gen Z, problems such as depression, anxiety
disorders and difficulties with social interaction were also found to be on the rise.
Generation Z was the first generation to put a lot of emphasis on the "virtual self": As
social networks became popular social communication platforms; Gen Z gradually
developed the so-called virtual self: self-expression in the virtual space.

As a result of Gen Z's use of social media, the generation has a different self-image
than the one they present in real life. This is confirmed by forms of self-image control
such as selecting content and images posted on social networks, applying filters to
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beautify or cover up imperfections, and being increasingly susceptible to the influence
of social media reviews by others.

2.3. A fish on a land

Many young people experience difficulties in integrating into the school environment.
Children with artistic personalities, who love beauty and favor the "real world" over
the academic one, are especially at risk of failing to adjust to school. How can a fish
swim on land? It's impossible to force a person who loves art and is not interested in
academics to thrive in a formal environment consisting mainly of other such people.
While most parents are engrossed with work and cover the increasingly expensive cost
of living, they have little time for their children. Children raised in such circumstances
can feel lonely even in their own families.

Social isolation has become a major problem for college students, and it is often most
acute in their own homes. A 2014 study found that nearly half of all college students
felt lonely at least once a week. College freshmen often feel particularly isolated from
the adults in their lives—teachers, advisors, and parents. They may feel they have little
in common with anyone around them, even people they've known since infancy. And
university life often exacerbates this isolation by providing few opportunities for
students to interact with others in casual settings outside the classroom; as a result,
many find it difficult to develop close relationships with other students beyond the
walls of their dorm room or apartment.

And, as many have noted, such differences in personality are largely genetically
determined. Therefore, it is not easy to talk about them. Formerly, families were
spiritual support systems—places where young people could go and get advice when
they needed it. Nowadays, however, families seem less able to provide this service.
Sometimes, one has just got to cry in private when loneliness has reached its peak—a
level of loneliness that cannot be shared with anyone else, but that one can only solve
on one's own. As the poet Luo Bai remarked: "In the lives of modern humans, crying
must be done in 'vibration mode'.

2.4. The pressure on “need to be perfect"

The technological age of Generation Z is overwhelming. Society tells us repeatedly
that as teens, they need to prepare for the future. Prepare for college, prepare for
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getting a job, prepare for a family, prepare for any possible emergency in life. As a
part of Generation Z, we all have this mentality of: “I want to be special and unique”
just like everyone else. We were told that we can be anything we want to be if we
work hard. The difficult part is that society has turned the term “you can be anything”
to “You should do everything”. The teenagers struggle with face dealing with
technology and have an unforgiving learning curve when it comes to navigating
technology. There is a dark side to technology when mistakes are made. Public
shaming takes the mob mentality on social media and what is called cancel culture.
This idea of people dropping celebrities' status is stripped when massive amounts of
people unfollow someone for doing something that is considered controversial or bad.
We cannot automatically filter out the harmful parts of technology unless we have
enough life experience or advice to be wise about our choices that can have long-term
consequences. They must face catfishing, identity theft, stocking and cyberbullying
from a very young age - when they don’t have enough experience or wise enough to
deal with those.

Gen Z has been reared in a culture of social media, which has given rise to a crushing
pressure to be the perfect team and be well-rounded teens. They are groomed to make
constant decisions from having so many options for college internships and majors in
schoolwork. Everything is being labeled as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that Gen
Zers simply can't miss out on. Through this pressure for rounded teens to be good at
everything—intelligent, athletic, and leaders in their community—there is an
overwhelming pressure to fill up their schedules with impressive achievements. Gen
Zers must compete for jobs with impressive achievements on their applications, not
just smarts.

Today's youth are often characterized as a "technology-savvy" generation that has been
exposed to an unprecedented amount of information and experiences at a very early
age. They often expect perfection from themselves, behaving more like adults than
children. Adults often put pressure on the parents of these children to explain why
their child is making noise, why he or she isn't behaving the way adults think he or she
should behave. This results in parents trying too hard to make their child not turn into
the black sheep of the family, just so they can meet society's expectations.

