Is your teen showing signs of social isolation? Adolescents will often face many social challenges and insecurities during their teen years. When teens have trouble dealing with these things, they may experience the negative effects of social isolation.
Social isolation is when one feels like an outcast to society and perhaps they have lost sight of their self-worth. Because of these feelings, teens will cope with social isolation which means separating themselves from society and “normal” social interactions.
Long-Term Effects of Social Isolation
It is normal for everyone to want to have “alone time” and separate themselves from society. However, if this becomes a daily habit for your teen, this could be a sign of social isolation. The effects of social isolation on youth are sometimes worse when compared to its effects on other age groups. Social isolation can be paired with other health issues such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
This issue can also make it difficult to have a relationship with your child as they may not want to communicate or show no interest in companionship. This may be due to social anxiety that could develop from social isolation. Behavioral issues at home and at school can also occur because of a teen’s coldness or unresponsiveness to discipline.
It is important that you know social isolation can have long-term effects on not only your child’s mental health but also their physical health.
How You Can Help Your Child
Creating and maintaining healthy relationships plays a huge role in the health and happiness of your teen. This skill is something they need to acquire throughout their entire life. Before creating a plan of action for your child, it is important to identify the root of the social isolation.
- Is your child being bullied?
- Is your child having trouble fitting in?
- Are their behavioral changes?
- Are there any other signs of emotional stress?
Resources like teachers and school counselors are great for helping to address your teen’s needs. Beyond that you should also apply the following measures to help your teen overcome social isolation:
Encourage your teen to get involved in club or extra-curricular activities This can be a great way for your child to get involved with something that interests them and build relationships with others
Plan Family Activities This is a great way to stay in tune with your child’s needs and encourage and motivate them to involve themselves in activities
Don’t force anything You should never force your child to participate in something that is going to make them uncomfortable, this will only worsen the situation
Ask questions and offer encouraging words Attentiveness to your teen and showing you care about their life is important in keeping the line of communication open and offering positive words of encouragement can help them see value in themselves
Wilderness Therapy: A great resource for getting your teen the help they need
Wilderness therapy is an effective treatment solution that can help your teen build confidence in themselves and experience personal growth while also giving them the ability to identify healthy activities.
blueFire Wilderness is a program dedicated to helping teens overcome their social challenges through outdoor activities. Aside from exposing your child to new activities and teaching them new skills, blueFire also looks to reset interpersonal interactions and create healthy relationships between the teen and family members/peers. We would love to help your family today!
Contact us for more information @ 844-413-1999
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