Conflict within families can be a big source of distress for young people who come to Jigsaw.
Often times, family conflict can bring up feelings of anxiety, anger, confusion or fear. Conflict is when there is a struggle or clash between people who have differences of opinion, interests or attitudes.
Being single doesn’t seem like something to celebrate. Relationships are the focus of a lot of the popular culture we consume.
It can also take a period of adjustment if we recently find ourselves single, through a break-up, or ending a relationship.
Our Instagram feeds are filled with snaps of ‘happy couples’ and #relationshipgoals. There’s a mountain of advice on how not to be single. So, you’d be forgiven for thinking everyone in the world is in a relationship except you.
However, that’s not the case. According to the most recent Irish Census, 41% of people over 15 years-old are single. Yet still, we can feel the pressure to ‘couple up’ and this can be challenging.
Life can feel full of pressure sometimes. Especially while we figure out who we are, what we want, and how we want our lives to be.
Young people who come to Jigsaw often talk to us about the pressure they’re feeling. Some of the things they feel pressure from include:
We know that friends turn to each other for support. Friends can often be the first port of call when times are tough.
It can be hard to see friends going through a difficult time and know what you can do for them.
As technology advances, the accessibility of porn has increased. We know that many young people in Ireland are consuming porn.
The recent My World Survey, a study of young people in Ireland, had relevant results on this. It found that almost two-thirds of young adults had watched pornography on the internet.
A person’s mental health can affect those close to them. It can be difficult for a young person if one or more of their parents are struggling.
This might be because they’re worried about them, or because the parent is not able to do the usual stuff they do.
If this is something you’re going through, here is an outline supports and other ways to help.
Whether you broke up with someone, they broke up with you, or the decision was mutual, feelings can be tough. We can feel sadness, loss, guilt, or anger.
Sometimes we can be upset because we’re confused and not sure what happened. Other times it can even be a relief.
It doesn’t matter how long it lasted or how serious it was, it matters what the relationship meant to you. How you felt about that person and how it ended will impact how you react to dealing with breaking up.
‘Consent’ is another word for ‘agreeing to’. We use ‘consent’ a lot when we talk about sex. In that context, consent means both people fully understand and agree to what they’re about to do.
It is really about communication, respect and awareness of the other person.
In this article, we’ll cover what you need to know about consent and sex.
With advances in technology, pornography has become more and more accessible to young people. It is no longer confined to the top shelf of the newspaper shop, but can be accessed anywhere, anytime.
Although it might be awkward, we need to be having conversations with young people about porn and the impact it can have.
If a young person in your life seems to be having a tough time, trust your instinct something isn’t right.
There are plenty of signs to look out for that are good to know. If you want to start a difficult conversation but don’t know where to begin, you are not alone.
Many young people have missed out on a number of opportunities and milestones since the pandemic started. And there can be no question this can impact on everyone’s mood in the family unit.
When a young person is feeling down, stressed out or experiencing anxiety, they may become closed off or defensive. They can find it hard to talk about what is going on. In response to the pandemic and restrictions, they may not know or understand emotions they’re experiencing.
Some things can be challenging to communicate. However, whether able to open up or not, a young person will likely appreciate being offered the opportunity to talk. They will benefit from knowing someone is there to support them when they are ready to accept help.
Finding the right time is important to consider. You need an adequate amount of time available so neither of you feels pressure to reach a quick conclusion. It’s wise to choose a time when you are both free without something to rush off to.
The young person may have a deadline for homework or is distracted by a football game. In this case, it is unlikely they will want to talk. Remember, your priorities may not be the same.
A convenient time to talk may crop up naturally when you are both relaxed and doing something together. However, it may not be that easy to start a tough conversation.
You might have to deliberately make the time. Don’t try to be a mind reader on this. Let the young person know you’d like to spend some time with them and ask when suits them.
