Young Scots struggling for friends to confide in

ONE in seven young Scots has no-one to turn to in a time of crisis, a survey has suggested.

A poll of 1,000 people aged 18-35 conducted by Macmillan Cancer Support found that the average young Scot has 255 Facebook friends, but nearly a quarter (24 per cent) said they could turn to only one friend when faced with a serious problem, while 14 per cent said they had no-one at all.

The research was commissioned to coincide with Cancer Talk Week, which begins today, to highlight the difficulties young people face in seeking support when they or a loved one are diagnosed with cancer.

Elspeth Atkinson, of Macmillan Cancer Support for Scotland and Northern Ireland, said: “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.

“It is important that, when going through something tough, like themselves or a family member receiving a cancer diagnosis, young people speak openly about what they’re going through to ensure they get the right support.”

The research also found that Scots spoke to their mothers the most, with 36 per cent speaking to their mother daily and 23 per cent every other day.

Despite the boom in social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, nearly half (49 per cent) said they talked to their friends just as much as they did before.