Loneliness nearly triples among Icelandic upper-secondary students

Mental distress is widespread among young people in Iceland, while loneliness has risen sharply in recent years, mbl.is reports. The Public Health Indicators for 2026 show that 43.3% of upper-secondary students rate their mental health as poor or bad.

The proportion varies between health districts. It is lowest in the Westfjords, where 33.3% of students gave that assessment, and highest in the East, at 48.7%.

At the same time, 29% of upper-secondary students nationwide say they have often felt lonely during the past week. The comparable figure was 10.7% in 2016, meaning it has nearly tripled over the past decade.

Among adults, the proportion rating their mental health as fair or poor fell from just over 33% in 2024 to 30% in 2025. The development varied considerably between health districts. In some areas the proportion increased, while in others it declined, including a significant decrease in the Suðurnes district, according to the Directorate of Health.

Among students in grades eight to 10, 57.9% selected the highest scores, eight to 10, on a life-satisfaction scale. Higher scores indicate greater satisfaction with life. However, fewer than one in four ninth-grade students exercise daily in line with the Directorate of Health’s recommendations for vigorous physical activity.

The indicators also show that 25.9% of students in grades six to 10 say they were physically attacked or beaten during the previous 12 months. The proportion was 33.9% among boys and 17.5% among girls.

About 80% of children in grades four and five use social media, even though they have not reached the permitted age to do so. The figures concern nine- to 11-year-old primary school children who say they used social media during the previous seven days. Boys were more likely to use social media than girls, at 83.5% compared with 76.7%.

Alcohol intoxication among young people appears to have declined. The new indicators show that 13.3% of upper-secondary students say they have been intoxicated once or more during the previous 30 days, compared with about 35% in 2021 and 38% a decade ago.

Risky alcohol consumption among adults also fell, from 23.4% in 2024 to 20.4% last year. Among tenth-grade students, 3.6% had tried electronic cigarettes once or more during the previous 30 days, down from 4.4% the year before. A further 14.8% had tried nicotine pouches, while 12.3% of upper-secondary students say they use nicotine pouches daily.