sense of isolation can become exacerbated, especially in men. independent home worker – the tasks implied in this kind of job generally doesn't imply social interaction in the physical level, nor going outside. interactions and payments can be made by digital media so the person remains isolated from society. retirement – or other source of fixed income, makes innecessary for the person to search for a job, this situation is similar to unemployment but with better living on one hand but without the need to go outside on the other hand. transportation problems – if the person doesn't have transportation to attend gatherings or to simply get out of the house, they have no choice but to stay home all day, which can lead to those feelings of depression. societal adversity – desire to avoid the discomfort, dangers, and responsibilities arising from being among people. this can happen if other people are sometimes, or often, rude, hostile, critical or judgmental, crude, or otherwise unpleasant. the person would just prefer to be alone to avoid the hassles and hardships of dealing with people. being a part of an outgroup and social categorization can also play a part in creating adverse circumstances that the individual may attempt to avoid depending on the policies and attitudes of the society. substance abuse can be both cause and/or effect of isolation, often coinciding with mood-related disorders, especially among those living alone economic inequality - poorer children have fewer school-class friends and are more often isolated. adults on welfare, such as the ontario disability support program prioritize their monthly entitlement towards rent and low-cost meals, leaving opportunities to socialize at restaurants and movie theaters out of the question. self-esteem - a person with a low self-esteem or lack of self love can contribute to that person's isolation. having a low self-esteem can cause one to overthink and stress themselves out when being around people, and can ultimately eliminate that feeling by isolating themselves. removing this feeling can lead to an unfortunate social life in the future and can also harm potential relationships with others. according to northeastern university, having a low self-esteem can hold us back from reaching out to making plans with other people. it can make a person feel like they're a burden to them, therefore once again isolating themselves from going out. this can also lead a person into thinking that they're not worthy of making friends and deserve any love; and also feeling like they don't deserve to have a happy life. social isolation can begin early in life. during this time of development, a person may become more preoccupied with feelings and thoughts of their individuality that are not easy to share with other individuals. this can result from feelings of shame, guilt, or alienation during childhood experiences. social isolation can also coincide with developmental disabilities. individuals with learning impairments may have trouble with social interaction. the difficulties experienced academically can greatly impact the individual's esteem and sense of self-worth. an example would be the need to repeat a year of school. during the early childhood developmental years, the need to fit in and be accepted is paramount. having a learning deficit can in turn lead to feelings of isolation, that they are somehow 'different' from others. whether new technologies such as the internet and mobile phones exacerbate social isolation (of any origin) is a debated topic among sociologists, with studies showing both positive correlation of social connections with use of social media as well as mood disorders coinciding with problematic use. isolation among the elderly social isolation impacts approximately 24% of older adults in the united states, approximately 9 million people. the elderly have a unique set of isolating dynamics that often perpetuate one another and can drive the individual into deeper isolation. increasing frailty, possible declines in overall health, absent or uninvolved relatives or children, economic struggles can all add to the feeling of isolation. among the elderly, childlessness can be a cause for social isolation. whether their child is deceased or they did not have children at all, the loneliness that comes from not having a child can cause social isolation. retirement, the abrupt end of daily work relationships, the death of close friends or spouses can also contribute to social isolation. in the united states, canada, and united kingdom, a significant sector of the elderly who are in their 80s and 90s are brought to nursing homes if they show severe signs of social isolation. other societies such as many in southern europe, eastern europe, east asia, and also the caribbean and south america, do not normally share the tendency towards admission to nursing homes, preferring instead to have children and extended-family of elderly parents take care of those elderly parents until their deaths. on the other hand, a report from statistics norway in 2016 stated that more than 30 percent of seniors over the age of 66 have two or fewer people to rely on should personal problems arise. even still, nearly half of all members of senior communities are at high risk for social isolation, this is especially prevalent with seniors of a lower education and within the lower economic class and compounded with diminished availability of socializing options to these lower class individuals. there has also been an observed increase in physical gait among members of these communities. social isolation among older adults has been linked to an increase in disease morbidity, a higher risk of dementia, and a decrease in physical mobility along with an increase in general health concerns. evidence of increased cognitive decline has been link to an increase in social isolation in depressed elderly women. at the same time, increasing social connectedness has been linked to health improvements among older adults. the use of video communication/video calls has been suggested as a potential intervention to improve social isolation in seniors. however, its effectiveness is not known. isolation and health and mortality social isolation and loneliness in older adults is associated with an increased risk for poor mental and physical health and increased mortality. there is an increased risk for early mortality in individuals experiencing social isolation compared to those who are not socially isolated. studies have found social isolation is associated with increased risk in physical health conditions including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, elevated stress hormones, and weakened immune systems. research also suggests that social isolation and mortality in the elderly share a common link to chronic inflammation with some differences between men and women. social isolation has also been found to be associated with poor mental health including increased risk for depression, cognitive decline, anxiety, and substance use. social isolation in elderly individuals is also associated with an increased risk for dementia. isolation among children and teens middle school is a time when youth tend to be sensitive to social challenges and their self-esteem can be fragile. during this vulnerable time in development, supporting students' sense of belonging at school is of critical importance. existing research finds that adolescents' development of a sense of belonging is an important factor in adolescence for creating social and emotional well-being and academic success. studies have found that friendship-related loneliness is more explanatory for depressive symptoms among adolescents than parent-related loneliness. one possible explanation is that friends are the preferred source of social support during adolescence. scientists have long known that loneliness in adults can predispose depressive symptoms later in life. lately, scientists have also seen that lonely children are more susceptible to depressive symptoms in youth. in one study, researchers conclude that prevention of loneliness in childhood may be a protective factor against depression in adulthood. socially isolated children tend to have lower subsequent educational attainment, be part of a less advantaged social class in adulthood, and are more likely to be psychologically distressed in adulthood. by receiving social assistance, studies show that children can cope more easily with high levels of stress. it is also shown that social support is strongly associated with feelings of mastery and the ability to deal with stressful situations, as well as strongly associated with increased quality of life.