An Impact of Loneliness

Being the second leading cause of death for teens and young adults aged between twelve and eighteen is suicide. Some would ask why a twelve year old may be contemplating suicide. Teens of all ages are becoming deprived of social interaction. Loneliness is taking a toll on the mind and body and it is important that parents stay attuned in their child lives before the effects of loneliness become detrimental.

Teens are becoming so attached to their cellular devices that they are losing social interaction.

According to Dr. John Douillard, teens and adults check their smart phones every six minutes which equals out to at least one hundred and fifty times a day. Teens are starting to believe that as long as they are active on social media that they are being social, but they're lacking the interaction. Talking with someone through a screen on social media isn't enough. Both teens and young adults need to put down their cell phones and start making plans with friends and interacting with others. Without interaction we start to feel lonely which can to send our minds to a dark place. Just after a few minutes of being alone our minds begin to wonder. We start questioning our self worth, believing that we have no purpose and that we aren't loved. Once these feelings come it hard to get rid of them.

According to Berg, "Even teens with a lot of friends can feel lonely" (Berg 34).  It isn't that feeling lonely is abnormal, feeling lonely is normal to a certain extent. For example having no plans on a Friday night and sitting at home watching movies alone is normal. Having no social interaction and sitting home every Friday night is abnormal. When the abnormal becomes a normal for someone there is a problem.  That means that typically one feels lonely and has socially isolated them self. Once the loneliness kicks in it can become detrimental for one's health. When one feels lonely they are not motivated to do anything, they typically become a homebody. They have no motivation to get up, go anywhere or do anything. Studies show sitting for periods of time can increase aches and pains. At Brigham Young University in Utah researchers did a study and found "social isolation resulted in a 50 percent increase in premature death" (Magen). According to Magen, "Loneliness and social isolation are also associated with increased blood pressure, higher cholesterol levels, depression and, if that weren't bad enough, decreases in cognitive abilities and Alzheimer's disease." (Magen).  It is important that one stays connected and within interaction of others. One's health should never be at risk because of social isolation.

Loneliness is one of the leading causes of depression. Does depression really affect someone that bad? Yes, just in American alone, there are twenty five million American's who suffer from depression each year. What can depression do? Depression can lead someone to making a wrong decision. Over 50% of people who have depression try and commit suicide. People often overlook how bad depression can become and how quick a wrong decision can be made.  Teens are becoming social deprived and are lacking interaction. It is taking a toll on the mind and body. They are becoming depressed and the suicide rate for people aged between ten and seventeen is up by 70%. Teens need to start putting down there cell phone and becoming involved with their family and friends.

Some would say feel lonely sparks creativity within the mind. When someone becomes lonely they start to wonder why they are alone. They start believing that they aren't loved and that they have no one. How can you be creative when you have these depressing thoughts running through your mind?  I don't believe you can. Some say when you are hungry it means to eat, when you are thirsty it means to drink and when you are lonely it means to interact. Teens in this generation are lacking interaction. Some don't even know how to interact without feeling uncomfortable because all they are used to is talking through a phone screen or no interaction at all. Telling someone that going and interacting will cure there loneliness isn't the answer.  Some people aren't able to step out of there box and just go meet a new friend or do something with a current friend, especially without feeling uncomfortable.

Parents need to start limiting device time for children and teens and start staying attuned in their social life. If teens and young adults don't start putting down there cellular devices and start becoming social we are going to see a rise in health issues among the younger generation. There will be an increase in suicidal attempts because depression will start taking a toll and before we know it we will be living a depressing world.

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