Teenagers and social media have some ticks with communication but there is a horrible dark side ......
Social media is very addictive generally to all, adults and teenagers alike. But the vulnerable teenage group has long been the main priority for guidance officesr and schools. As is well known, teenagers have smartphones at school if they get away with it. Teachers are forever enforcing the anti-phone policies because the one main aim of school is learning. Mobiles distract kids big time, concentration on lessons and tasks are reduced. The drastic consequences with grades are inevitable.
The teenage years are tricky, adolescents are busy seeking their own identities, and forming strong friendship groups. Secretive behaviours are typical of this stage. Parents and teachers need to work extra hard to keep the communication and supervision doors open. Due to teens spending an inordinate amount of time on social media they read opinions and comments from other students and trolls, all of which adversely affects mental and emotional well being.
They cannot leave school and get away from any disagreements, friendship issues or bullying. They cannot put their phones down, the urge to keep looking is too strong. All sorts of scenarios crop up and this is where cyberbullying can have such a drastic and irreversible effect son some teenagers, their once strong self esteem and self-worth disappears as they become victims of heartless and cruel bullies. The worse scenario imaginable is when the teenager sees suicide as the only way to stop the relentless ongoing bullying. So much heartache and grief for parents, families, the school community and the Australian public. So heart rendering for everyone. Such a waste of young lives.
In my field of guidance in schools, the word suicide was not used with teenagers. We did want to create a contagion effect, some teenagers have a tendency to copy. Self harm was another destructive and negative issue that teenagers use to deal with emotional and mental pain.
Our guidance role, apart from the support counselling if a death happens, was to work with teenagers on programs designed to assist with problem-solving and positive self-explanatory styles. An important aspect was teaching Protective Behaviours, stressing that nothing is ever so bad that you cannot talk about it. Another essential part to this program was getting teens to choose five reliable and responsible adults, that they can approach when they had an issue, concern or problem. Using a friend was not encouraged but we were very aware that all teens to do this, friends play a most valuable role as confidants. Their first point of contact! So creating strong and supporting relationships with the staff of schools was essential, teenagers are likely to talk to trusted teachers or other significant adults outside school like a parent or aunt, uncle, a soccer or netball coach etc.
Were the programs successful? The answer is yes. I sincerely hope that such programs at still running in high schools.
Happens to everyone.
cheers
To listen to the audio version of this article click on the play image.
Brought to you by @tts. If you find it useful please consider upvoting this reply.
howdy angiemitchell! you don't still have friends that work in schools to know if those programs are still in operation? I sure hope so. Hey what kind of bird is that? A Magpie?
Yes, I still have a couple of contacts in the schools. It is a Butcher Bird, he comes in for some meat fairly regularly too. haha.
oh, so Butcher Bird's are named because they like meat I guess, well I thought he looked like a Magpie but I'm not an Australian bird watcher obviously!