9
For example, recently, Vietnamese parents tend to send their children to learn more
gifted subjects, sports or learn foreign language certificates. It's from the fact that
social media is constantly putting information about kids who achieved a lot of
outstanding achievements at a young age or constantly sharing and creating a standard
of student profiles that must have items that have inadvertently created peer pressure
to follow a pattern to become competitive and not be vulnerable. This has been said a
thousand and a million times by everyone, we are all good at different things. But
truly, have we ever truly done it in reality, when we - who is a part of society - keeps
creating the standard for a perfect student, a perfect teenager and a perfect human?

2.5. Alone in the crowd

A recent survey by the U.S. Center for Life Survey found that 56% of Gen Z felt
lonely at least once or twice a month during childhood. By comparison, only 24% of
gen Z's grandparents (those born between 1946 and 1964) felt lonely growing up.
Evidence indicates that small interactions and social connections are important in the
process of creating a fulfilling life, and many Z genes miss those moments.
According to the report, only 38% of Gen Z Americans said they ate with their family
daily during childhood. In previous generations, family meals were the norm, the only
time of day that connected other members. Gen Z is the first generation where both
parents' commute to work becomes the norm, which in turn leads to new priorities for
parents in parenting and career balance. Parents put more pressure on their children to
achieve academic success than previous generations, and this has led to a sense of self-
importance among members of Generation Z. They see professional achievement and
educational attainment as a measure of self-worth, but don't blame the social media or
any aspect of some culture because these high expectations often come from within
their own families first. Generation Z learned at an early age that they should be the
leader, not the follower. They were taught that they should be an influencer instead of
someone who is affected by others' opinions or ideas. Modern society values
pioneering and innovation—traits that are often applauded today—but it downplays
the importance of working together and establishing harmony. This can be seen even
in the most basic part of identity: full names. Today's parents look for fewer common
names for their children in order to help them stand out from the crowd.

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 II. THE ROOTS AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE PROBLEM

1. The reasons for “The lonely fragile and stressed generation”

1.1. The external factors
● Studies have found that Generation Z is the loneliest generation. The factors
contributing to this are all around them: increased gun violence across the
country including in schools where Gen Z students attend, sexual harassment
reports coming from all around them and many of them that have dealt with
harassment or abuse themselves, political discussions surrounding immigration
and taxes that could have a direct impact on their futures, and other social
situations that Gen Z has to deal with and observe all the time that are causing
anxiety and depression. They feel more stress about these issues than older
generations do according to research. They are also more likely to have direct
mental and physical health problems because of these stressful situations.
● Generation Z is the first generation to grow up entirely in an Internet-enabled
world. This is a phenomenon that shapes their outlook on life to a much greater
degree than previous generations. As adolescents, they are particularly
susceptible to psychological syndromes such as depression and anxiety
disorders. While people of other ages tend to be lonely when they feel isolated
from others, Generation Z individuals may feel lonely even when they're
surrounded by many other people. This can be attributed to their heavy reliance
on social media platforms, which can cause them to become inundated with
negative content and to feel disconnected from society at large. As a result of
the increase in technology, young people today are facing bullying on social
media and with more complexity and stress.
● Young people's tensions can also increase due to issues such as climate change,
politics, immigration, and fears about the future in general. Since then, mental
illnesses have appeared more and more often; they are also tending to
"rejuvenate." In addition, Gen Z is a generation that receives little sympathy
when it comes to expressing anxiety since they were born into a period of
stability and development; they are supposed not to feel "unsettled" when
compared to other generations living in war or poverty.

