CANBERRA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- A majority of young Australian women suffer from loneliness according to a new survey.
Conducted by the government-funded national youth mental health foundation "headspace", the survey found that 67 percent of Australian females aged 12-25 said they felt left out often or some of the time, 62 percent lacked companionship and 61 percent said they felt isolated from others.
Women aged 18-21 were more likely to experience loneliness than any other group of young Australians and the least likely among all women to seek support from a mental health professional.
The results of the survey were released on the eve of International Women's Day on March 8.
Nicola Palfrey, head of Clinical Leadership at the "headspace", said the findings reflect the impact of major life changes on young people as they gain greater independence, move out of home and start careers.
"These are all major life transitions, which can feel exciting and full of potential, but they can also feel overwhelming and stressful," she said in a media release.
"There are a variety of reasons why young adult women may feel lonely. The same survey told us that young women and people in this specific age range were more likely to display problematic social media use. Social media bombards us with images of people having a great time, surrounded by friends, which can make us feel lonely, or like we're missing out."
A separate survey published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in September 2023 found that 25 percent of females aged 15-24 reported often feeling very lonely in 2021, up from 15 percent in 2008. ■
