Understanding Teen Health Issues

For a growing teenager, the changes occurring within you might be overwhelming, especially as the body undergoes transformations to become like an adult’s. You move on to becoming more independent. Making decisions will also become a tedious task. For some, adjusting to these situations is a smooth undertaking. But it is undeniable, that many adolescents face difficulty in adapting with the transition stage.
Physical Adjustments
All too often, many teens are usually prepared to deal with the usual physical changes associated with adolescence. Both girls and boys may expect the appearance of secondary sex characteristics such as the rapid development of the breasts, growth of the beard, and other physical changes. However, adjusting to these changes is more than just about looks—it largely affects a teen’s body-image.
Sadly enough, the self-esteem of teens are highly influenced by skinny, underweight images of girls, and muscular men portrayed in media. Criticisms from the external environment become significant, and for some, they struggle with these each day which is why certain problems like eating disorders arise particularly during adolescence. But if you maintain a positive outlook regarding your body image and you learn to accept how you are, you may be able to resist those negative feelings. An optimistic attitude does not only develop your self-esteem but could also foster relationships between peers. Remember, you are the key to developing a healthy attitude towards oneself.
Mental Health
At the stage of puberty, teens become more vulnerable to be stressed from all the pressure surrounding them such as their parents, academics, peers, and making big decisions. These are all normal occurrences. But feeling suddenly, overly, depressed, hopeless, and worthless that can lead to a disruption in the capacity to perform the usual daily activities could already be signs of mental problems.
At some point in our lives, we become loaded with difficulties in dealing with our emotions, family problems, relationships, peer pressure, and body image. While we need a certain amount of stress and challenge to keep us alert and motivated, too much stress is linked to the development of several illnesses. Some may attempt to escape their problems or try to resolve them by using drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes. Hence, the role of the parents is highly significant at these stages. Support systems and significant others are very important. They would help a lot in talking about a teen’s anxieties. These actions can help the adolescent the express his feelings and give him strength to cope up with difficulties. If necessary, they may be referred to a mental health professional.