Creating hope

Dr Asha Pemberton

teenhealth.tt@gmail.com

Through the undulations of adolescence, young people experience moments of despair and resignation. Sometimes, it feels as if everything is going wrong. Hope is an important skill with which they survive these challenging times. Remaining hopeful improves all aspects of health and is an important resilience promoting factor.

Hope supports the personal agency of young people, by equipping them with the belief that they can take actions to improve their circumstances. This is a powerful facet of holistic wellbeing.

In crisis, young people typically believe that they are unable to positively impact their own lives which often leads to apathy, poor decision making, and an eventual self-fulfilling prophecy. Consciously teaching young people how to remain hopeful counters these moments of deterioration.

Recognising the good things that still happen even during difficult times can foster optimism. By encouraging tweens and teens to say aloud the things they are thankful for, there is a resulting shift toward hope and positivity. It is suggested that parents and their teens commit to expressing gratitude daily. This can be done through prayer, journaling or in open conversation at meal time or during commutes. Whichever method is chosen, a family based approach to gratitude, with intention and consistency pays dividends toward instilling hope.

Contribution is another way in which young people feel connected to causes or interests beyond themselves. This in turn gives them hope for the future. In our communities, there remains much to be done. There are many untapped opportunities for young people to make contributions. These include volunteering at charities, involvement in after-school activities or youth groups at places of worship. Giving back not only helps others, but it also reminds the giver about how much they matter. This recognition can renew the human spirit and reboot their outlook for the future.

Focusing on something bigger than yourself is hope-inducing for everyone, and in particular for young people. Adolescence is filled with moments of doubt and self-criticism. Having the opportunities to be reminded of their value, worth and significance all work synergistically to support hope and forward thinking actions.

Laughter is an under-utilized strategy for coping with stress. Humour is demonstrated to improve mental health and coping. When we laugh, we release neurotransmitters that tell our brain and body to relax. This can create a much needed pause when fears, worries or stressors take hold.

While young people are already very connected to their devices, it is worth suggesting to them to consider their choices of content. Provide them the options to look at appropriate comedy shows or videos. Laughter is good for the soul. Even in times of conflict, parents can use humour to diffuse tension and allow young people to look at the situation from a different angle.

These are a few simple but effective strategies that parents can use to support the development of hope in young people. In the coming weeks and months, many young people will embark upon high-stakes examinations.

Depending on their current progress and performance, many will be feeling lost, hopeless and devastated. By taking early and preventive action, parents can bolster their esteem, help them make their best efforts and allow them the strategies to manage any eventual outcome in the weeks and months to come.