Escaping Isolation

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Many people experience what it is like to be isolated at some point in their lives. But when does one feel like an outcast? Being isolated can change one’s entire outlook on life. Alienation can be described as “a powerful feeling of isolation and loneliness” (Alienation 1). Different people react differently to alienation and some express it by becoming “withdrawn and lethargic [and] others may react with hostility and violence” (Alienation 1). Many suffer from alienation for a variety of causes. Throughout life, one must learn to cope with alienation and many do. Through overcoming struggles, one learns how to become independent and self-reliant. Being an outcast comes with various struggles. An example of someone who feels like an outcast is someone who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental disorder that includes “anxiety, nightmares, irritability, and feelings of isolation and withdrawal” (Mental Health Awareness & PTSD 1). Those who struggle from post-traumatic stress disorder have experienced a traumatic life event and the repercussions of that are difficult to cope with. Through this, many post-traumatic stress disorder victims that are untreated “tragically… end up taking their own lives (Mental Health Awareness & PTSD 2). Another group of people who feel isolated are teenagers. During modern times, cyber bullies have been more common. At the first occurrences of cyber bullying, parents and teachers were not concerned with it. Now, they have learned not to take cyber bullying lightly because it causes depression and has even led some teenagers to take their own lives. This bullying has created “an internalized enemy that leads to self destructive thought processes and beh... ... middle of paper ... ...eling like an outcast, one can acquire these characteristics and it is such a benefit to those who do defeat the negativity of being an outcast. Which proves that going through a tough time during one’s life is difficult and it seems there is no end sometimes, there are rewards that come after the difficult times and it can be worth it. Even though some may not see the end and take their lives, those who do stick through the hard times reap numerous benefits. Works Cited "Alienation." 2013. Alienation- Feelings, People, Society, and Feeling. 22 November 2013. Cather, Willa Sibert. "Paul's Case." English 123 WebCT. New Mexico Junior College, n.d. Class Handout. "Isolation and Loneliness." 2009. PsychAlive. 22 November 2013. "Mental Health Awareness & PTSD." 2013. ProQuest K-12. 22 November 2013. .

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