11
 ● The pressure to succeed is greater for the 8x and 9x generations, due to their
being born in better economic conditions, and receiving the best investment and
care from their parents; thus, "there is no reason to lose." In particular, Asian
parents often put a lot of pressure on their children—creating an anxiety
foundation for a child. Similarly, many studies suggest that social media is also
the cause of increased anxiety levels in the younger generation. Born in an era
of explosion in technology and information, Gen Z is not only overwhelmed by
mountains of information but also under pressure from friends around. "Fear of
missing out" (FOMO) is a common phenomenon among young people today.
The constant updating of information and pictures about other people's lives
makes this generation often feel disappointed in themselves.
● Due to uncertainty, pressure from financial insecurity and poor career prospects
characterize Generation Z. For example, young people have a fear of failure, or
"quarter-life crisis," when there are too many options for their future and no
certainty about which option is best. In the United States, money and work are
also on the laundry list of stressors for Generation Z: more than 81% of
participants reported money as a source of significant stress; "work" came in
second at 77%.
1.2. The internal factors
There’s a growing concern that young adults today are experiencing an epidemic of
loneliness, social isolation, and disconnection. A lot of blame is being placed on social
media, or more recently the pandemic. Delayed family formation is another likely
factor—young adults are marrying later than they once did. But what if Gen Z is
lonelier today not simply because of how much time they spend on social media, or
because they’re single. What if young adults today are lonelier because of how they
were raised?

For example, Americans who belong to Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012)
are more likely than any previous generation to report feeling lonely during childhood.
More than half of Gen Zers (56 percent) say they felt lonely at least once or twice a
month during their childhood—a rate much higher than any other generation.
Unfortunately, experiences such as these are not limited to childhood. The type of
family we grow up in can have lasting effects on our adult lives. For example,
12
Americans who were lonely during their childhood are far more likely to report feeling
lonely or isolated as adults: Two-thirds of Americans who felt lonely every day during
childhood say that today they feel lonely or isolated all or most of the time; only one-
quarter say they hardly ever or never feel this way. In contrast, 70 percent of people
who report they were never lonely growing up say they hardly ever or never feel
lonely or isolated today. But what explains the vast disparities in childhood loneliness
between generations? Much of it is probably related to changes in family structure
over the last few decades.

Generation Z were more likely than past generations to have grown up in single-parent
homes. According to a recent study from the Pew Research Center, nearly one-quarter
of children in the United States live in single parent families, which is the highest rate
of any country. This pattern could be contributing to childhood loneliness. According
to recent results from the American National Family Life Survey, Americans raised in
single-parent families are more likely than those grown in two-parent homes to report
feeling frustrated as a child. They're also more likely to skip out on childhood
experiences like regular family meals, which have been linked to lower depression
rates. Only 37% of Americans grown in single-parent homes think they had regular
meals with their parents as children, opposed to 69% among those raised in two-parent
homes.

Moreover, the narrowing of U.S. family size over the past several decades could be a
factor. Americans are less likely to have grown up in big families today than they were
even before the COVID-19 pandemic destroyed discussions about the cost of raising a
child and family structure. People who grow up without siblings are more likely to
have been lonely as children, according to a recent study. They may also be less
willing to seek out social connections because they don't feel that they need them.
Although it is impossible to change the course of history, research indicates that we
can learn from our past and make positive changes for the future. The great news is
that we have a lot of information about how Americans form and maintain social
bonds—for example, college attendance has been related to higher levels of social
integration according to research, whereas participation in religious communities can

13
also be beneficial. Even going to a third place on a regular basis (such as a café,
library, or park) encourages sociability and community spirit.

Because there is no exact reason for the increasing rates of anxiety and depression in
American society, there are still no simple solutions. Whatever interventions we try,
we must keep in mind that youngsters did not become lonely after they turned 18.
Many people's social lives are still influenced and shaped by their experiences as a
child.

