Anything Social Science related (not medical)

Interview

I interviewed Mr . David Anderson , a 56 year old , highly successful school counselor to get an insight on why an increasing number of teenagers are going through depression and indulging in crimes and substance abuse . I chose this because this is one of the most burning social issues these days . I chose Mr .Anderson because I thought he is well qualified and well experienced to speak on this social issue Below is an excerpt of the interview I conducted

Q : Of late there has been a great increase in the number

of teenagers who are suffering from depression and indulging in all sorts of crimes and substance abuse . What do you think is the main reason behind all this

Mr . Anderson : It is lack of proper parenting and increase in the competition to excel that is the main culprit of all these teenage problems

Q : What according to you is proper parenting

Mr . Anderson : Proper parenting is not a formula . Since every child is different , the way and style of parenting would be different and most suited to an individual 's need . However on more generalized terms I would say that no matter how busy parents are they should always ensure to spend quality time with their teenage children as this is the age when there is the greatest risk of children to get into bad habits like substance abuse and be prone to problems like depression . Good parenting means adopting an approach in which you are neither too authoritative nor too lenient . Both these approaches have a risk of making the teenagers drift away from their parents and get involved in wrong doings . So one should try to become best friends of their teenage children and keep track of all that is going in their lives without being too interfering . Parents should make their children feel that they are the supporters on whom they can confide in troubled situations .Q : Sometimes it is seen that even when parents are caring and devote sufficient time to their children , the children fall prey to syndromes like depression and bad habits like substance abuse in their teenage years . How would you look at these instances

Mr . Anderson : Yes , there are certain cases where it is found that even when the teenagers have a loving family and understanding parents , they fall prey to depression and as a result indulge in bad behavior and bad habits . All this can be attributed to career tensions , poor grades in class and unsatisfactory love life . Everyone sets a target in his or her life . For teenagers this target generally is to score good grades . If they are not able to do it then they go under acute depression because they start fearing of a bleak future . Similarly there are also reasons like break-ups in relationship with the opposite sex or ego clashes with boyfriend or girlfriend . All these aggravate depression and to get respite from this mental state they start depending upon drugs Expectations are yet another factor that lead to depression among teenagers . Everyone expects some thing or the other from him or her Teenagers have huge responsibility to prove themselves in the eyes of parents , teachers and peers . Meeting huge expectations of everyone around , takes a toll on the teenagers and they start feeling suicidal and depressed

Q : What advise would you give to parents of teenage children

Mr . Anderson : I would advise them to spend quality time with their children no matter how busy they are with their careers and personal lives . I would advise those parents who are divorced to pay extra attention to their children because children are the ones who get most affected by divorce . They are traumatized by the absence of a parent in their life . So it is advisable for both parents to maintain good relationship with their children even if they live separately . A secure family life does wonders for the overall development of the child so parents should work hard to achieve it for the sake of their children I would also advise the parents of teenage children to keep an eye on their children 's activities and behavior . If they find any difference in their attitude and behavior then they should not take it lightly Instead of considering it normal mood swings it is better to have a heart to hear conversation with the children to understand what is troubling them . If the problem persists then they should not hesitate in taking help of professionals like psychiatrists . They should also meet their school counselor so that they can be of help too in easing out the tension

Q : Do you think taking professional assistance really proves helpful

Mr . Anderson : Yes , absolutely . The psychological professionals are well trained to solve the problems faced by the people living in a social set up . Since teenagers are facing the highest number of psychological problems today , these professionals have become well abreast in tackling them . It is not possible for the parents to solve these teenage problems alone because neither do they have sufficient knowledge nor experience to deal with these issues

Q : What role can teachers play in tackling teenage problems

Mr . Anderson : Teachers can play a significant role in tackling teenage problems by being more supportive if a student is not able to perform satisfactorily in class . Instead of reprimanding him in front of the entire class or making him feel small in front of others they should try to encourage them . Encouragement of ones teachers gives great mental boost to students . In teenage years if the teachers make students feel useless and losers then it is very difficult for teenagers to accept it At such impressionable age teenagers start feeling degraded if their mistakes are pointed out in front of the class . They feel that others are making fun at their backs even when it is not so . So if a teenager is not able to concentrate and if his grades are constantly falling down then the teacher should indulge in one to one conversation with the student , rather than degrading him in the class . This strategy would help the student confide in the teacher . The teachers can also prove helpful to the counselors and psychologists by giving them important cues about a student 's behavior and class performance so that they are able to tackle the problem from all angles

Q : What message would you like to give to the teenagers

Mr . Anderson : Adolescence is a beautiful phase of ones life . I would advise teenagers to enjoy this phase fully and indulge in productive work rather than wasting these beautiful moments by indulging in wrong habits . Never underestimate the importance of parents and teachers in your life . Your peers might look more interesting g to you . But remember they do not possess rich experience that your parents and teacher have So it is good to maintain excellent social relationship with your peers but being a member of a civilized society you should also make a point to be good to everyone else . If you have any problem talk to your elders . They would be able to solve it in a much better way . Don 't be afraid of them . If you let them know your feelings honestly they would make sure that your problems are solved . Don 't hesitate in taking professional help if you feel depressed , lonely and suicidal . Speak to your school counselor . His main duty is to help you , never hesitate in contacting him . Apart from that you can also take outside help . When meeting a psychiatrist always be honest to him and follow all his suggestions . By doing this you will definitely be relieved of your tensions and worries . Don 't get too influenced by TV and celebrities Instead of blindly following them try to carve your own niche . Always be well behaved , hardworking and sensitive towards others

Thus , according to the respondent teenagers can be freed from depression and substance abuse if parents and teachers start recognizing the problem . They should know how to act in these situations and be supportive of teenagers in their testing times . It is always advisable to take professional help in such matters

Teenagers should know that apart from the help of others , it is their own attitude that will bring a difference

References

NSW Health (2008 ) Youth depression . Retrieved May 7 , 2008 from

http /www .health .nsw .gov .au /s /youthdepression .html

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