Social isolation in children, why it happens and how to prevent it?
The importance of having friends has been explained in many studies. The human being is Social By nature, this means that you can not live without the company of other individuals. Friendships are that family that one chooses and with which great moments are shared. However, sometimes children or adolescents do not have one of these groups.
The fact that a child does not have their own group of friends is already a warning symptom. It can often be thought that this isolation is due to a case of harassment or because of the rejection of the child's personality. But what happens when it is he who opts for this way of life? What can parents do to help their children and develop their social side? On this subject it deals Kenneth H Rubin in one of his works for the University of Maryland.
The origin of the isolation
Rubin is clear in his approach: behind the social isolation in children is always hidden a problem that has been dragging for a long time. In some cases, this decision is made in the face of low self-esteem, which resorts to avoiding contact with other individuals as a method of protection. That is to say, the son thinks that he will be rejected and for that reason he locks himself in his own world.
In other cases, the origin can be much More serious. An example is that the child has symptoms of depression, a serious disorder that causes the child to be isolated from the rest of the world. Another cause that deserves all the attention from parents is the possibility of a social phobia that requires, as well as depression, attention by a specialist.
From the National Institute of Mental Health United States Social phobia is defined as a strong fear of being judged by others and feeling shame. This panic can be as serious as making it difficult to go to school, or to carry out daily activities that require contact with other children.
People who have social phobia are afraid of doing everyday things in front of other individuals. Most of the patients With this problem they know that they should not be so afraid, but they can not control it. A feeling that worsens their situation, so they end up avoiding places or events where they think they might be forced to do something that makes them feel ashamed.
Treatment of social isolation
The treatment of social isolation involves the passage through several stages in the smallest. Different points that have as a last objective to make the child overcome their fears and can foster their relationship with other individuals:
- Know why the child feels this shame. Why does the child feel he does something wrong, what motivates these feelings?
- Work on the change of thought. The child must accept what he is like, with his good things and his bad things. Work to change the latter and bet heavily on the former. We all have something great to offer, we must get the children to find what it is.
- Ask for help when you feel weak. Relapses are inevitable, at this time you have to give support to children and invite them not to get carried away by these bad thoughts.
Damián Montero