1.3. The consequences of this problem

Loneliness can result in the following signs and symptoms:

● Alcohol and drug misuse

● Altered brain function
● Antisocial behavior
● Cardiovascular disease and stroke
● Decreased memory and learning
● Depression and suicide
● Anhedonia (unable to be happy)
● Lethargy (decreased energy)
● Difficulty concentrating
● Difficulty falling asleep or interrupted sleep
● Decreased confidence
● Feeling hopeless
● Feeling worthless
● Feeling anxious
● Chronic body aches and pains
● Feeling tired
● Lack of motivation
● Difficulty getting off the bed or couch
● Increased consumption of alcohol
● Misusing recreational drugs
● Spending an excessive amount of time watching television
● Having the urge to spend excessively
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 ● Craving for physical warmth, such as hot drinks, baths, or blankets
The consequences of loneliness:

● Physically
Loneliness is associated with an increased incidence of physical disease. High stress,
inflammation, and a compromised immune system all increase the risk of developing
coronary heart disease and autoimmune conditions. It has the potential to weaken the
immune system. Long-term "fight-or-flight" pressure signaling occurs, which has a
negative effect on immune activation. Simply put, lonely people have lower immunity
and higher inflammation than those who are not. It may also increase susceptibility to
the symptoms of a cold or the flu.

According to a 2017 study, people who are lonely are more likely to develop cold
symptoms. Not that everyone got sick, but those who did were nearly three times as
likely to have more serious symptoms if they reported feeling lonely. Furthermore, it
has the potential to cause body composition gains or losses. People gaining weight in
order to try to relieve their feelings of inadequacy. Loneliness has been related to a
30percent of overall rise in cardiovascular disease risk, similar to smoking. It has also
been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Two important studies by Holt-Lunstad provided the overall impact of loneliness as a

risk variable for early death (death that occurs before the average age of death in a
certain population). The first researchers focused on how social interactions and other
social sectors, such as social media network size and perceived social support, affect
mortality risk. Loneliness is linked to an increased risk of mortality that is significant
compared to having smoked 15 tobacco products a day or to being a drug addict, and it
outweighs the potential health risks linked to obesity.

● Mentally:
According to Dr. Nancy Donovan, loneliness can contribute to depression and may be
a cause of depression. Evidence of this was found in a 2006 study that looked at the
analysis of two population-based studies of middle-aged to older people. Both studies
reported higher levels of loneliness were related to symptoms of anxiety and
depression, and that this link remained stable over time.

15
Loneliness reduces the quality of sleep. Chronic loneliness can cause sleep
disturbances and/or difficulty falling asleep. Sleep deprivation can impair performance
During the day, this causes sleep disturbances and exhaustion.

Loneliness can have a negative impact on one's eating habits. A 2012 study on the link
between eating problems and loneliness discovered that many aspects of loneliness are
linked to a variety of eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, and eating
problems. It may lead to more harmful behaviors such as smoking, obesity, lack of
activity, alcoholism, and lack of sleep. People who use drugs to deal with anxiety and
depression, pressure, avoid confronting the real world of their circumstance and
thoughts and emotions, denying the truth, feelings of inadequacy, and fear. They may
feel stuck and powerless to change their circumstances, and they frequently inflict
harm on those around them because of their own pain and anger.

● Social life:
Loneliness might make it harder to interact with others and have a negative perception
of their social interactions and respond in a negative way.

● Here, we delve deeper into the subject and research to see what we can learn
about the relationship between social connections and health. In a simply put,
here's how I understand the evidence: Individuals who experience feelings of
isolation seem to be more likely to get sick later in life, according to a wealth of
data. Isolation can be placed off subconscious surveillance for sources of stress,
creating cognitive distortions, lowering sleep, and negatively impacting
hormones, according to a reliable hypothesis and discussion of biological
functions. There is almost certainly a logical link, however there is no trustable
scientific evidence that allows us to estimate the frequency of the causal effect
of loneliness on key health metrics like life expectancy.
● We shouldn't dismiss the available evidence just because we can't pinpoint
exactly the magnitude of the impact of loneliness on health. However, it does
indicate that more study is necessary.
III. THE CONCLUSION
Young people being lonely is not a problem of any country, but it is a problem of an
entire young generation of the world when we are living in a time of a flat world.
16
However, this issue in Vietnam has not been paid attention and specific research even
though young people in Vietnam now face the same life challenges as young people in
other countries. Through this research paper, we found that Vietnam does not have any
specific data or research, mainly using information and research sources of other
countries. This raises an alarm about the lack of concern for the psychological and
emotional needs of a generation facing the biggest changes ever.

