Loneliness is something that can affect anyone of any age. Action for children, a national charity, have recognised that this can be very difficult for children and young people. They write:
Loneliness is an unhappy feeling where you feel sad and alone. You may wish you had more or closer friends, or that you were able to spend more time with the people you care about. Loneliness can affect us no matter our age.
When we asked young people aged 17 – 25 who used Action for Children services, 43% said they had problems with loneliness, and we know it affects younger people too.
Loneliness is less about the number of friends you have and more about how you feel. Some people are very happy to spend a lot of time alone, while others may be part of a large social circle but still feel lonely and isolated.
Some of the things that can make us feel particularly lonely include:
- Moving to a new area or starting a new school
- Having an illness or disability
- Losing a loved one or ending a relationship
- Being bullied or abused
- Being away from friends and family
- Feeling different from the people around you.
Top Tips
- Talk to an adult you trust about how you’re feeling.
- Let a trusted adult know if you’re being bullied.
- Look out for clubs or activities you might be interested in.
- Make sure you’re using the internet safely.
- Pay attention to how your use of social media affects your mood.
- Remember that loneliness is a feeling, not a measure of number of friends or time spent interacting socially.
- Need More Help?
- Childline have a page about loneliness and isolation. If you’re under 19 you can talk to them via phone, email or online chat.
- Become, the charity for children in care, have a phone line and online advice.
- The Mix: support for under 25s on any issue from housing to bereavement to alcohol
We hope you find this information helpful.
Links for the above are
https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/your-feelings/feelings-emotions/loneliness-isolation/
http://www.becomecharity.org.uk/help-and-advice/care-advice-line/