According to theorists, a personal problem only affects the individual. The problem only affects his or her way of living. It has no affect on society whatsoever. It could be problems he or she may have to deal with on their own. Some personal problems could be obesity, smoking, depression, unemployment, moodiness, lost of a loved one, etc. Only that person is affected by the circumstances. Society does not know anything about their problem and could not help them cope in anyway. While a social problem affects the society as whole. The entire population is affected in one way or another. They cannot avoid the problem. It is out of their control.
But in reality, we are not arguing which problems are exactly only personal or social problems, because personal problem correlates with social factors and social problems somewhat correlates in personal problem. Actually "We are all part some social problems." .
For example: Abortion among young girls. .
Is it a personal problem or a social problem?.
If you said it is a social problem because there has been an increasing in reported cases. You are not absolutely right but not wrong at all!! .
When you take a stroll in a local hospital, its familiar to see that young women waiting in the lobby for an abortion. Most of them are unmarried, young, unemployed, and some even have young innocent faces. The girls are too young to be having sex, lack of education on contraception, and education. This is a social problem, if the girls were taught at an early age about sexual education, then they would not resort into having an abortion. .
But what makes them have an abortion. Is it because conceiving a child and having the responsibility to care for it out of their hands? Do we live in a society in which people are having sexual intercourse at an earlier age; therefore they cannot take responsibility for their actions? On the other hand, young girls having an abortion can also be viewed as a personal problem.
