Your teenage years should be one of your life's best times. But the truth is that it is common to experience severe depression in teens. Up to 30 percent of teenagers have at least one episode of it, and 50 to 75 percent of teenagers with anxiety, impulse control, and hyperactivity disorders develop it during their teenage years. Adolescence is a stressful time for many children. Stress in adolescents has been related to solitary confinement, violence, risky behavior, and abuse of drugs. Teenage warnings of stress overload might include headaches or frequent illness, withdrawal from friends and activities, changes in sleep and eating patterns, anger, irritability, and hopelessness. Suicide, the third leading cause of death in young adults, is the greatest risk in stress overload and mental illness in young adults. Parental pressure leads to stress and anxiety.This often causes parents to think they need to monitor their child's progress; preferably by intruding into their social life and peering over their shoulder while they study. Such high expectations and pressure may also cause the child to suffer stress and depression.
Peer pressure also causes stress. Teenagers try to behave due to pressure coming from their peers. This kind of stress is triggered by issues like the need for approval, acceptance and the need to have a sense of belonging. Studies can also create stress in teens. Most teenagers are anxious to fulfill educational expectations, to satisfy teachers and parents, and to keep up with their classmates. Poor skills in managing time and feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work can also lead to academic pressure. In today’s social media landscape, teenagers face severe pressure and anxiety when it comes to their social media presence and keeping up with the latest digital trends.
Misbah Imtiaz
Islamabad