These findings are a snapshot from ReachOut’s Understanding the Issues Impacting Young People’s Mental Health study, a national survey of 667 young people aged 16–25 years conducted in 2022.

The research aimed to explore young people's worries, concerns or stresses and the impact of these on their mental health and wellbeing. Nearly half (42 per cent) of the young people surveyed reported levels of psychological distress that could indicate serious mental health concerns. 

Of the young people who reported loneliness as one of the most concerning issues for them, stress related to feeling lonely is manifesting in different ways including: having a moderate to major impact on their mental health and wellbeing (82%), mood changes (75%), sleep issues (64%), changes to appetite (30%) and challenges with relationships (50%).