Being a teenager comes with a lot of emotional and physical baggage. The weight of responsibilities eventually piling up, having to decide on a career path, and conforming to various societal norms are just a few things that modern teens have to deal with. Naturally, not everyone has similar circumstances or the capacity to react to them.
According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Institute, 70% of teens rank anxiety and depression as major problems in their lives. For 55%, bullying is a major issue, followed by drug addiction, alcohol, poverty, teen pregnancy, and gangs.
The level at which these issues impact different teens can vary based on a number of factors, like the community where they live and the social class they belong to. For instance, research has shown that in cities like Denver, social media influence is leading teens to get caught up with issues like substance abuse, violent and defiant behavior, and poor motivation.
Either way, the younger lot has to put up with a lot on a day-to-day basis. So, how do parents, guardians, friends, and loved ones facilitate these youngsters in coping with various problems?
Here are a few things that can help:
Start by identifying the issue
Determining what the issue is needs to be the first and most crucial part of the process. For many teens, it is difficult to identify their problems, especially when those issues are related to mental health. Many a time, conditions like anxiety and depression can go undetected, being only pinpointed when they escalate beyond a certain level. In Colorado, the percentage of children with poor mental health went up from 8.8% in 2017 to 18.8% in 2021. The state is also known for having the 7th highest rate of substance abuse among youngsters. It is important to explore a suitable Denver teenager support group as they are quite effective in addressing and resolving a wide range of issues.
Since teens are still in the initial phases of their lives, they understand many things on the go. The definitions of use and abuse, mental health ailments and burnout, etc., are not always crystal clear to them. Therefore, the brunt of the responsibility falls upon parents, guardians, and loved ones to show teenagers the right path. And obviously, starting the journey down this path involves figuring out their issue.
Help them focus
During a lot of problems teenagers face, being distracted with respect to the root cause can obstruct healing and recovery. It is, thus, essential to help them concentrate their attention on the issue and not the emotion or person that is causing it. For example, when dealing with heartbreak, rather than thinking about the person responsible, it is much better to divert attention toward moving on.
With the focus being in the right place, it is easier to cope with the effects that come with an issue. Even ailments like anxiety and depression can become much simpler to deal with. If a teenager spends too much time thinking about who is causing their issues, they end up frustrated, angry, and sad. However, replacing the “who” with “why” can make everything clearer.
Be attentive and listen carefully
Parents and guardians have a habit of dictating rather than listening. Modern teenagers are not designed to be dealt with this way. They are wired differently. This is one of the reasons why they get engulfed with serious issues in the first place. When teens think no one will listen and cater to their issues, they fall off the cliff rather than walk back from it.
Paying attention and listening are vital in the process of developing problem-solving skills. And importantly, this needs to go both ways. While you need to listen, you must teach your kids the same. A lot of things parents teach come from personal experiences, so rather than debating and arguing with them, paying heed to what they are saying can keep teens out of trouble.
Focus on figuring out a solution rather than lamenting
It is common that many teenagers refrain from telling their parents or guardians about any issues that they might be facing. There is a fear of being misunderstood, ridiculed, and lamented that comes from witnessing their parents react to different situations. That is not great. Make sure you give your children the confidence to be open with you.
In order to do this, take the time to discuss various issues with your teenage kids and urge them to brainstorm all solutions to the issue at hand. Get them to share their memories of a previous crisis with you. Let them know that no topic is off-limits as long as it concerns them. Your child might suggest a number of different alternatives. Additionally, a few might be unreal. Let them exercise their imagination. Don’t put them off!
Teach teenagers to weigh in on every situation
Teach your youngster to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of various alternatives. Ask them to visualize what might occur if they implement the solution. Assist them in eliminating choices where the drawbacks outweigh the benefits. It will assist your youngster in identifying the best course of action. It also makes them more careful with their life choices in general.
Consider the strategy that is most likely to resolve the issue in the long run when assisting your child in selecting the appropriate resolutions. Almost every problem that teenagers face is recurring. It may go away for some time, but usually, when it comes back, it is stronger than before. You don’t want that, so focusing on sustainable options is best.
Follow through on every solution
Simply suggesting a solution and evaluating its pros and cons is not enough. Teenagers don’t always understand how an adult solution can be applied to a problem. See to it that your kid understands what the resolution entails, how they need to go about it, and at what point can they know they are going overboard with it.
All these vital elements together facilitate the solution going into practice and having an impact. Just figuring out the solution is never enough. It is essential to make sure that it is implemented to the fullest.
Conclusion
Your kid is a human being who has their whole life ahead of them. Being marred with various issues during their teenage years can significantly alter their life’s course. As a responsible parent or guardian, you want this direction to be positive, which means addressing their problems early on in life. The tips mentioned in this article can help you with that; use them!