In recent years, the number of teenagers in Hong Kong suffering from depression has been on the rise. The teenagers will feel stressed and nervous all the time and will develop negative thoughts easily. In severe cases, they will commit suicide. In fact, depression is not that really scary and there are many ways to address the problem. But before that, let’s study the cause of this worsening situation first: pressure. Where do the pressures come from?
First of all, there is stress from studies due to keen competition in Hong Kong. The places of tertiary education are not enough to meet the demand. There are 73 thousand of secondary school graduates every year but there are only 18 thousand university places. As Hong Kong is a knowledge-based economy, qualifications are important when applying for jobs. To avoid being jobless in the future, students study hard to compete for the insufficient university places. That gives them great pressure. Also, they have heavy workload such as piles of homework, various quizzes and assessments. Many of them have to attend tutorial classes after school, during weekends and even holidays. The packed schedule is stressful.
Apart from the academic pressure, peer pressure also accounts for the depression of teenagers. Adolescence is a time of disorientation and discovery, according to psychological studies. During this time, peer groups tend to become more important. Teens will be sensitive to relationships with friends. Once if they have problems in their social lives, such as being bullied by others, they will have great stress and may even suffer from depression.
Moreover, there is pressure from families. Their parents may have high expectations of them. For instance, they want their children to get good academic results. However, they may expect too much of their children. The children will be under great pressure as a result.
As an old saying goes, “When there is life, there is hope.” There are many different ways to fight depression.
First, set realistic goals. Everyone has their own abilities and setting unachievable goals will only increase one’s stress. Teenagers should voice their concerns to their parents so that their parents can understand their feelings and lower their expectations. Setting realistic goals with good time management can help reduce stress level.
Besides, teens can share their feelings with friends. When they share their sadness and frustration with their friends, they can have comfort and objective advice from their friends. Sharing is always better than hiding sadness and “two are better than one”. Teenagers, don’t hesitate to share your stress with your friends next time!
In addition, doing exercise can help them relax. There is a lot of scientific research and evidence proving that exercise do help improve mood by lifting one’s emotions. It stimulates various brain chemicals that can leave them feeling happier and more relaxed. Doing exercise may even help improve their appearance and boost their self-esteem. So, working out at the gym is a good choice for teenagers to release pressure after a stressful day!
Doubtless, everyone has pressure and stress. But what’s more important is how to deal with them. As what has mentioned above, teenagers can seek help from families and friends and do exercise. Do not simply escape from depression by hiding emotions and the negative thought. It cannot help solve the problem but worsen it instead. Depression is not a monster and let’s fight it bravely.