Dear Teen,
As a teen, you are going from being a child to becoming a young adult. That part is obvious. But when you think about all the changes that happen during that time it all becomes a little clearer. And I’m not talking about the physical changes. That part is also obvious. Just think, when you are a child you are more dependent on your parents and for the most part do what they tell you to do, look up to them for direction, let them handle everything. In fact, you never really have much thought about the details of life. Then you become a teenager and you start seeing the world in a different way. You start feeling the world in a different way. You start to see your parents as real people, with real flaws when in the past that thought may have never crossed your mind. You start pulling away from your parents and turning towards friends and other relationships for advice, information and acceptance. You want to do things your way and make your own decisions. You may start to see the world as not such a perfect happy place. It starts to get more complicated. That’s because you are starting to see the world and life as a young adult. You can think at a higher level now and as a result see things in a different way and feel things more. This is exactly what is supposed to be happening so cut yourself some slack. I get that it can be a really hard time as you navigate into adulthood. But if you accept that you are beginning to think and process as a young adult maybe it won’t seem so hard. It is all a part of growing up. I would hope it would give you confidence and take away some of the struggle. If you are going through a really hard time, please don’t be afraid to seek out adult help if needed. I know your first instinct will be to talk to friends, but remember, they are kids too. They may not know what to say or do. Look for an adult you trust like hopefully your parents. There are also family friends, relatives, teachers and of course your school counselor. It’s always OK to ask for help or run something by another person for support. It’s pretty hard to become an adult all by yourself!