What 'Only Children' Bring Up The Most In Therapy

If you grew up as an only child, you’ve likely heard some of these stereotypical phrases at some point in your life: “That’s sad you grew up all alone.” “Your parents must’ve spoiled you.” “Do you have a hard time making friends?”

Yet recent research shows that many of these portrayals of only children are inaccurate . And even though the single-child family structure used to be a rarity, it’s now the fastest growing family unit in the United States. About 20% of households with children have one child , according to Pew Research Center .

Even though growing up without siblings is becoming more common, there’s still a long-lasting stigma around only children. We talked to therapists about the most common issues they hear only children bring up.

“Therapy can be a healthy space … to learn about themselves and how they interact with the world around them” as only children, Altheresa Clark , a licensed therapist and owner of Inspire4Purpose , told HuffPost.

Read on for what only children often talk about in therapy — and helpful tips for dealing with each issue.

They may yearn for a ‘sibling-like’ connection as an adult.

In therapy, adult only children sometimes share that they feel lonely because they come from a smaller family and don’t have any sibling relationships.

“They have fewer family members to rely on for support than someone who has multiple siblings,” explained Rebecca Greene , a mental health therapist and author of “ One & Done: The Guide to Raising a Happy & Thriving Only Child .” “Holidays can be especially lonely for some only children because they often don’t have the big family gatherings that you see in movies and on TV.”

As adults, many only children will seek out close friendships that feel like