adolescents
Today’s world is a different world than the one that most parents knew growing up. For the American teenager there are challenges unique to this generation. With the expanse of modern technology, the number of distractions abounds for adolescents. In an article addressing how our society has evolved into a culture of distractions, Robert Scaer eloquently describes how humans are losing the ability to be mindful of the moment [2]. Scaer examines the literature surrounding mindfulness and found that internal causes (such as mindlessness) were most likely to be the culprit rather than external ones (such as cell phones, computers, etc). In other words, over and over again, more young people attributed their state of nonpresence with others as “mind chatter.” As one teenager put it, “I just can’t seem to stop my mind” (p. 50). Numerous studies have shown that such body-mind intrusions are significantly correlated with the incidence of depression and anxiety [4].
The modern teenager today may face difficulties unknown in previous generations. Depression and anxiety impact more adolescents today with increased incidence of suicide. In 2005, suicide was ranked as the eleventh leading cause of death in the U. S., accounting for 32,637 deaths [1]. For young people, suicide is the third leading cause of death [3]. Clearly, it is important that if you have any concerns regarding your adolescent, do not delay connecting with the help you need. Here at Enjoy Your Life Family Services, Inc we specialize in working with teens and understand the complexity of their world. Whatever the issue, we creatively assist adolescents in overcoming the obstacles before them.