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Everyone deserves a with trauma and avoid unhealthy avenues to offer care and healing and
lifestyle habits, such as excessive
teachers have a pivotal role.
drinking, smoking or lack of exercise.
CARING FRIEND Friends can help you celebrate good ers , counsellors and psychologists, are
What should concern parents, teach-
times and provide support during bad
times. King Solomon said, “A friend loves the number of children, especially
at all times, and a brother is born for a teenagers, showing behavioural prob-
time of adversity” Pro.17:17. Jesus called lems. They are increasingly turning
his disciples friends. “I no longer call you aggressive after getting addicted to
servants, because a servant does not harmful substances. Psychiatrists and
know his master's business. Instead, I psychologists say that parents are bring-
have called you friends, for everything ing children for treatment following a
that I learned from my Father I have drastic change in their behaviour and
made known to you” John 15: 15. their academic performance going down
significantly.
Our situation:
Studies indicate that about 9.8 Children from affluent families are
million Indians aged 13-17 years suffer getting addicted to e-cigarettes and
from serious mental illness. According to other drugs. Those from the middle class
the World Health Organisation (WHO), are said to be inhaling aerosols by
every 3 seconds a person somewhere in burning petrol, diesel and paint thinners,
the world tries to kill themselves and among other easily available substances.
every 40 seconds one succeeds. Around “Many children from the age of 13 are
8,00,000 people die due to suicide every experimenting with these…. and are
year. The unfortunate truth is that one- slowly moving towards nicotine-based
third of them happens in India. products and alcohol,” said Dr. Anitha
Are, a Clinical Psychologist at the Bhaskar
A Letter from a teenager: "I often feel Everyone deserves a caring friend: School is the second home of a child Medical College. Dr. Anitha said that on
useless. I am not very intelligent. My Friends prevent isolation and and plays an important part in the average she sees about three to four
brother always does better in school loneliness and give the person a chance development of their life. Along with school students addicted to various
than I and I am hopeless in sports. But to experience needed companionship. academic development, schools must substances in her daily practice. “We
the worst thing is that I am ugly. At home Friends can also increase your sense of also be equipped to care for their find that children who have low self-
and school, people call me nicknames belonging and purpose, boost our emotional health. Trauma and mental esteem and are weak-minded are easily
and laugh at me. I have no true friend. I happiness and reduce your stress. distress in children and adolescence can getting addicted to these substances
worry about these things a lot, and Friends bring more happiness into our leave a lasting impact on their lives. They because of peer pressure,” she added. In
sometimes I wish I had never been born. lives than virtually anything else. can cause serious handicaps in emotion- a majority of cases, parents are unaware
My birth was a mistake anyway; I mean Friendships have a huge impact on our al well-being, healthy relationships, that their children are addicted to
my parents never wanted me." mental health and happiness. Good vocational pursuits, etc. substances. And experts have said that
friends relieve stress, provide comfort many children are using these subst-
These feelings of loneliness, being and joy, prevent loneliness and isolation. Whether a child had to live through ances as they are given too much
unwanted, uselessness, etc. are not Developing close friendships can also the disturbing event witnessed it, or freedom and money.
uncommon. They are looking for have a powerful impact on your physical experienced traumatic stress in the
understanding friendships. Mother health. aftermath, we must acknowledge the As the body of Christ, we should be at
Theresa said, “Loneliness and feeling of fact that children are very the most the forefront of alleviating distress and
being unwanted is the most terrible Good friends improve our selfconfid- vulnerable. Timely healing, therefore, is suffering, whatever the cause. Many
poverty.” ence and self-worth and help us cope
essential. Schools can be the best Christians have led the way when it
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