Kerala - Kochi   

Change in lifestyle taking toll on mental health

By Our Special Correspondent

KOCHI, JUNE 27. Change in lifestyle, globalisation and proliferation of "cultural degeneration" in society through the electronic media are some of the reasons for the growing perversion in the minds and attitudes of adolescent boys and girls, experts who spoke at a workshop here today said.

Listing out some of the main causes for the present plight of society, experts at the workshop on `Problems of Adolescence and Growing up in an Open Society/Global society', organised by Saurakshika, a children's rights protection society, pointed out that the breakdown of the joint family system, exposure to violence, nudity and sex through the electronic media, films, etc., were, to some extent, responsible for this phenomenon. R. Jagadambika, psychologist, said the joint family system in Kerala, which had acted as a buffer to maintain time-tested values, was an ideal environment for building up a strong mental health.

Lifestyles have changed, and in the present open/global society parents have no time to interact with their adolescent children, who are exposed to violence, nudity, sex and all kinds of perversions.

In the adolescent stage, boys and girls are vulnerable to all kinds of pressures.

It is the time of conscience formation and to identify the good and bad.

They could be easily lured by the `affectionate' persuasions by the already perverted.

Proper guidance needed to be given to the adolescent by the parents at home and the teachers in schools and colleges, she said.

"Children are not free even in their homes," pointed out C.S. Rajan, former judge and president of Saurakshika, who presided over the workshop.

He said parents decide what the children should study and in many cases the decision is contrary to the aptitude and interest of the children. This creates an inner conflict and as they reach adolescence, it drives them to rebel against the parents, he said.

P.R. Venkitaraman, academic and career consultant, said that children lacked self-confidence and it reflected in their personal abilities.

Those who spoke included C. K. Suresh, social scientist, Thuravoor Vishwambharan, Sasisankar and Madanan Pillai, general secretary, Saurakshika.

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