What does your teens behaviour interpret?
Adults have more highly developed coping skills, while younger children are not fully conscious of what is happening. But teenagers understand what is happening, yet do not have the tools for navigating what they are feeling. Their ability to manage their emotions is limited because key areas of the teen brain are still developing. So they tend to precise their fears and frustrations in ways in which are not easy for folks to know or accept.
Furthermore, the consequences of isolation on a psychological state can magnify everything that teens are experiencing.
Recognizing the Emotions Beneath Teenage Behaviour
Adolescence is a time of tremendous emotional, mental, and physical growth. Teenagers identity, friend groups, preferences, and behaviour are all shifting rapidly often from day today. It is hard enough during normal times for teenagers to know what they are browsing. And it is even harder for them to seek out the words to precise it with honesty and openness. Moreover, teenagers are often less willing to share what they are feeling if they know their parents are distracted and stressed.
As a result, teen behaviour is usually the sole clue parents have for deciphering what their adolescent is thinking and feeling. And it is easy to misinterpret teenage behaviour. Here are a number of the explanations why parents fail to know what teenagers actions are saying about their mood and state of mind:
- Parents want to believe their teens are okay so that they minimize the importance of the behaviour
- Instead of seeing teen behaviour as an expression of their child’s pain, they take it personally and react with anger or defensiveness
- Their stress prevents them from responding patiently and compassion
- Remembering their own experience as a teenager, they incorrectly assume their child is feeling the same way they did
- The parent lacks the communication skills, like asking open-ended questions, that encourage the teenager to open up to them.
Consequently, a cycle of confusion arises, driving teens and fogeys farther apart. To break that pattern, parents got to look beyond what their teens are doing and even what they are saying to recognize what they are feeling.
How to Translate These Five Teen Behaviours
Here are five common behaviours parents could be noticed in their teenagers during this point of isolation reception, alongside the underlying emotions and states of mind which will be prompting those behaviours.
- If your teen is snapping at you and their siblings, they might be disappointed and angry about missing out on seeing their friends and engaging in their usual activities.
While teens understand rationally that there is nobody responsible for the present situation, that does not make it any easier emotionally. And parents and siblings are usually the primary ones to catch the brunt of teenage frustration. Ultimately, that is because teens trust their families to stay by them, regardless of how difficult their behaviour could also be. Remembering will sometimes help parents be more understanding when faced with an irritable teen.
- If your teen is ignoring everything you ask them to do, they might be trying to maintain independence and a sense of autonomy when so many of their choices have been taken away.
Building independence is a huge part of teenage development during this life stage. And social distancing effectively takes away a teen’s sense of autonomy. They can not make choices about what to try to do and where to go; they will feel as if they are being treated sort of a child again. Hence, it is natural and understandable that this can provoke frustration and a few degrees of rebellion.
- If your teen refuses to eat food with the family, they could be experiencing anxiety that is manifesting as disordered eating.
There are many reasons why teens won't want to eat with the family: Refusing to return to the dining table might be another sort of the two behaviours listed above. But when teens repeatedly avoid mealtimes, it is important to investigate further. Research shows that stress is related to disordered eating. One recent study found that adolescent girls with anxiety disorders are at higher risk of developing restrictive eating issues, including anorexia.
- If your teen is ignoring their alarm clock and sleeping late, it could be a symptom of situational depression.
While teens could be oversleeping because they are staying up late using their devices, parents should not assume that is the rationale. Sleeping difficulties whether insomnia or sleeping too much are a symbol of situational depression, a short-term sort of depression brought on by a stressful or traumatic event or situation, or by significant changes in a person’s life. Other symptoms of situational depression include listlessness and feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and anxiety.
- If your teen spends all their time in their room on their phone, they could be working hard to take care of connections with peers.
Rather than interpreting your teen’s behaviour as withdrawal or rejection of oldsters or siblings, recognize that teens are wired to prioritize peer relationships. Creating connections outside the family is an important step in teenage development. Furthermore, research shows that friendships can help teens weather stress better, with less negative emotion. However, balancing screen time with other activities is important for maintaining mental and physical health.
How to Support Teens with Compassion
If you are a parent who is observing a number of the above in your teen’s behaviour, remember that your teen is not acting this manner because they need to upset you. Rather, they are expressing their pain and confusion is the only way they skills to immediately. While allowing these behaviours is not helpful for anyone in the family, responding with anger or punishment, enforcing rules without discussion, or giving teens the cold shoulder won’t help either.
What teens need during this time and at any time is to be seen and heard pityingly and accepted. Here are a few of the ways to help:
- Let them know that you simply want to listen to how they are feeling, albeit it is not positive or hopeful.
- Acknowledge and validate their experience and assure them of your unconditional love and support.
- Help them find healthy ways to manage stress and regulate their emotions such as exercise, time outdoors, yoga, and journaling.
- Build family time into every day, and let teens choose the activities board games, puzzles, movies etc.
- Support teens in creating a daily schedule of physical activity, online school, virtual social connection, etc., to encourage structure and focus in their days.
When to hunt Professional Help for Your Teen’s Behaviour
In conclusion, this is often a crucial time to tune into teenage psychological state and well-being. That means asking good questions and expecting behaviour which may indicate that a teenager is handling, anxiety, depression or co-occurring disorders. Some of the standard signs of those issues, like the teenage behaviour detailed above, are understandable and to be expected immediately. However, the high intensity and consistency of those symptoms over time can indicate that the present stressors may have triggered or exacerbated an underlying teenage psychological state condition.
If you think that your teen may have additional support, reach bent healthcare professional. Many therapists and treatment centres are offering online assessments and therapy during this point. If you are having trouble accessing help, contact us. The experts at Newport Academy can assist you to locate the resources your family needs during this challenging time.
SOURCE
https://www.newportacademy.com/resources/mental-health/teens-behavior/