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Many of the adolescent problems are a recurrence or a
persistence of earlier difficulties, and in such cases careful treatment,
whether medical, educational or psychological, is essential.
This is common during this period. Very often it represents merely a
kind of "declaration of independence," a revolt against parental control. It is
the age when children stay out at night or run away from home. Violent
destructive behavior also occurs rather frequently. In some cases this means
that family relationships are unsatisfactory and that energy is being too
controlled or misdirected. Careful deflection of energy into intellectual
pursuits, social activities, athletics and the like will provide the solution in
many cases. The adolescent needs help in growing up and not just criticism and
supervision.
In other cases psychiatric treatment may be necessary. The child is delinquent
not only because of bad companions, poor home standards, insufficient discipline
or too many movies, but also because he feels dissatisfied, resentful and
unhappy. This sense of resentment or feeling of dissatisfaction may be rooted
deep in the individual's early childhood. Usually it arises from feelings of
rejection experienced in the early years when the child may have been
emotionally neglected, or displaced in the parents' affections by other brothers
or sisters. Often there can be found some disturbance of normal family life and
a history of death, desertion or divorce of one or other parent, or indeed any
circumstance which interferes with the child's normal emotional attachments, is
characteristic of the delinquent. Any situation that may cause feelings of
deprivation is a fertile breeding ground for delinquent tendencies. Adolescence,
normally a difficult time when new adjustments have to be learned, may
precipitate a breakdown of normal control and asocial impulses may find
expression in asocial conduct.
It is therefore necessary to provide the erring
adolescent with something more than good social outlets and satisfactory
discipline ; he needs help in appreciating
the underlying causes of his disturbed feelings and
in reconstructing a more healthy personality, and
this is the job of the specialist. A psychiatrist can usually assist him to face
his limitations and recognize his potentialities, and help to re-direct him
along the path which brings self-fulfillment instead of frustration. Blame and
criticism play no part in such treatment. A frank interchange of opinion, the
expression of a readiness to help, and a satisfactory attachment to some wiser
and steadier person are essential. |