Low self-esteem is an issue that most of us experience at certain times in our life. However, teenagers seemingly experience the ebbs and flow of self-confidence even more so during the developmental stages. Among high school students, 44% of girls and 15% of guys are attempting to lose weight. Over 70% of girls aged 15 to 17 avoid normal daily activities such as attending school, when they feel bad about their looks.
More than 40% of boys in middle school and high school regularly exercise with the goal of increasing muscle mass. 38% of boys in middle school and high school reported using protein supplements and nearly 6% admitted to experimenting with steroids.
About 20% of teens will experience depression before they reach adulthood. As we can see, this is an important issue that must be addressed simultaneously at the parental level, as well as the educational level. To understand low self-esteem—we have to have a working definition.
“Low self-esteem is a thinking disorder in which an individual use him or herself as an adequate, unlovable, and/or incompetent.”
As demonstrated in this particular quote, How a child is parented matters. It is been proven that by the age of five, children have their map of the world already figured out.
This means that the first five years of how a child sees itself, is perceived by others, inclusive of its parents has a long-lasting effect on how they see and interact with the world around them.
To talk about a teenager’s self-esteem is also to imply that it’s necessary, parents should seek out training or mentors to ensure that their child’s development is one of the most important priorities. At next breath counseling, we provide helpful resources for parents seeking out training.