‘Normal’ teenage behaviour turned out to be dangerous depression

Jul 16, 2011 News

They are many signs that indicate normal teenage behaviour. Mild depression is one of them; but its consequence is widely underestimated.
Manoj Amit Persaud,15, of Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara, and formerly of Leonora, West Coast Demerara committed suicide earlier this year.
The lad was said to be very loving, caring and generous. His friends from Covent Garden Secondary School and his teachers said that while everyone had flaws Manoj was certainly one whom they thought had none.
They had never received complaints against him nor had they ever felt the need to correct him in anyway. They also said that he was the ‘too good to be true’ type.
“Indeed he was,” noted one teacher.
The young man succumbed on February 19, last after consuming gramoxone 15 days prior to his death.
Sarita, the boy’s mother, said that she is on a mission to educate parents about certain behavioral patterns. The woman now says that what she thought to be natural teenage behaviour turned out to be something much worse.
She is now targeting schools as a part of her mission.
Starting from early last year her family lost quite a few loved ones, including Manoj’s father and an aunt, to whom he was very close.
This, she said, took a heavy emotional toll on her son. According to the woman her son was not very talkative and would, most of the time hide his feelings.
While Sarita prefers to keep some personal details to herself she says that she thought her son’s desire to be alone at times and being up on the internet many nights was because of a girlfriend they assumed he had.
“If your child has a loss of appetite or regularly sits in a corner by himself for hours or longer, if your child shows no interest in things that he would usually pay close attention to, for example, television or video games then something is surely wrong.
Sarita added that she wants to ensure what happened to her, doesn’t happen to anyone else hence she is urging all parents to be friends with their children from the beginning of their childhood so that they would feel comfortable talking to you.
The mother also believes that snooping around into your teenagers’ lives is necessary, especially when it comes to young boys, who don’t express themselves and who are more likely to fall prey to peer pressure, drugs, bad sex practices and alcoholism.
This, she says, is the only way to get into the mind of one’s teenage child and every parent should do it.
She also warns parents not to be too strict; to make children feel free to talk to them and that “whenever they tell you something in confidence and as a friend you should not use it against them when your parental instincts steps in.”
She also says that parents need to punish their children and at the same time teach them that mistakes are a part of life and not the end of the world and that every mistake has a heavier or equal consequence.

Latest News

‘Normal’ teenage behaviour turned out to be dangerous depression

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| March, 28th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Fantastic Wharton snipes haul-trick in 11-0 win

Back Circle bests Gold is Money to retain crown

DCC continues winning ways thanks to Imlach...

All-round Headquarters retain title in dominant...

Yarrowkabra smashes four in Tutorial, as Dolphin,...

Ramesh Chattergoon smacks 110* in ESCL T20,...

Features/Columnists

Choosing between bad and worse

The U.S. “Joining” the Commonwealth: an unreasonable expectation

The Jagdeo Govt press report: horrible

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

‘Normal’ teenage behaviour turned out to be dangerous depression

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| March, 28th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]