We talk a lot about older people and loneliness being a deadly epidemic. We hear about seniors living alone and the impact isolation can have on physical and mental health.
But this morning on the show, Jodie Jenkins and Mariam Serkal talk with Dr Julie Gowthorpe RSW about a group we don’t always associate with loneliness: children.
How do you know when your child is lonely, and what can parents do to help?
Loneliness has been linked with social anxiety, low self-esteem, bullying, peer rejection and depression. It can become a cycle.
A child is rejected and starts thinking, “People don’t like me.” Their confidence drops, so they hesitate to join in. They withdraw to protect themselves, but that withdrawal can make them lonelier.
