WATCH | How to spot signs of social isolation in teens

Irritability, sudden anger, changes in sleep patterns or appetite, and a loss of motivation. If your teenage child is showing some of these signs, they could be socially isolating and silently crying out for help. But an expert warns that many teenagers are good at hiding their emotions, making it hard for parents, guardians and teachers, among others, to realise what they are going through.

“Whereas with others, you might start to see that they become irritable, easily angered, and [there are] changes in sleep and decreased or increased appetite, [and have] low motivation. They may joke around about being alone – that is that attempt of trying to mask how they actually are feeling,” warns educational psychologist Rivendri Govender. “Some of them may downplay their feelings because, remember, social isolation doesn’t happen overnight.

It’s a long, drawn-out, slow process. In that process, this teenager becomes so used to that feeling that when you ask them how they’re feeling, they downplay the fact that they actually are not OK. “The biggest signs out there is that they stop trying.

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They stop reaching out. They stop caring. They stop believing that connection is possible because all the time they’ve told themselves … that nobody cares.

[They think to themselves], ‘I’ve been fine on my own’, not realising that help is available. They have taught themselves to believe that they’re fine on their own and there is no need to care.” Govender was speaking during theSA Depression and Anxiety Group’s (Sadag)Ask the Expert session on Friday as part ofTeen Suicide PreventionWeek, which ended on Saturday. To raise awareness about teen suicides, Sadag launched campaignedSilalele(We hear you) and visited various schools to talk to pupils and teachers.

Importantly, it was to drive a message that there is help available and there’s someone who will listen. “This powerful call to action urges parents, teachers, caregivers and friends to listen without judgement, create safe spaces for conversation, and support teens who may be at risk,” said Sadag’s project manager for education, Roshni Parbhoo-Seetha. Research, the organisation said, shows that nearly one in five high school pupils have attempted suicide at least once, further showing that “around 24% of youth in Grades 8 to 11 report prolonged feelings of depression and hopelessness – key risk factors linked to suicidal thoughts and behaviour”.

“These statistics represent real young lives and families. Too many teens tell us they do not feel heard or taken seriously.We Hear You – Silaleleis about creating spaces where teens feel genuinely listened to, without judgement.

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