Both disturbing and revealing - Teenagers’ views

THE results of our survey of the views of teenagers are both disturbing and revealing.

Disturbing, because it shows that almost one in three Irish teenagers do not see themselves as happy with their lives, describing their mental health as, at best, average; at worst, ‘very poor.’

Revealing, because it exposes the main causes of this discontent: exams, school and body image.

It would be too easy to dismiss this as evidence of the ‘spoiled brat syndrome’ in which 21st century teenagers have high expectations that may be beyond their reach and something that their parents would never have dreamed of.

Most Irish teenagers enjoy material goods and services that their forbears did not, but they also face new challenges, stresses and difficulties.

Throughout the survey, stress was the operative word. All generations tend to see it as something totally negative, but we need a certain stress to cope with life’s challenges. It is stress that propels an athlete to excel; stress that can lead us out of dangerous situations. It is not always a bad thing.

Nevertheless, this is a wake-up call to the Government, educators, parents and those who love and cherish our younger people to recognise that all is not well with them.

We need to listen to what young people are telling us and we ignore their concerns at our peril.