Author: Madhura Joshi | December 18th, 2021
Don’t Wait Till It Is Too Late!
Adolescence is a very crucial developmental phase in life span. This phase of tremendous growth is a ‘work in progress’ in preparation of an individual to take on adult roles, responsibilities and life challenges. But they are not an adult yet, and their hormones are raging! How do they cope? How can parents cope better?
Young people can really struggle, much as they would like to be, and much as our expectations of them to behave like adults we do not give them ‘adult privilege’. This often results in major conflicts between parents and young people. Parental expectation and the pressure to perform, possibly in an area that doesn’t appeal to them can cause nothing short of war in many homes. The result of such negative conflict can increase the risk of various emotional, behavioural and adjustment issues. If not identified and addressed, they may pose higher challenges and risks to the mental health of an individual.
This is not just our findings at Sethu, the WHO Fact sheet (Adolescent mental health) on adolescent mental health, states that half of all mental health conditions start by 14 years of age, but most cases are undetected and untreated. The consequences of not addressing adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults.
In the context of these glaring facts, WE the parents, teachers and significant others in young peoples lives need to pay attention and listen for the warning signals. Being aware of the mental health concerns of our teens and help support them by building skills and resilience to help them cope with life challenges effectively.
This will certainly be a smart investment towards practical and effective parenting and the health and wellbeing of our future generations.
Do reach out to us if you would like to attend one of our parenting workshops for coping with teens or if your child needs someone to talk to. All of our sessions are confidential.
MADHURA JOSHI
Rehabilitation Psychologist and Research Coordinator