Poor Interpersonal Skills Essay

What does it take to be successful? This question cannot be answered, as there are many definitions of what success really is. No matter how one describes it, there are a certain set of skills that are necessary across the board; those being interpersonal skills. These are just skills used to communicate among one another. If one cannot communicate efficiently, it can be catastrophic. Many of today’s citizens are having difficulty with this and it is impacting our society as a whole. The detrimental effects of poor interpersonal skills in American society begins at home and can harm one’s professional opportunities and mental state.

Instilling communication skills at a young age is best, as children are most impressionable at this time.

How is one affected? The results vary but there are common scenarios. Many people suffer from social anxiety, a disease defined as, “the fear of interaction with other people that brings on self-consciousness, feelings of being negatively judged and evaluated, and, as a result, leads to avoidance” (Richards). Social anxiety is a legitimate problem, but can trigger another disease known as depression. Depression is a disorder in the brain that causes constant negative emotions (Depression). But because the amount of causes is so broad, anyone can be susceptible to it. According to National Institute of Mental Health, “In 2015, an estimated 16.1 million adults aged 18 or older in the United States had at least one major depressive episode in the past year. This number represented 6.7% of all U.S. adults” (National Institute of Mental Health). The survey does not represent people with depression, but the people who made an extreme decision based on their depression, such as an attempt at suicide or not eating. Depression can be the onset of anything, including social anxiety. Having poor interpersonal skills can potentially result in