Teenage life is full of adventures and new experiences. It's the stage a child steps outside of his toys and explores his/her environment. But every stage in life comes with problems, struggles and suffering.
While both male and female teens mental health struggles during this stage, studies show that female teens suffer more than male teenagers.
According to Mental Health: A Gendered Perspective, women are nearly twice as likely as mentioned to be diagnosed with a mental condition, particularly depression and anxiety.
Here are the 3 mental struggles every female faces in her teenage life.
1) Being pretty:
While it's not a gender-specific problem, girls suffer from it the most. If you are a female, you should be pretty.
If you aren't pretty, you are less likely to attract a good-looking male, you are less likely to be chosen for mating and much more.
That's why girls put a lot of pressure on their selves to make their appearance good. They follow a diet plan, they use unhealthy ingredients on their skin, and they do heavy workouts.
All of these somehow affect the way they perceive themselves. Their self-confidence gets affected, and they become attention seekers or become isolated from everyone.
This mainly starts in teenagers when they start judging themselves by looking in the mirror.
Remember, beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, and the most important thing is to love yourself just as you are. It's okay to have off days; what matters is embracing what makes you uniquely YOU!
2) Study pressure:
Once more, this isn't a gender-specific issue, but in my view, it impacts girls more than boys.
We all know that girls are weaker than men in general. Our education system puts a lot of pressure on students.
Teen girls in their growing stage unable to take that much pressure end up being sick and stressed.
Mostly girls tend to become depressed.
Teenage girls often suffer from depression, anxiety, migraine and other illnesses due to the study pressure.
Coupled with extracurricular activities and social obligations, the stress can feel like a lot. It’s okay to take a step back sometimes.
Prioritize your mental health, ask for help if you need it, and remember that it's perfectly fine not to achieve perfection in everything. Learning is a journey, not a race!
3) Menstrual cycle struggle:
Let’s talk about a subject that isn’t always openly discussed: our menstrual cycles.
I know you will say what's new here.
Look we are talking about female teens' struggle and as a girl now in her period, I know what the hell it feels like.
Periods in teen girls often cause mood swings, irritation, anger issues and much more.
It has the physical struggle too but let's keep our discussion limited to mental struggles.
It’s crucial to acknowledge how this impacts our mental wellness. Stay in tune with your body, and don't hesitate to reach out to someone—a friend, a family member, or a healthcare professional—about what you’re experiencing. Sharing our experiences can help us feel less alone and more understood!
If you are a female teen or adolescent or adult whatever, you are not alone. I am with you, and we will tackle everything together.
If you are a guy and you see female teens around you, support them with whatever you have because you don't even know what they are going through.
Loads of love ❤️
Farhat Bano
Comments