Describe some of the major challenges faced by adolescents.

Some of the major chalenges faced by adolescents are as follows:

(i) Delinquency: It refers to a variety of behaviours, ranging from specially unacceptable behaviour, legal offence to criminal acts. Truancy, running away from home, stealing or burglary or acts of vandalism are some of the examples. Adolescents with delinquency and behavioural problems tend to have a negative self-identity, decreased trust and low level of achievement. Delinquency is often associated with low parental support, inapropriate discipline, and family discord. Often adolescents from communities characterised by poverty, unemployment, and Having feelings of alienation from the middle class perform antisocial acts to gain attention and to be popular with their peers. However, most delinquent children do not remain delinquent forever. Change in their peer group, becoming more aware of their social responsibilities and developing feelings of the role models, breaking negative attitudes, and overcoming poor self-concept help in reduction of delinquent behaviour.

(ii) Substance abuse: Some adolescents take recourse to smoking and drugs as a way of coping with stress. This can interfere with the development of coping skills and responsible decision-making. Adolescents who are more vulnerable to drugs, alcohol, and nicotine use, are impulsive, aggressive, anxious, depressive, and unpredictable, have low self-esteem and low expectation for achievement. Drug use if continued long enough can lead to physiological dependency. Positive relationships with parents, peers, siblings, and adults play an important role in preventing drug abuse.

(iii) Eating disorders: Adolescent’s obsession with self living in fantasy world and peer companions lead to certain conditions where they become obsesed with their own bodies.

(a) Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that involves relentless pursuit of thinness through starvation.

(b) Bulimia is another form of an eating disorder in which the individual follows a binge and purge eating pattern. The blumic goes on an eating beings, then purges by self induced vomiting or using a laxative at times alternating it with fasting. Anorexia nervosa and Bulimia are primarily female disorders more common in urban families.