A new survey conducted by Hidden Strength, a digital platform designed to connect young people with free mental health support, paints a stark and unsettling picture of the emotional landscape today’s youth are navigating. Among teenagers and young adults surveyed across the United States and the United Kingdom, 65% reported feeling isolated and alone — a finding that underscores a growing mental health crisis that can no longer be ignored.

Hidden Strength’s survey included individuals ages 14 to 24, a group that has come of age during a time of unprecedented change, upheaval, and technological immersion. While smartphones, social media, and online communities were once seen as ways to connect, the reality many young people now face is far more complicated — and often much lonelier.

Hidden Strength was founded with the mission of offering free, immediate mental health resources tailored to the ways young people communicate today. The app gives users 24/7 access to therapy tools, peer support, and crisis resources, aiming to meet young people where they are — both digitally and emotionally.

The findings from their latest survey reflect a disturbing shift: feelings of isolation are not limited to those already dealing with serious mental health challenges. Instead, loneliness has become a common thread among the majority of young people, even those who are otherwise active online or surrounded by peers.

Experts say several factors are fueling this crisis. First, the pandemic disrupted critical developmental years for many, cutting off in-person schooling, social activities, and rites of passage that typically build community and belonging. Even as restrictions have lifted, the psychological aftermath remains. Second, while social media offers instant access to others, it often promotes surface-level interactions, comparison, and performance over authentic connection. Lastly, increasing pressure around academics, career planning, and global uncertainty has left many young people feeling unsupported and overwhelmed.

The consequences of prolonged isolation are profound. Research has consistently linked chronic loneliness with higher rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and even physical health problems. For young people, whose brains are still developing, the impact can be especially severe and long-lasting.

Hidden Strength’s survey is a wake-up call — not just for policymakers and mental health professionals, but for communities, parents, educators, and peers. It’s a reminder that mental health support must go beyond treating clinical symptoms; it must also address the widespread emotional needs of connection, belonging, and care.

With people feeling isolated, it is understandable that they would turn to social media to connect with others, which has its own problems.

“It’s clear that young people and adults alike are visiting platforms like TikTok or Youtube to get answers and support for their mental health. What those platforms have in common is that everyday people are voicing their problems. There are also creators who are mental health professionals who are building a following on apps like TikTok,” Lunny says.

“Social media can be a very useful way to find people who are going through similar experiences as you, which creates a sense of community. This helps people who feel isolated and alone. However, the social media of today needs more checks and balances. There needs to be an alternative for young people to go that allows them to get professional help when they need it.”

The company’s approach combines the convenience of digital access with an emphasis on empathy and genuine support, proving that while the challenges facing young people are great, solutions are within reach if we’re willing to meet them with compassion.