Young people and men are among the most vulnerable groups to loneliness in Europe, according to the OECD’s latest report on Social Connections and Loneliness. The findings highlight a growing concern that affects various demographics across the region.
Unemployed individuals and those with low incomes are twice as likely to experience feelings of loneliness. This trend is particularly concerning given the long-term impacts of social isolation on mental and physical health.
Between 2006 and 2022, daily face-to-face interactions with friends and family declined consistently in 21 European OECD countries. In contrast, remote communication saw a significant increase following the COVID-19 pandemic. This shift has raised questions about how digital interactions affect emotional well-being and social cohesion.
In 2022, France and Lithuania had the highest percentages of people reporting they felt lonely “most of the time” or “all of the time” over the past four weeks, at 11% and 9%, respectively. These figures underscore the urgent need for interventions to address loneliness, which is associated with up to 871,000 global deaths annually.
Loneliness not only affects mental health but also impacts job performance, increases the risk of unemployment, and can influence educational outcomes. It may even shape political behavior, as individuals who feel isolated are more likely to make different voting decisions.
The OECD report emphasizes that the worsening social connections among young people, especially young men, are not yet fully understood. While research on the impact of digital technology on loneliness yields mixed results, there is a general consensus that how digital tools are used and the nature of online behaviors play a critical role.
Greece and Slovenia have the highest rates of respondents who interact with friends or family at least daily among OECD countries. On the other hand, Lithuania has the highest share of respondents who did not interact with friends or family living nearby over the past seven days.
Across 22 EU countries, 8% of respondents say they have no close friends, while 3% claim they have no close family members. Hungary has the highest percentage of respondents reporting zero close friends, and Belgium has the highest percentage of respondents reporting zero close family members.
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In May 2025, the World Health Assembly approved a resolution recognizing social connection as an essential component of the global health agenda. The European Commission and the World Health Organization’s Commission on Social Connection have also identified social isolation and loneliness as public health priorities.
On a local level, several European countries have introduced national strategies to combat loneliness. Germany, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Spain have all taken steps to address this issue.
For example, in Finland, the government adopted the National Youth Work and Youth Policy Programme, which includes initiatives such as helping young people find jobs, financial counseling, and access to art therapy, sports, and community service.
Other countries have implemented measures targeting excessive mobile phone use, which can hinder social interactions. Belgium, Finland, France, Greece, and Hungary have limited or banned phones in schools to encourage offline connections among young people.
“Engaging in fewer face-to-face interactions may decrease the development of important psychological skills in young people,” the OECD report stated. “Real-world encounters require a different set of social skills compared to online interactions.”