A Glimpse into the Teenage World:

Teenagers face real concerns, between 13 and 19 years of age, on a daily basis as
this is the most awkward growth stage of their lives. During this time, teens are
exposed to some overwhelming external and internal struggles. They go through,
and are expected to cope with hormonal changes, puberty, social and parental
forces, work and school pressures, and so on. Many teens feel misunderstood. It is
vital that their feelings and thoughts are validated and that the validation comes from
their parents. Parents need to approach their children, who have been dealing with
teenage growth issues, carefully and in a friendly manner to discuss the concern(s).

The common teenage problems that teenagers face today are usually related
to:

 Self-Esteem and Body Image

 Stress
 Bullying
 Depression
 Cyber Addiction
 Drinking and Smoking
 Teen Pregnancy
 Underage Sex
 Defiant Behaviors
 Peer-Pressure and Competition

Not surprisingly, all of these common teenage problems are connected to one
another, in some way. However it does not mean that having one would lead to the
other.

Following are some of the important steps to build a healthy relationship with the
teens and handle the concerns effectively. None of the steps/solutions work in
isolation and a combination of some or all will be most effective.

Early Identification
Changes in sleep patterns, eating habits, declined interest in normal and healthy
activities, dropping grades in school and college, and preferred isolation are all early
signs of depression. Increased demands to perform, competing with friends etc may
also lead to unwanted stress. Being vigilant towards these signs at an early stage
may help to block/stop further damage and guide them towards healthy ways of
dealing with their concerns.
Understanding Transition
It is crucial that teens feel validated in their feelings and thoughts because what they
are going through is a real part of their lives. Parents and guardians should not judge
or criticize their feelings or thoughts. Being sensitive towards teens and the fact that
they are exposed to a range of emotions (puberty being one of the most important
experiences) is an important step in understanding their transition. Anger, confusion,
jealousy, non-compliant attitudes, dislike towards their parents or elders,
secrecy/high need for privacy etc. are few examples of emotions or feelings they
have. Defiant behaviors results from their inability to appropriately deal with the
intensity of these emotions and aggravate common teenage problems

Transferring Knowledge
One of the concerns that stems from curiosity and the need for independence or a
sense of control can be experimenting with underage consumption of alcohol or
drugs, physical intimacy or teenage pregnancy. It is often believed that educating the
child about sex will lead to them wanting to experiment. However, that is a myth.

Talking to your children will enable them to be informed and will remove the “taboo”
from the topic. It’s no secret that the level of exposure teens have today, as a result
of the Internet is unmatched. Cyber addiction is the fastest growing problem amongst
other common teenage problems. Parents should talk to their teens and make them
conscious of cyber safety – and, how to protect themselves from Internet.

Parents may create a list of rules that clearly say when to use the internet, which
sites they should visit and what safety measures they should follow and off course
clearly discussing “WHY “for the same. However, timely, healthy, factual and regular
conversation about these topics will help them make informed choices.

Respect
the teen’s opinion or decisions will enhance their self-confidence and self esteem.
Most youths’ ability to develop positive self-esteem is affected by family life and
parental criticism. Making respect a mutual virtue will help in developing a stronger
bond between parents and the child.

Rapport
Every parent has a different outlook towards parenting. A healthy relationship
between the child and parents is the most essential during the teenage years.
Communication is the key to developing a rapport, which results in the child feeling
comfortable talking to their parents. Finding the correct balance between being a
friend and a parent is important as this will help develop the required rapport. For e.g.
teens facing body image concerns like being too fat, too skinny, too tall or too short
will benefit from balanced approach towards parenting, which may stem from good
rapport.

Trust and Acceptance

Trust is the foundation of any relationship. Spying, cross questioning/checking with
friends or doubting will hamper the bond, leading to defiant behaviors such as lying,
stealing, hiding and being disrespectful. It is important to accept your teens as they
are and to build trust in them. This will help them trust and accept themselves as well
as those in their immediate environment.

Communication and Safe Space

A clear communication channel opens up many possibilities. This not only enhances
the relationship but also helps the child confide in the parents about sensitive topics
like bullying, peer pressure and abuse. Parents need to feel free to talk to their teens
about certain common teenage problems like dating, sex, drugs, and alcohol. It is
this inability to discuss the good and bad points that drives them to take wrong steps
out of curiosity. Effecting use of communication will foster building of trust, respect
and acceptance between the teen and the parent.

Seeking Help
With the changing times seeking professional help has became a common practice
and more accessible. It is important to empower the teen with the information about
seeking help even in the absence of the parent. It is equally important for a parent to
be aware of his or her own needs and limitations and being open to seek or accept
help.

