An average young adult has around 237 Facebook friends, but out of that only two can be turned to for real support in times of crisis, a survey has found.
The survey, of 1,000 people between the ages of 18 and 35, which was conducted by Macmillan Cancer Support, found that two-third of respondents said they had two or fewer really close friends.
It also found that one in eight respondents admitted they did not even have single person they considered to be good enough to rely on, if life got very hard.
The survey also revealed that men (16 per cent) were more likely than women (12 per cent) to have no one to turn to.
“It is surprising and concerning that people confide in such a small number of friends and family - and more so that others may not confide in anyone,” Jeannie Wilkinson, a Relate counsellor funded by the cancer charity said.
“It is important that, when going through something tough, like a cancer diagnosis and treatment, you can speak openly about what you’re going through to ensure you get the right support you need.
“We meet a lot of patients and people caring for someone with cancer who feel like they need to be ‘strong’ and bottle up their emotions. This causes great strain on relationships,” she said.
