Teens Meet Outreach

Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with normal stress of life, work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.

Many times, mental health is interpreted as mental disorder. Every human has a mental health; a good mental health is related to mental and psychological well-being. We frequently hear news of teenagers who get depressed and end up making suicidal attempts, which might eventually lead to death.

The moment a person is unable to cope or adapt to stress or can’t easily recognize situations nor pass the right judgement– it can be termed a bad health.

Who we are today is an end product of how healthy we are mentally.

A healthy mind will have the right communication skills, and will be able to maintain good and healthy friends. On the other hand, depression, frustration, and anger could be as a result of past actions, family issues and financial situations.

The biggest enemy of health in the developing world is poverty~ Kofi Annan, Former Secretary-General of the United Nations.

According to WHO, “An overwhelming majority of people with mental and psychological disabilities are living in poverty, poor physical health and are subject to human right violations. Mental health issues cannot be considered in isolation from other areas of development such as education, employment, emergency response and Human Rights capacity building”

A good look at the above statement, the mental health of a man revolves around his health in general. Imagine if he is sick, financially unstable, not given attention to as a teenager, feels everyone hates him, have bad friends, engage evil thoughts, and is academically poor. All these affects the mental health- the mind.

It is stated that teenagers develop mental disorders as early as 14 years. It is obvious that rejection, frustration, societal denial and emotional imbalance could be way too difficult to cope with at teenagehood. In this part of the world, teenagers are given lesser chances of freedom, or even a right to own their decisions due to discrimination, tribal difference and social inequality. This has restricted hundreds of teenagers– majorly African teenagers, resulting to mental disabilities on the long run.

Pre-teens and teenagers who have good mental health often:

• Have healthy relationships with family and friends
• Feel happy and positive about themselves and enjoy life
• Get involved in activities
• Have a sense of achievement
• Can relax and get a good night’s sleep
• Feel they belong to their communities

All these and more can also help maintain mental health.

Adolescence can be a risky period for mental problems. Risk factors include environment, family, culture and gene. Teenagers go through many hormonal changes and emotional imbalance in short periods of time. This almost happens because the teenage brain is still maturing.

How To Maintain a Good Mental Health

• You have to love yourself and look good
• Eat good food, take enough water and sleep well
• Never compare your physical or biological attributes, including face, stature and age, with anyone. You’re special the way you are.
• Talk to family members, guardians, teachers if you have any concerns. When you share your burden, it relieves tension
• Read books on self development and improving self esteem
• Keep healthy friends who see to your happiness always
• Above all, avoid alcohol and other drugs– drugs are major factors of health problems. It is appropriate to get a teen coach, a health professional or counsellor if you are depressed and you need someone to talk to

I hope this helps.

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