Rifat Munir: From a global perspective, one in six people are aged 10–19 years. Adolescence is a unique and formative time. Physical, emotional and social changes, including exposure to poverty, abuse, or violence, can make adolescents vulnerable to mental health problems. Protecting adolescents from adversity, promoting socio-emotional learning and psychological well-being and ensuring access to mental healthcare services are vital for their health and well-being during adolescence and adulthood.
Globally, it is estimated that one in seven (14.3%) of 10–19-year-olds experience mental health conditions, yet these remain largely unrecognized and untreated.
Adolescents with mental health conditions are particularly vulnerable to social exclusion, discrimination, stigma, educational difficulties, risk-taking behaviours, physical ill-health and human rights violations.
Adolescence is a crucial period for developing social and emotional habits important for mental well-being. These include adopting healthy sleep patterns; exercising regularly; developing coping, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills; and learning to manage emotions. Protective and supportive environments in the family, at school and in the wider community are important.
Some adolescents are at greater risk of mental health conditions due to their living conditions, stigma, discrimination or exclusion, or lack of access to quality support and services. These include adolescents living in humanitarian and fragile settings; adolescents with chronic illness, autism spectrum disorder, an intellectual disability or other neurological condition; pregnant adolescents, adolescent parents, or those in early or forced marriages; orphans; and adolescents from minority ethnic or sexual backgrounds or other discriminated groups.
Teenage is really a very complicated phase , every individual has to deal with it, it is in between the child and adulthood. So , definitely overnight a child can’t change his/ her behaviour, on the other hand, we become very judgmental regarding their attitude and behaviour . It is the time, when they go through lots of should, and should not be!
Now, at the same time, the negligence is vividly evident from the people around, especially for those children. As this is the period of puberty, they face many biological and mental changes. And it seems very challenging for them as well.
And what does the family or society provide them ? Mostly in rural and of course in some areas of urban Bangladesh, our treatment towards girl children is pathetic. We make them believe that they should not go outside or do their common jobs during their menstrual periods . Alarming to note that , many girl children quit school due to stress and our primary and higher secondary schools do provide that much support to them. So , the drop level naturally increases, which is followed by early marriage and motherhood. A child mother , means, carrying children without having any proper education leads to premature deaths or causing serious health complications for them.
On the other hand, not even in the family , eve teasing or related other problems are not properly addressed. Our girls basically become phobic, knowing that disclosure of any such incidents means their lifelong confinement. They do not want to lose their natural life, or to face any consequences related to it .The ultimate result is their suffering and constant fight against all odds.
It is unfair to be over judgemental towards our boys. They often fail to take the pressure created by their parents and other society members, the teenagers, deprived of love and affection from their parents, take drugs out of depression, they desperately behave, which in their tender age seems very unusual. Our support and caring is badly needed for those children.
We must not forget that every child is born with a lot of potential, if we nurture them properly they can enlighten our home as well as the society. And if society gets those promising children, the nation will certainly develop. It is high time we should take proper care of adolescent children.
Many parents do not understand why their teenagers occasionally behave in an impulsive, irrational, or dangerous way. At times, it seems like teens don’t think things through or fully consider the consequences of their actions. Adolescents differ from adults in the way they behave, solve problems, and make decisions. There is a biological explanation for this difference. Studies have shown that brains continue to mature and develop throughout childhood and adolescence and well into early adulthood.
Scientists have identified a specific region of the brain called the amygdala that is responsible for immediate reactions including fear and aggressive behavior. This region develops early. However, the frontal cortex, the area of the brain that controls reasoning and helps us think before we act, develops later. This part of the brain is still changing and maturing well into adulthood.
Other changes in the brain during adolescence include a rapid increase in the connections between the brain cells and making the brain pathways more effective. Nerve cells develop myelin, an insulating layer that helps cells communicate. All these changes are essential for the development of coordinated thoughts, action and behavior.

Rifat Munir teaches English language and literature at Dhaka State College.