Resources

It’s time to talk about loneliness.

We all feel lonely sometimes, especially as we face multiple global crises. Loneliness is a normal human emotion that affects us all at different times and in different ways.

Research shows that the best ways to fight loneliness are to deepen existing connections with yourself and others, to build new connections, and to connect to something greater, such as purpose, nature, or spirituality. The #LessLonely Resource Guide on this page offers simple tools to navigate loneliness and increase opportunities for connection.

We’re so glad that you’re here with us to help spread the word that it’s ok to feel lonely. If you’re feeling lonely, we encourage you to reach out and text a friend, and if you’re thinking about a friend, check in on them — you never know the impact a simple “hi” might have.

Build Deeper Connections

To Self

Born This Way Foundation Self-Care Tips: Alongside the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and the National Association of School Psychologists, Born This Way Foundation created a comprehensive list of tips based on the issues that impact youth’s daily lives the most, including: managing stress, resilience, stepping out of your comfort zone, and further resources for mental health support.

Channel Kindness: Channel Kindness is a digital platform created by Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation. It is a safe space for young people to share their stories of kindness, resilience, and community. Check out their playlist of songs that inspire mental wellness.

Find Center: Find Center curates insights and inspiration about the human condition, and organizes them to make them accessible and useful to a wide audience. Check out our #LessLonely Collection.

The Trevor Project Resource Center: The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people. Learn more about sexual orientation, gender identity, the diversity of LGBTQ young people, and much more by accessing the Resource Center.

Teen Line Resources: A list of mental health resources and printable materials to support teens, parents, and schools.

The Benji Project Resources: Proven tools for mindfulness and self-compassion.

To Others

Voices of Youth: A digital community for youth, by youth. You can submit your blogs, illustrations, poems and other sparks of creativity through the website. Voices of Youth has many helpful articles, including:

The Nudge: A planner friend for your lifestyle. The Nudge researches, plans, and texts you fun things to do in your city, including solo dates and group activities.

Nod: An app that equips college students with science-backed skills to build satisfying social connections. Find out if Nod is available on your campus here.

Build New Connections

No More Lonely Friends: NMLF holds social picnics around the country (and soon-to-be worldwide!) that encourages anyone involved to foster friendships that lift them up, rather than tear them down. Check out their Instagram for the latest meet-ups.

The Joy List: The Joy List features weekly NYC-based events that you can attend alone and leave with a new friend.

TrevorSpace: Get advice and support within an international community for LGBTQ young people ages 13–24.

Connect to Something Greater

GivingTuesday Spark: Led by a crew of young do-gooders aged 6-21, GivingTuesday Spark is all about encouraging young people to take action around the causes they care about most on GivingTuesday.

DoSomething.org: Exclusively for young people and social change, DoSomething members use the digital platform to join volunteer, social change, and civic action campaigns to make real-world impact on causes they care about. DoSomething about Mental Health and join an initiative to promote mental wellness and share resources with your community.

Youth Mediathon: An online skills building program that gives you the opportunity to improve your abilities as content creator and work with other youth to develop multimedia projects about the issues affecting young people today.

OneShared.World: OneShared.World’s mission is to harness the power of collective action to solve our greatest common challenges. Check out their Hope Talks page for a set of conversation guides that give you the tools to chat about important topics relating to our shared humanity and shared responsibility in addressing global threats, like climate change. The Deep Dive toolkits will provide you with curated content, activities, and resources encouraging you to look at the world through the lens of interdependence, understand your own positionality in an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, develop a hopeful mindset, and drive your quest for meaningful, positive change.

SparkAction Center: SparkAction connects young people and their allies to innovative tools and resources that empower them to mobilize action dedicated to building a more equitable future for rising generations. The Action Center is your one-stop site for connecting with the people elected to represent you in Congress, and at the state and local levels. You’ll also find calls to action, campaigns that need your voice, and ways to make a difference right where you are.

Future Coalition: Future Coalition works collaboratively to provide young people with the resources, tools, and support they need to create the change they want to see in their communities and in this country.

U-Report: U-Report is an international movement for positive change. A free tool for community participation, U-Report is a chat bot designed to address issues that the population cares about. Polls and alerts are sent in real time and results and ideas are shared back with the community. Text “TIPS” to access the U-Report Mental Health Chatbot, available on Facebook, WhatsApp or Viber

Emergency Resources

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call emergency services (911 in the U.S./Canada, 999 in the U.K.).

If you or a friend are struggling with mental health, know that you’re not alone. We have a whole list of resources here to support you, including:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1 800-273-8255 / LifeLine Chat

Crisis Text Line
US and Canada: Text HOME to 741741 / Whatsapp / Español

TrevorLifeline
Call: 866-488-7386 / Text: “START” to 678678 / Chat With a Counselor

Trans Lifeline
US: Call 877-565-8860 / Canada: Call 877-330-6366

LGBT National Youth Talkline
Call: 1-800-246-7743

Teen Line Online
Call: 800-852-8336 / Text: “TEEN” to 839863

The JED Foundation
Call: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) / Text: “START” to 741-741

SAMHSA’s National Helpline
Call: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) (English and Spanish)