Young people in society column

Provided by the Professional Order of Social Workers of Québec (Ordre professionnel des travailleurs sociaux du Québec), these articles are intended to help you deal with everyday life. They could also help you help a friend!

Come back to read it!

Is surviving the teen years really so hard?

by Claire Leduc, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist

“Have you ever met a 14-year-old girl who thinks she looks pretty in a photo?” Maude commented during a family slide show.

Feeling changes taking place in you and discovering your own complex personality can often feel overwhelming. It’s as if all your emotions become more intense: joy, sadness, anger…

Your intellectual ability and your skills are developing. Hormonal and physical growth is at its fastest rate of growth and can sometimes be tiring. Fortunately, your friends are there to listen and help you better understand yourself.

Searching for your unique identity can cause conflicts, especially with your parents. They are either too strict or it’s the opposite: you wish they were there to guide you. The fact is, parents can sometimes be worried about their teen’s rapid development. Having a good talk with them can clear up many difficulties.

However, you may sometimes want to talk to an adult who is not part of your family circle. The social worker at your school is there to welcome and help you. If the conflicts you have with your parents are destructive, getting counselling from a family therapist may be necessary. You can even suggest this to your parents. For more information about therapists or social workers, visit www.optsq.org and www.acjq.qc.ca (both sites in French only).

Here are some more tips to help you get to know yourself better and help yourself:

1. Keep a diary.  This will help you deal with some of your problems on your own, whether you’re concerned about educational choices, friendship, love or your sexual orientation.
2. Be organized. Successful people are organized. A tutor should be able to give you some good advice about this. Remedial classes at school can also help you learn to be more organized.
3. Take an interest or personality test. This will give you information about your interests and about different educational or career possibilities.