#Urbanisation

A groundbreaking five-year study has found that individuals experiencing social anxiety are more likely to become lonely in the future, but not vice versa. This major discovery challenges prevailing assumptions and has important implications for how mental health professionals and Thai families address loneliness and isolation—major social and health issues within the Kingdom. The research, published in Psychological Medicine, draws on a large-scale, longitudinal dataset and is among the most robust to date in clarifying the connection between these two common struggles (PsyPost).

Recent research and commentary presented by NPR have cast fresh light on the delicate dynamics that can unravel friendships once children enter the picture. For many Thais and global readers alike, the news highlights a universal phenomenon: the arrival of children often disrupts social ties, leaving new parents and their child-free friends navigating unfamiliar emotional terrain. The insights provided resonate deeply in a society where close friendship networks are seen as essential support systems, and where evolving family and social structures in Thailand bring these issues into sharp relief (NPR).