One way to address loneliness in young people is by helping them think positively
about relationships and learn how to influence others through their feelings and
behaviors. Parents, teachers, and other adults can play a role in educating children and
teens about the importance of social connections. Strategies for dealing with loneliness
may include: advising youth to get rid of unhelpful thoughts or negative views about
others, helping them identify their strengths and use them to create strong, meaningful
relationships, and giving young people educational programs that lift their morale and
offer a variety of methods for building trust among peers; these discussions can be
integrated into health education classes. Digital tools will also be developed to
overcome loneliness by allowing young people to build social skills through safe
spaces on the Internet in which they can practice communicating with others. The real
problem with the "Loneliness Epidemic" or the "loneliest generation" is not the
consequences it can have on the younger generation—what we fear most is the attitude
of young people when someone calls their problem a name. Young people know they
are part of a lonely generation, be it themselves or those around them, but they accept
that, considering loneliness to be the normal thing of life despite the possible
consequences and many without the need for more friends. This attitude is detrimental
because while they are aware that loneliness can cause severe problems in their lives
like mental illness or suicide, they do nothing to overcome it.

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 REFERENCES

1. Social work today. “Social Consequences of Loneliness.”

2. Sarah Schmalbruch. (2018). “10 ways loneliness can affect your health —
physically and mentally.”
3. Annie E. Casey. (2021). “Generation Z and Mental Health.”
4. Jacob Sweet. Harvard Magazine. (2021). “The Loneliness Pandemic.”
5. Huang, C. (2010). Internet use and psychological well-being: A meta-analysis.
Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking
6. Kraut, R., Patterson, M., Lundmark, V., Kiesler, S., Mukhopadhyay, T., &
Scherlis, W. (1998). Internet paradox: A social technology that reduces social
involvement and psychological wellbeing? American Psychologist
7. Digital natives’ coping with loneliness: Facebook or face-to-face? Elodie
Gentina, Rui Chen
8. Loneliness Index National Report Complication - Cigna, 2018
9. Teens have less face time with their friends – and are lonelier than ever - Jean
Twenge, Professor of Psychology, San Diego State University, 2019
10. Teens around the world are lonelier than a decade ago. The reason may be
smartphones - Tara Bahrampour, The Washington Post, 2021
11. Worldwide increases in adolescent loneliness - Jean M.Twenge, Jonathan
Haidt, Andrew B.Blake, Cooper McAllister, Hannah Lemon, Astrid Le Royd
12. Gen Z is the loneliest generation - and it's their parent’s fault, Business
Insider, 2022
13. The Childhood Loneliness of Generation Z - American Survey Center, 2022
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 14. U.S. has world’s highest rate of children living in single-parent households -
Stephanie Kramer, Pew Research Center, 2019
15. Emerging Trends and Enduring Patterns in American Family Life - Daniel A.
Cox, American Survey Center, 2022
16. Correlations Between Family Meals and Psychosocial Well-being Among
Adolescents - Marla E. Eisenberg; Rachel E. Olson; Dianne Neumark-Sztainer
17. Loneliness and Life Satisfaction in Adolescents with Divorced and Non-
Divorced Parents
18. The rise of the only child: How America is coming around to the idea of ‘just
one’ - Caitlin Gibson
19. The College Connection: The Education Divide in American Social and
Community Life - Daniel A. Cox
20. What Is Generation Z (Gen Z)? - Investopedia
21. Generation Z - Bamboo HR
22. Loneliness In the Workplace - Cigna, 2020

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