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Counselor's Corner
September 2023
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A message from our School Social Worker
Since the pandemic, lots of things have changed, especially for students. Loneliness is now considered to be one of the biggest concerns that all individuals are facing, including teens and adolescents. It has gotten so bad, that according to NPR, in a May 2023 article, it has reached the level of an epidemic. Loneliness is something that was around before the pandemic, but has increased in recent years.
There are lots of different reasons surrounding the increase in loneliness. As a society, we rely more on technology for interactions, we are more mobile in regards to jobs and housing and we just interact differently with one another. Loneliness doesn’t necessarily mean that you don’t have people around you, it can mean that you don’t have quality relationships or deep meaningful relationships.
According to NPR, young people aged 15-24 have 70% less social interaction with friends when compared to two decades ago. Social media has become a replacement for in-person relationships for many teens and adolescents. Unfortunately, this often means a lower quality connection. Along with reliance on social media, kids are also participating less in sports, activities, and faith based groups. There needs to be a balance for young people of in-person and social media relationships.
Connections and relationships matter for our cognitive and physical health. In a paper published by Johns Hopkins University, it was reported that loneliness and isolation can lead to more stress, anxiety, inflammation, heart disease and risk for dementia in older adults. The longer these feelings of disconnection last, the easier it is to believe that others do not care about us.
As a society, a school, and as parents we need to encourage connectedness. Encourage students to be involved in activities or clubs either in their school, community, or church. Look for opportunities for in-person relationship building. As adults, we need to model what deep, meaningful connections and relationships look like. This is an epidemic that can be worked on and changed by adjusting our habits and our priorities.