1 in 4 Teens Have No Friends: Why Our Kids Are Struggling
The Friendship Recession
The Kid at the Rink
A few weeks ago, I stumbled across a minor house league hockey game when I noticed a boy sitting alone. I have a long relationship with hockey, having coached house league and rep hockey for over ten years. As the trainer, I was keenly aware of bullying and other antics prevalent in hockey, and wouldn’t condone such behaviour. No one on the bench was talking to him. He wasn’t laughing with his teammates. Even during warm-ups, he skated by himself.
After the game, I overheard his parents talking. They weren’t worried about his skills or the score. They were concerned because he had no friends, and their son was talking about quitting hockey.
I thought about how different things were when I was a kid. We’d play street hockey until it was too dark to see. We’d bike to each other’s houses, show up unannounced, and spend hours together.
But today? 1 in 4 Canadians say they have zero friends.
Not one.
It’s not just about hockey. It’s everywhere. Kids are more connected than ever, yet somehow lonelier than ever.
The Data Is Clear: We’re in a Friendship Recession
This isn’t just a phase. It’s a crisis.
7.7 million Canadians (ages 13-65) have no close friends.
Over 12 million avoid activities because of social anxiety.
Gen Z fun levels have collapsed—only 54% report having fun weekly, down from 65% in 2019.
I don’t need statistics to tell me something’s wrong. I see it. I hear it from parents. I hear it from kids. And I’ve lived through my own version of it.
The pandemic may have accelerated it, but the issue runs deeper. We’ve created a world where real human connection is being replaced by screens, social anxiety, and a constant fear of not fitting in.
And it’s crushing our kids.
Why Is This Happening?
1. The Digital Illusion
Kids have thousands of “friends” online but struggle to make even one real one in person. Social media makes it easy to compare lives but harder to truly connect.
2. The Pandemic Fallout
The pandemic stole critical years of social development from young people. Many kids never fully re-learned how to interact, and for some, the anxiety of stepping back into the world never went away.
3. A Culture of Pressure
Everything kids do today feels like it’s being graded, judged, or ranked. Fear of embarrassment or rejection keeps many from even trying. It’s easier to avoid than to risk looking foolish.
The result? Kids opt out. They don’t go to parties. They don’t reach out. They convince themselves no one cares.
And loneliness takes root.
Why This Matters More Than We Realize
A lack of friendship isn’t just a childhood struggle—it affects everything:
Mental health declines. Loneliness leads to anxiety, depression, and self-doubt.
Confidence crumbles. Without close friendships, kids struggle to navigate social situations.
Future success suffers. The ability to build relationships impacts careers, marriages, and overall happiness.
If we don’t help kids build strong, meaningful friendships now, they’ll carry this loneliness into adulthood. And that’s not a future any of us want for them.
So What Can We Do?
This isn’t a school problem. Or a parenting problem. Or a Gen Z problem.
It’s our problem.
For Schools:
Prioritize social-emotional learning. Teach kids how to make friends, communicate, and handle emotions.
Create unstructured social time. Longer recess, group projects, and after-school activities help kids form bonds.
Reduce screen dependence in the classroom. More face-to-face interaction, less device time.
For Parents:
Encourage real-world interactions. Invite friends over, push for face-to-face time, model social engagement.
Help kids work through social anxiety. Start small—praise effort, not just outcomes.
Limit screen time. Not as punishment, but to create space for real-life relationships.
For Communities & Businesses:
Create spaces where kids can connect. We need more community events, youth programs, and places where kids can just be kids.
Support mentorship programs. Teens and young adults need role models who can help them build confidence.
Bring back fun. We’ve glorified busyness and productivity—what if we started valuing joy just as much?
Rebuilding Connection, One Step at a Time
I keep thinking about that kid at the rink.
I don’t know if he found a friend that night. But I do know that feeling alone at 12, 14, or 16 can turn into feeling alone at 25, 35, or 50.
We can’t let that happen.
Kids don’t need more followers. They need real friends. People who show up, who listen, who make them feel seen.
We all have a role in making that happen.
So here’s my challenge to you:
What’s one thing you can do today to help a young person feel more connected?
Because one invitation, one conversation, one moment of effort—that’s how friendships start.
And friendships? We need them.
IMI International has conducted extensive research from 2019 through December 2024, focusing on the social dynamics and mental health of Canadians aged 13 to 65. Their studies have unveiled concerning trends in friendship, social anxiety, and overall well-being among this demographic.
