Adolescent counselling also known as Teenage counselling is aimed at young people to help them make sense of their feelings, behaviours and thoughts. The session involves the use of various techniques that help draw out the expressive nature of a young person, for example using art therapy or other traditional approaches like talk therapy. This form of counselling is very useful in helping guide teenagers’ transition into adulthood and to understand themselves better.
The adolescence stage usually takes place between the ages of 10 and 19 and is the period when a child transitions from being a child to becoming an adult. During this period, the teenager starts experiencing a great deal of mental and physical changes, a process referred to as puberty, and it is a time that leaves them very much confused as the changes in hormones start affecting their moods and thoughts.
As these changes start setting in, the adolescents become extremely sensitive and experience fluctuations in their moods and in their confidence levels. During this transition, if they do not have proper guidance or counsel, they could be influenced by their friends, or take to their own devices and start making their own judgements, which are often clouded. This could result in them following the wrong path sometimes under peer pressure and becoming prey to negative things like drugs etc. that could ruin their lives. It is therefore important that teenagers should consider counselling to address their feelings and thoughts allowing them to grow into healthy, sound-minded adults.
Teen depression is quite a common issue among teenagers these days. It isn’t a weakness or something that can be overcome with willpower — it can have serious consequences and requires long-term treatment if not addressed in the early stages. Teen depression causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in activities. It affects how a teenager thinks, feels and behaves, and it can cause emotional, functional and physical problems. For most teens, depression symptoms get better with treatment such as medication and psychological counselling.
Issues such as peer pressure, academic expectations and puberty can bring a lot of ups and downs for teens. In some teens, the lows can be more than just temporary feelings — they're a symptom of depression.
Depression symptoms can vary in severity, but changes in a teen's emotions and behaviour may include the examples below.
- Feeling hopeless or empty
- Feelings of sadness, which can include crying spells for no apparent reason
- Frustration or feelings of anger, even over small matters
- Irritable or annoyed mood
- Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities
- Loss of interest in, or conflict with, family and friends
- Low self-esteem
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
- Fixation on past failures or exaggerated self-blame or self-criticism
- Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure, and the need for excessive reassurance
- Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
- Ongoing sense that life and the future are grim and bleak
- Frequent thoughts of death, dying or suicide
- Behavioural changes
Some behavioural changes can also be seen such as:
- Frequent complaints of unexplained body aches and headaches, which may include frequent visits to the school counsellor
- Tiredness and loss of energy
- Insomnia or sleeping too much
- Changes in appetite — decreased appetite and weight loss, or increased cravings for food and weight gain
- Use of alcohol or drugs
- Agitation or restlessness — for example, pacing, hand-wringing or an inability to sit still
- Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
- Social isolation
- Poor school performance or frequent absences from school
- Less attention to personal hygiene or appearance
- Angry outbursts, disruptive or risky behaviour, or other acting-out behaviours
- Self-harm — for example, cutting, burning, or excessive piercing or tattooing
- Making a suicide plan or a suicide attempt
