A lot of people dread the time change because it means that the cold, sometimes intolerable weather comes along with it.
People are stuck indoors and it gets dark out so early that when students get done with school it is almost dark, which doesn’t permit them with much free time outside.
These feelings can make students feel trapped inside their houses, specifically feeling isolated and alone.
Winter is a common time where we see these changes, but loneliness and isolation are always present within the teen population, and it can have some major effects on how they live their lives.
According to WBGH, in 2024 Public Health officials from the Surgeon General agreed that the United States is and was facing an epidemic of loneliness.
They reported that roughly 73 percent of students from 16-24 years old said they were struggling severely with loneliness. https://www.wgbh.org/news/health/2024-05-15/breaking-down-the-teen-loneliness-epidemic-and-how-you-can-help.
Parents, you may be thinking what could these feelings of loneliness look like in my teen?
According to Embark Behavioral Health, teens could display numerous signs of isolation such as…
- Excessive technology use and screen addiction
- Staying in their room for long periods of time
- School issues or school refusal
- Mood changes
There could be multiple reasons that a teen could be feeling lonely or isolated, and some examples are: undeveloped social skills, bullying, mental health struggles, academic pressure or issues, or unhealthy family dynamics.
Although these examples hit a lot of the major root causes, it is important to note that a teen may just be lost in their own head/thoughts and may be feeling confused or unsure of where there path in life will lead them.
If a teen who is suffering from loneliness doesn’t get some form of treatment, or it goes unnoticed, it could have serious impacts on their mental health.
Loneliness can increase depression in teens, and it can also lead to a decline in academic success and physical health issues.
Another major root cause of spiked loneliness in teens is excessive screen time.
When a teen spends an unbalanced amount of time on their screen, it eliminates their opportunities to have face-to-face conversations with their peers.
There are several ways to bring these increases to light about loneliness. The major one is having open conversations with your teens.
Parents and counselors can also start working with their teens on initiating conversations about things that find similar enjoyment in with others.
Encouraging your students to join an extracurricular or getting a part-time job can also help them meet people. https://www.embarkbh.com/treatment/depression/signs-symptoms/loneliness/.
There are plenty of resources out there to help teens, they just have to be willing to seek to find them so for the teenagers reading this, I encourage you if you’re struggling with these feelings to be open about them with a safe person in your life.
For parents, take the time to check in on your teens, these years can be some of the most tricky, and emotionally challenging years of their lives, and they need you to be there for them, to listen to them, and to love and seek them some further help if they need it.
Featured image (at top): Senior Raigan Fredericks is the Print Editor-in-Chief of The Arrowhead. Her monthy column, “Real Talk With Raigan” focuses on teen wellness.
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