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Why young people should make more phone calls even if they don't like it

Some people might remember the days of coming back from school eager to call a friend, sometimes sitting for hours talking about anything and everything. However, today most young people rarely call each other. The very idea of calling someone or receiving a call seems to cause anxiety in many

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When Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876 it’s doubtful that he imagined how its usage would change over time. What started out as a wired medium for a voice conversation is now wireless and mobile, used to transmit written messages, photographs and access the internet.

To some extent the changing use of the telephone is positive for young people, as phones allow them to communicate with people worldwide more easily and quickly than before.

Despite, how “connected” we are and how easy it might be to communicate, mental ill-health, including anxiety and depression, is on the increase among young adults. They were also one of the groups who felt most lonely as a result of the pandemic.

Would this outcome have been different had they used their phones for live calls? It might have. Particularly given that that a live phone conversation can make us feel good and give us a sense of fulfilment, which continues after we’ve hung up.

Meaningful phone calls

Arguably it’s the quality not...

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