7 Things That Cause Children To Feel Lonely And How Parents Help It Overcome

Illustration of why children feel lonely and the way parents help them overcome (Freepic)

YOGYAKARTA Feeling lonely is actually not only experienced by adults. Children can also experience it because of certain factors. One of them is when children need to practice socializing. Of course, social activities initially needed to be supported by their parents. Even parents have to help and teach children how to mingle with their peers or new friends of different age so they don't feel lonely.

Research shows that children between the ages of 10-12 as many as 14 percent of children feel lonely. Citing the UK page Therapy Guide, Sunday, May 25, in the 16-24 year age category, the percentage of teenagers and early adults feel lonely rising to 40 percent.

It is natural that at certain moments, a child needs time alone. However, if your child is constantly alone and has difficulty building new connections, it is important to pay attention to and discuss with teachers, family therapists, or close people to get help.

Loneliness is also associated with the risk of physical and mental health. Feeling alone also increases the risk of bad behavior. Such as smoking, alcohol and drug abuse, to the risk of physical health and obesity. Not to mention that children will feel inferior, isolated, difficult to concentrate, anxiety, poor self-care, and depression. Furthermore, here are the causes of children feeling lonely.

There are many reasons why children feel lonely. That is why it is important for parents to accompany and monitor their behavior carefully and encourage honest and open communication. Some of the most common causes cause children to feel lonely, including:

For example moving houses or schools. Keep in mind by parents, that children will be much more sensitive to change so that they can feel lonely.

This could be due to the loss of family members. It could also lose their pets, relatives, or close friends. This can take children time to adapt and get support from those closest to them.

When the parents of the child separate, the child can feel abandoned. This can trigger loneliness and habitability. So when there is a separation, it is important to make sure the child processes it well and gets the attention of both parents.

Research shows that social rejection triggers certain areas of the brain that are the same as areas that respond to physical pain. So if you experience suppression, bullying, or ostracization, of course, it will make your child feel lonely.

Children who have a history of experiencing physical and emotional violence, are at higher risk of feeling lonely. So it is very important to cure trauma and get full support from those closest to you, family, or with the help of professionals such as psychologists or psychiatrists.

Children in low-income and high-income households are at higher risk of being lonely than those living in middle-income households. This is one of the financial factors of the family, which turns out to affect the child's feelings, especially loneliness.

Parents should know that uncontrolled fights within the family not only damage harmony. But it also risks making children often feel lonely. Parents who are not close to their children are also at higher risk of making their children lonely.

Spending time is important for parents to get to know their children. Because many parents assume that their children are lonely. In fact, they prefer to stay at home and read. You could also turn around, parents assume their children have friends and don't feel lonely.

Make children open about their feelings really need to. After knowing, if the child feels lonely, talk from heart to heart about what causes it. It is also important for parents to encourage children to stay in touch with their children's teachers and know how children interact. Support and teach how to interact happily so that children feel more accepted and children don't feel lonely anymore.