The adolescent environment has been highly affected by mental health concerns, aggravated by issues due to relationship problems, stress, peer pressure, and many other factors underlying.
Noting the alarming rate of teenage suicides happening secondary to these has initiated the need to study the teenage mindset to analyze the mental problems they face, accompanied by identifying the challenges associated with improving on this particular aspect.
Mindset And Its Impact On Mental Health
The fact that teen mindset significantly influences a teenager’s mental health cannot be denied. From a theoretical perspective, mindset (or a state of mind) highly relates to the mental health of a human being, it can be stated that if one develops a mindset that will help one in making sense of an ongoing situation, it will also serve to induce thoughts that can well enough provide rationality for that particular situation, also enabling an individual to cope with or manage his/her expectations with relation to the same.
On the other hand, if one’s mindset does not allow one to overcome challenging moments, this indicates that the former is not prepared enough and causes an individual to develop negative thoughts. Thus, instead of holding a positive outlook, one tends to bury oneself in doubts, fears, and low self-confidence impacting their mental health.
Individuals victimized by this negative thinking, tend to feel hopeless, which can potentially drive them to develop suicidal tendencies. The only thing one can do to overcome these challenging situations is to develop a mindset that besides helping one to get rid of these hurting thoughts, will also assist in building a positive mentality (mindset) to face difficult circumstances that may come one’s way.
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How Does Teenagers’ Mindset Impact Their Mental Health?
Not two teenagers display the same mindset. While one displays a positive and brimming-with-happiness mood, the other is all gloomy and dull. Doubtlessly speaking, both these depict two different perspectives towards life and the issues it presents.
While dealing/struggling with the various problems in life markedly leave their impact on the mental health and capacities of this young population, it should also be added here that adolescents/teens presenting with synergistic mindsets greatly benefit in terms of coping with stress physiology and anxiety symptoms that they face.
In a way, it can also be stated that it is this synergistic mindset that keeps their risk factors for developing mental health problems at baseline. This statement has indeed conveyed the importance of considering mindset interventions for adolescents/teens struggling with mental health issues. A sort of mindset training that will help them cope with one or the other type of mental problems will prove worthwhile enough.
What could be interpreted from these statements is that it indeed requires developing a growth mindset in teens/adolescents diagnosed with specific mental health disorders, such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, panic attacks, stress, etc.
However, when specifically speaking of the challenges related to developing a positive mindset in the concerned individuals, it should be noted that there may be many other underlying health issues that may manifest as mental health problems for them.
Challenges Associated With Improving Teenagers’ Mindset
Reluctance to share issues affecting mental health: One of the main challenges noted when improving the mindset of teenagers when facing mental health issues is their reluctance to communicate the same. Teens or adolescents often find it difficult to express their concerns for fear of letting their feelings known.
Difficulties in developing a growth mindset: Teens displaying mental health problems are often found to be obsessed with some or other thoughts. These persisting thoughts prevent them from developing a growth mindset, which is crucial for them to move on in their lives.
Measures To Tackle Mindset Issues In Teens
It has been found that persistently negative thoughts that prevent teenagers/adolescents from performing well in their academics are the actual culprits. While these thoughts also tend to keep them away from developing a growth mindset, which is crucial for their mental health, it is, therefore, important for them to devise learning strategies that will help them in the process.
Further, since it is the mindset that influences one’s thoughts and actions, it would be advisable to work on this aspect, which if proven successful, will help them develop one that will render them efficient in their academics besides assisting them to face any issues that may affect their mental health in the future.
Read More: Dissociative Identity Disorder In Teens – What You Should Know?
Conclusion
Since it is the mindset that determines the mental health of an individual, especially in teens, it would be in the best interest of the latter to possess a growth mindset that apart from helping them to cope with their mental health issues, will also enable them to devise new learning techniques to improve their academics. Additionally, staying open to mindset interventions will render them strong enough to combat any mental health issues that may come their way.
