How to help young people think well
During puberty, things start to change inside teenage brains. They lose old habits and develop new ones. If young people develop poor thinking habits during this time, they’ll stay with them for life. So, what can we do about it?
What's the problem?
It's more complicated than ever to be a young person. Social media, school pressures, and world events can contribute to poor mental wellbeing. According to the NHS, nearly 20% of young people in the UK suffer from a mental health disorder. This number is increasing year on year.
During puberty, young people become increasingly self-conscious. Peer acceptance becomes more important. And the fear of being socially excluded influences many of their decisions.
Although they think about both good and bad outcomes, many will make the wrong decision if that's what their friends do. The presence of peers is crucial to risk-taking. When observed, young people will take up to three times more risk.
Why is this bad?
During this time, young people begin to fear being embarrassed. This leads to them talking about themselves negatively. Being in front of an audience makes anything difficult. Young people take this one step further by creating an imaginary audience in their heads. This audience judges everything they do and feeds negative thoughts.
The problem with negative thoughts is that they don't exist in isolation. Your thoughts connect to your emotions and the behaviour you display. This means even one negative comment can have far-reaching consequences.