Only Child Syndrome: 6 Characteristics & is it real?

Written by: Suzanne Degges-White, PhD, LCPC, LPC, LMHC, NCC
Medically Reviewed by: Trishanna Sookdeo, MD, MPH, FAAFP
Published: 12/19/2022

Stereotypes associated with only children–or “onlies” as they may be called–continue to thrive, even as the percentage of only children continues to climb.

While the stigma of being an only child, or experiencing “onliness,” may decrease with time, only children continue to be labeled as selfish, lonely, and unable to relate to their peers, based solely on what some may call a “syndrome.”

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#onlychild

[MotherEarth]

As an only child. I must have my ALONE time. Never get lonely and enjoy my solitary is our strength. I never get bored of myself, I am the best entertainer of my own.

[EmperorCesus]

i’m an only child, i rot in dissatisfaction and disappointment as my sanity drops, and i slowly die on the inside as i know i am doomed to be alone, and humiliated for most of my life, i hate my life, nobody to play with, nobody to play roblox with, the only thing i can do is call my cousins (they have slightly different time zones to me) and as i lose my emotion and hype over the years, i no longer have hope in my life, or emotional feelings for anything or anyone except my parents, they’re all i have that is near me.

[janedoe]

I do get lonely and I like people to an extent, but I need my space and independence. I truly don't care about criticism, as I've been misunderstood and criticized all my life. My parents were too poor to spoil me.

[DanzyRemix]

I never meet another only child in my life.

[El_Hada_Dental]

My mom is an only child. None of those apply to her except being a high achiever and being independent.

[YB-zxuf]

I hate people saying only child's are spoilt is p*sses me off fr, especially if you're of a single parent 🤦😒

[MelissaMontoya-tw]

Definetly depends on the parenting. If the parents praise their child too much, they will most obviously have too much pride. If they have absent parents, the child will be lonely most of the time. We can look at Rory Gilmore from Gilmore Girls. Her mother praised her for being an angel and a good girl. Her grandparents always think she is the best and tell her shes the best. Shes so used to being the best in stars hollow when she arrives to chilton, it breaks her because she is no longer the best. When she goes off the uni, she vicitimizes herself in bad situations she puts herself in. An example is when she stole the yacht and startes blaming it on something that someone said that made her mad. Another one is when she hooks up with her ex (dean) when he is engaged to another women. She then starts blamimg the fiance for not being right for dean. ANYWAYS i guess my comment/essay is done and as I said, it depends on the parenting, we can definetly see this with Rory and her faults and how she victimizes herself

[naomikim]

Okay you know what.. why does every single person say “ThErE SpOiAlt BeCaUs TheR A onLy ChIlD” WHAT..

[People.call.me_bird]

As an only child, extremely accurate 😅

[steezygrinds]

See imma be real like, being a only child makes you realize alot of things about other people good and bad. i think the “sydrome” comes with parents spoiling there only kid, in turn makes them feel like the world is theres and not shared

[charliejuice]

All Chinese children from 1979 to 2016 lmao

[JT]

This video just isn’t correct. Only children don’t get to play with siblings, making them very different from kids with siblings. Only child syndrome IS real. 🫡🇺🇸