Sometimes, I feel sad and feel trapped. I don’t know why, but it feels like my whole system shuts down. I get enough sleep and eat enough food, but part of this is my parents. When I look sad, they constantly yell at me and tell me that I don’t deserve to be sad if I don’t have any responsibilities. They say that they should be sad because of all the work they do. I don’t know why they are like this. When I try to explain to them, they yell at me even more. Sometimes i just want to escape.
HELPING YOURSELF NOW
- Thank you so much for sharing your story with us here at TeenCentral. Everyone here knows that it is hard to take that step and be open about how you are really feeling, especially when everyone is telling you that you are wrong all the time. Bravo to you for opening up!
- First of all – anyone in the world could be sad. It’s not about “deserving” to be sad. Human beings experience a wide range of emotions in response to life circumstances. It’s part of what makes us human. So, it seems like there are some communication issues that need some ironing out between your parents and you. Outside of the yelling conversations have you ever had the opportunity to talk with your parents in a calm situation? What about writing letter to them about these issues you are feeling? Another idea could be talking with them with a mediator like a school counselor. In that kind of a situation they might be less likely to show strong emotions. What do you think about these options?
- Your last sentence – “Sometimes I just want to escape.” I can see where you are coming from because this seems like a very stressful situation. But I wonder, where do you want to escape to? Have you ever thought of an extreme solution like running away or hurting yourself? If you ever need to talk to someone with an immediate response please take out your phone and text the Crisis Textline at 741741. Just text “HELLO” and start a conversation. That’s all you need to do. I just want you to have a resource that you can have on hand that’s immediate if your feelings and thoughts ever get really extreme.
- Another thought – do you have any other adults in your like that you trust besides your parents like an aunt or uncle, older sibling or cousin, coach, religious leader, club leader? Would this person be someone you could talk to and share your feelings about this situation? You know, nothing beats a face to face conversation when you are really upset about something.
WHEN YOU ARE READY
- If you are feeling sad and you are not sure why you might be dealing with a form of depression. Learn more about depression by clicking HERE on our website. If you think you might be depressed it’s important to talk to someone like your doctor or a counselor to see if you can get more specific help.
- Many people have found themselves dealing with mental health struggles since the beginning of the pandemic, and that includes children and teens. TeenCentral has developed an easy to understand tool that can help you remember tool that shows the areas of need and attention in the areas of mental health called the MPE tool. I’d recommend printing it out and keeping it on hand for reference. Your mental health is important!
- Have you ever tried journaling as a way to cope with stress? Since you’ve already taken the first step by writing into TeenCentral I’d recommend that you read this What’s New blog on the topic of journaling for some tips on getting started.
