Teen Angst

What is going on inside my head?

"Why are all of these thoughts disturbing me…. why can’t I just rip it out of my brain. God, I’m ugly, I’m fat… no one likes me… my mother hates me… I can’t seem to find anything to be happy about. Fucken homework, stupid school uniforms… my Math teacher is alwasy on my ass. My friends don’t understand me… my brain is working overtime. I can’t stop, I can’t stop letting this all chew away."

"I hate being a teen."

So many teens today & even back in our day, suffer from Teen Depression. You would think it is a passing phase & they will grow out of it once adulthood approaches, but the truth is that if it is left unsettled, that tired teen can become a dangerous adult, for himself or for society. Teens have less capacity to deal with their emotions rationally. Whereas we think we have a hard time as adults, it is much worse for them. Teens have so much to think about, and no matter how minor it seems in comparison to making your mortgage payment or signing a new client contract, teens thoughts and worries become them.

We often tag children who cut themselves as "Emo", or that fucked up kid. Well, that kid is in fact fucked up & needs your help. The last thing a child needs is a judgemental sticker on their forehead. Teen suicide often begins with "simple" mutilation. Mutilition derives from feeling misundertood, lack of trust, lack of confidence, lack of family & social support, media playings of what a girl or boy should look like.

Being an angry teen takes away all the fun of childhood. If you know any teens that are angry……….. try not to pep talk them… it won’t work, but just try to make them smile as much as possible, and make sure someone close to them knows what is going on.

Something I am learning as a parent, and also being an angry teen myself, is to just listen. It is always easy. Sometimes their, what seem to be boring & useless details in their conversation, become lengthy & all you can think of is getting supper done on time. My daughter, not so much an angry teen, (these pictures are for fun), although she definitely can have her occasional outburst, she still has worries & friends who piss her off. I certainly get on her nerves, more often than not. But the fact that I am aware, helps me help her in her devolopement into adulhood. I try to remember what it was like, as much as possible, I try to level with her. I think in general she appreciates me. She is a "happy" girl, in "general". She understands that being angry isn’t worth it… and she understands that depression is something serious, she understands that mutilation is not cool nor necessary… and she understands that she can talk to me about these issues if ever they derive inside her.

Don’t be ignorant… see the signs of teen depression:

Sad or irritable mood
Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
Large changes in appetite or weight
Difficulty sleeping or oversleeping
Slow or agitated movement
Loss of energy
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
Difficulty concentrating
Frequent thoughts of death or suicide
Frequent headaches, muscle aches, stomach aches or tiredness, without a medical cause
Frequent absences from school or poor performance in school
Talk of or efforts to run away from home
Being bored, sulking
Lack of interest in spending time with friends or family
Alcohol or substance abuse
Social isolation, poor communication
Fear of death
Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure
Increased irritability, anger, hostility, or crying
Reckless behavior
Neglect of clothes and appearance
Difficulty with relationships
Changes in mood

Posted by Strength~vs~Weakness on 2010-01-20 16:23:46

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