Concerns that teenagers are faced with today are multifarious but interrelated in
many cases. Parents, teachers and other guardians should be well aware of the
concerns that today’s teenagers are facing and be prepared to mitigate them to their
best abilities.
Be their best friend and guide them without being demanding. The years between
13-19 years are usually classified as turbulent times as the children are going
through many growth changes, physically and mentally. One of the best options is to
approach these concerns with empathy and love.

Parents have to find innovative ways to connect with their children and build a
relationship to affectively support them during this difficult phase of growing up.

Teens growing up today encounter many common sources of stress,

including social, psychological, and societal pressures. As they transition
from childhood to adulthood, face increasing responsibilities and decisions
that can both be empowering, but also provoke much anxiety.

Depending on their circumstances, some teens may be better equipped to

deal with these stresses than others. That’s why both positive peer support
and adult role models are very important around this age.

1. Mental illness
Growing up, teenagers experience new external and internal struggles that
can be emotionally overwhelming. According to youth.gov, 1 in 5 youth
meets the criteria for a severe mental health disorder. 11% of teens report
suffering at least one major depressive episode (including thoughts of
suicide) in the past year.

SOLUTION: It is important that teens’ thoughts and feelings are

validated appropriately instead of being dismissed. Healthy, authentic
friendships can help teens work through emotional challenges.
Adolescents whose mental struggles seriously impede them should
receive professional diagnosis and help.

2. Peer pressure
All people naturally want to fit in and be liked by others, but adolescents
feel this pressure intensely. Negative peer pressure includes pressure to
use alcohol and drugs, participate in sexual acts, or engage in risky
behaviours. But even less extreme examples, like pressure to dress a
certain way, can create drastic changes in a teen’s thoughts and
behaviours, leading to low self-esteem or even depression.

SOLUTION: Teens need positive messaging that teaches them that

self-worth doesn’t rely on how other see them. Comprehensive
educational programs in schools will help teens fully understand the
risks of drugs and sex.

3. Pressure to succeed academically

The stress and anxiety of academics can be challenging for youth to
effectively manage. Teens may worry that a less-than-ideal academic
performance will lead to being judged by their peers, scolded by their
parents, or rejected by universities. Even high-performing students feel the
stress from competition or pressure to get into the best schools. In
particular, when students aren’t taught to productively cope with failure,
they can become demotivated and fall short of their potential.

SOLUTION: Teens flourish when they have extracurricular

opportunities to develop their confidence. Parents need to reassure
their kids that academic success is not the prerequisite for love or
success. Students who experience acute mental distress over
academics should be encouraged to seek help from a school
counselor.

4. Uncertainty about the future

Today’s teens often feel lost and have a scrambled sense of direction. This
sometimes ends up creating an identity crisis or a loss of ambition. Being a
teenager is essentially an in-between stage of being a child and adult;
though are becoming independent and making your own decisions, society
tells you that you are too young to know what is right. There’s also the fear
of making the wrong decision, particularly when it comes to choosing what
to study in college.
 SOLUTION: Mentoring programs for teens can help them better
identify their talents and interests so they can make informed decisions
about their future—and have the confidence to take risks.

5. Parental pressure
Even when parents have good intentions, the pressure they put on their
children to constantly perform well in every aspect of their life can be
damaging to a teenager. Parents who cannot distinguish between healthy
encouragement and unhealthy criticism can unknowingly inflict a lifetime of
self-worth problems on their children.

SOLUTION: Parents need to understand the emotional effect that

criticism has on a developing young adult. Putting a positive spin on
pressure, like challenging kids to do their best and rewarding them
when they succeed, is better than threatening or chastising if they fail.

6. Technology
The rapid growth in technology over the past couple of decades has
allowed for social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram and
Snapchat, to have a powerful influence on people’s lives—and not always
for the better. Research has shown that despite its connected nature, social
media actually increases feelings of isolation and depression, especially
among teens. Seeing “popularity” quantified in likes and shares can create
feelings of jealousy, insecurity, and FOMO. Cyberbullying is a serious
problem. With technology also comes exposure to content that may not be
appropriate, such as violent pornographic imagery or hate speech.
Moreover, when teens spend so much time online and so little time
interacting face-to-face, they risk not developing the authentic relationships
that are vital to social development.
 SOLUTION: We need to set good examples for teens—so yes, that
means putting down the smartphone from time to time! Parents of
teens should be aware of the risks of the internet and social media,
and have honest conversations with their children about it. And
everyone has the power to put pressure on companies like Instagram
and Twitter to request better content moderation.

Because adolescence and sets the stage for adulthood, it’s important to
understand and mitigate the unique sources of teen stress today. Parents,
teachers, counselors, doctors, and anyone who interacts with youth have a
responsibility to ensure that teens are set up for the best possible chances
of success.

Mental illness, peer pressure, academic stress, uncertainty, parental

pressure, technology are just some of the most common causes of teen
stress and pressure today.