Alienation & Loneliness in Teens

Normal Development

• According to Medline Plus, the rate of change for teens in and of itself can cause turmoil. As your teen's body changes, she experiences hormonal shifts, emotional mood swings and changes in her personal appearance. She understands abstract ideas and can become very emotional about them. Friends become very important to her. According to an article in "Psychology Today," failure to make positive social connections is one reason that teens drop out of school.

Lonely Teens

• According to a 2004 Gallup poll, about 18 percent of teens feel out of place and disconnected socially. According to the poll, students who had good academic records were more likely to be satisfied with who they were, while students who had low grade scores were more likely to wish they were someone else. Teens who attended church or were affiliated with a service organization felt more sure of having an appropriate place in the world. The disaffected teens were more likely to drink alcohol, use drugs or engage in other antisocial activities.

Physical Symptoms

• A Danish study, "Aspects of alienation and symptom load among adolescents" examined the relationship between students reporting physical symptoms and their feelings of loneliness. The study found that students who felt left out, helpless and who were not confident in their parents ability to help them were more likely to have frequent digestive upset and headaches. They were also more susceptible to bullying. The study noted that while an occasional illness is normal, a child who is ill each school morning could indicate a developing problem.

Loneliness and the Internet

• The Internet is often seen as a cause for teen alienation. According to an article for PsychCentral.com by psychologist John M. Grohol, that might not be correct. He says that teens who are shy or lonely are might find communicating on the Internet less frightening than communicating in person. He says that girls are likely to use the Internet to stay in touch with friends who are far away, while boys are more likely to contact a broader audience. He concludes by saying that the Internet provides a safe arena for social interaction to teens who might not otherwise find friends.