While being around other people, even ones that you may have a close bond with, it is still possible to have immense feelings of loneliness and the inability to feel as though one fits in. Therefore, whatever environment someone may be in, the feelings of loneliness can still be present within them. These intense feelings of loneliness are also extremely common among teenagers in today’s society, which can result in self-isolation as well as depression.
Throughout many studies, there appeared to be a few common themes seen among teenagers that correlate their loneliness with depression. The results from these studies show four themes, consisting of one’s withdrawal from society based on their poor mental health, the “non-disclosure of depression contributing to social distance,” the desire for one to connect with others but being unable to do so, and lastly the “paradoxes of loneliness and depression” (Achterbergh). These results show that the teenagers who are struggling with loneliness and depression tend to act in similar ways where they disengage with society and those around them, leading to the worsening of their depression (Achterbergh).
Although loneliness is a complex topic in general, it is important for the people that do not experience these levels of loneliness and depression to put in the effort to understand and support those that may be dealing with issues such as these. As people grow and mature, their minds can change just as much as their bodies do which can be incredibly overwhelming for anyone, regardless of their age (Belhumeur). Therefore, it is crucial to support those around you since the state of one’s mental health can never be determined just by looking at someone and those dealing with loneliness and depression often hide their mental illnesses behind a smile.
The feeling of immense loneliness is something that no one should go through, let alone by themselves. However, it is not always easy to branch out and ask someone for help when one is struggling, which is why it is crucial to spread awareness of the many aspects of mental health, whether good or bad. By doing so this can help people that are dealing with depression and loneliness, possibly convincing one to get the help that they need in regards to their own mental health.
Works Cited
Achterbergh, L., Pitman, A., Birken, M. et al. “The experience of loneliness among young people with depression:” a qualitative meta-synthesis of the literature. BMC Psychiatry 20, 415 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02818-3
Belhumeur, Lorry Leigh, et al. “Understanding Teen Loneliness and Social Isolation.” Western Youth Services (WYS), 10 July 2018, https://www.westernyouthservices.org/loneliness-isolation/#.
Dear Kristina,
I am shocked and it gives me an upsetting feeling while reading ¨Loneliness¨, because to know that even when one is around someone that they feel close to they can still feel a sense of being lonely or as if they dont fit in. I personally have never felt this way around the people I’m very close to, but don’t you think that if you feel that way with the people that you’re personally close to that you might not actually be as close to them as you thought? I think that when you’re around the people close to you they would always make you feel involved or included and you wouldnt feel that sense of loneliness.
One sense that you wrote and really stood out to me was ¨it is important for the people that do not experience these levels of loneliness and depression to put in the effort to understand and support those that may be dealing with issues¨, this is because i also agree with the fact that people who don’t experience this should learn as to why other feel this type of way. But how could people be interested in this? Or how could we begin to talk about this topic?
Thanks for your writing. I look forward to seeing what you write next because you make some really great points about very important topics. Hopefully you write more about this topic because I really think that this is a very important thing. But sometimes people don’t realize how big of a deal it actually is.
-Kimberly
Dear Kristina, I am impressed by you post, “Loneliness” because it really helped me open my eyes to see that not everyone may be in the correct mental state. Many may be experiencing feelings of loneliness even though they seem fine on the outside. One sentence that stands out to me is, “Although loneliness is a complex topic in general, it is important for the people that do not experience these levels of loneliness and depression to put in the effort to understand and support those that may be dealing with issues such as these.” I think this is crucial because a lot of the time people do not understand what individuals are going through and often judge them instead of trying to understand and be there for them to help support.
Thanks for your writing. I look forward to seeing what you write next, because you really express and show how hard it must be for people to deal with the things they are dealing with. Your writing is also very informative to many and allows for people to understand things they have never heard of before or it allows individuals to become better informed on the topic of loneliness.
-Natalie
Reading this made me want to check up on the others around me to make sure they are doing okay and don’t feel disengaged. I loved what you had to say and you’re interpretation of the article was flawless. This subject is crucial to talk about and you did a great job at providing evidence for the argument. I can’t wait to read more from you.
I think the article could dive into tactics to eliminate the feeling of loneliness and further coping tactics. It is interesting how vulnerable our mental health is as teenagers. We are always developing and always need support.
I love your article. I believe the same that it is crucial to pay more attention to people who are socially distant or self-isolated from us, especially our closest friends who are been through a struggle like this. Sometimes, friends feel further and further from us because we don’t have the chance to bond, so creating the opportunities and being an active friendly person would be hopeful.
Good morning Kristina, I enjoyed reading your post and am very appreciative that you understand how important mental health is. Loneliness is something that everyone experiences during their life. When we feel like no one understands us or we feel insecure about telling others how we really feel, we pretend to just shrug it off and act like nothing is wrong. But this is false, this is a problem that everyone deals and everyone deserves the right to be able to talk about what is going on in their life without judgement from others. I appreciate your post and am glad you decided to create a post about it.