"If It's Uncomfortable, They Cut Ties": Three Out of Five U.S. Gen Z Have Broken Off Contact With Family or Friends in the Past Year

'No Contact' Responses Reach 38% in the U.S.

More Than Half Do Not Resume Contact After Cutting Ties

47% Report "Feeling Lonely in Daily Life"

Three out of five members of Generation Z in the United States (those born between 1997 and 2012) have cut off contact with a family member or friend in the past year.

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According to reports from foreign media such as the Daily Voice on April 29 (local time), a survey conducted by U.S. market research firm Talker Research—commissioned by the online therapy platform Talkspace—found that 38% of the 2,000 Americans surveyed between March 20 and 23 said they had gone "no contact" with a family member or friend in the past year. By age group, this figure was 60% among Generation Z, 50% among Millennials, 38% among Generation X, and 20% among Baby Boomers.

The most common reason given for ending a relationship was that "the other person did not respect them," accounting for 36%. Other reasons included "the relationship had a negative impact on their mental health" (29%), and "the other person was excessively negative" (27%). "Differences in values" (24%) and "political or social disagreements" (19%) were also cited.

Disconnection behaviors using social networking services (SNS) were also notable. 41% of all respondents said they had unfollowed a family member or friend on SNS in the past year. 36% said they had blocked someone, and 32% said they had left a group chat on their own. 30% had deleted an acquaintance from a group chat.

In this survey, 31% said they had officially ended a relationship with a friend or family member, and of those who had cut ties, 59% had not resumed contact to date.

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When facing difficulties in relationships, 73% of respondents preferred distancing themselves rather than resolving issues through conversation. Dr. Nicole Benders-Hadi, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at Talkspace, who conducted the survey, commented, "This suggests that the tendency to avoid conflict in relationships is becoming increasingly common." She added, "Such an approach can make it difficult to maintain meaningful relationships over the long term and may lead to greater loneliness."

Meanwhile, 47% of respondents said they feel lonely in their daily lives, and 34% answered that their sense of social connectedness has decreased compared to five years ago. Many also reported using technology to reduce contact with people around them, such as online ordering (68%), self-checkout counters (64%), and chatbot or automated customer service (42%). Additionally, 40% said they would intentionally cross the street to avoid a five-minute conversation with someone they know.

The survey also explored what respondents consider to be healthy relationships. The highest proportion (47%) said a healthy relationship is one where they can safely express their thoughts and opinions. This was followed by relationships in which achievements are celebrated together, where they feel understood, where consistency and reliability are present, and where personal boundaries are respected (each at 41%). Dr. Benders-Hadi advised, "Prioritizing communication, setting healthy boundaries, and remaining engaged in relationships even when uncomfortable can help maintain relationships that support mental health."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.