Loneliness has increasingly become a noticeable difficulty for children of all ages. Loneliness is said to be a feeling of sadness because one has no friends or company. It can be understood as feelings of isolation as well.
When this persists for a longer duration of time, one can see that there are immediate and long-term negative consequences.
What are some of the consequences of loneliness?
1. The children that go through loneliness will also experience poor peer companionship. They might not be able to join clicks or clubs and in turn this will affect their self-esteem. Loneliness can lead to sadness, alienation and feelings of despair.
2. If this loneliness is not addressed it could go well into adulthood. This would create social awkwardness for the adult and could lead to more serious damage.
3. The child misses out on opportunity to interact with others and also loose out on building life skills which is crucial to healthy growth and development of the child.
4. This behaviour can cause multiple other problems like bullying, abuse and violence towards the child.
There are multiple reasons why a child could feel lonely, listed below are some reasons.
1. Moving to a new school or environment.
2. Continuous conflicts between the parents or extended family.
3. Sudden loss of a good friend or pet.
4. Divorce of parents.
5. When someone the child is close to becomes ill.
Observation:
1. When a child is lonely: It is important to find out what is causing this loneliness.
2. Understand how the child interacts, talks and deals with its peers?
3. Are there any cognitive related issues with the child?
4. Ascertain if there are any behavioural issues that the child is displaying?
5. Identify if there is any neglect with regards to the family?
6. Are there any signs of abuse – physical, emotional, and mental?
Interventions:
1. Create a buddy system with someone who the child is comfortable with.
2. Do self-awareness sessions with the child which will help the child to grow and better understand themselves.
3. Allow self-confidence and morale boosting exercises to be part of the child’s development.
4. Have open talks with the child and build trust.
5. Use other activities like art, play, and creative activities to help draw the child out from his or her shell.
6. Read stories of how children overcome their difficulties and have discussions about them.
7. Seek the help of a professional counsellor if the child is uncomfortable to talk to known family members and friends.
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