Understanding yourself

What is said, and what is underneath.

Studies of the sentences people offer long before they can name what is happening. Starting points for reading, never a diagnosis.

19 studies in Children and young people · Show every study

Conceptual paper artwork: Dinner plate, cricket ball beyond its rim, exam papers spaced at a distance.

N° 01

Adolescent mental health

“They barely talk to us any more.”

Some distance is part of growing up. Sometimes it is a young person carrying something alone.

Conceptual paper artwork: Half-started storyboard cards orbit one clear, unfinished editing timeline.

N° 02

ADHD

“I’ve got forty tabs open. In my head too.”

Not laziness, not bad parenting. A difference in how the brain manages attention, in children and in adults.

Conceptual paper artwork: Polished ivory floor tile with a hairline seam concealed beneath its surface.

N° 03

Childhood trauma

“My childhood was normal. Mostly.”

What happened early can echo in adult health, moods and relationships. Understanding it is the beginning of changing it.

Conceptual paper artwork: Closed apartment door above a small ivory toy boat caught in threshold-loop geometry.

N° 04

Family and parenting

“We’ve tried everything with him.”

When a family is stuck in the same fights, help for the whole family, and for parents, is often part of the answer.

Conceptual paper artwork: Hinged paper prism opens to reveal a quiet oxblood inner plane.

N° 05

Gender identity

“I’ve felt this way since I was small.”

Gender incongruence is not a mental disorder, WHO says. The distress, family conflict and isolation that often come with it deserve care.

Conceptual paper artwork: Closed hostel window grid with one warm square and a fine line of dawn at sill.

N° 06

Suicidal thoughts

“Everyone would be better off without me.”

This thought is a symptom, not the truth. It can be talked about, and it can pass. Help is there today.

Conceptual paper artwork: Closed revision notebook under loose slate tiles, one tile quietly out of alignment.

N° 07

Early signs of psychosis

“He’s not himself. He thinks his friends are plotting.”

Psychosis often begins quietly in the late teens or twenties. Early treatment is linked to better outcomes.

Conceptual paper artwork: Muted brass taka token at edge of paper football pitch; field lines funnel toward rim.

N° 08

Online betting and gambling

“One more match and I’ll win it all back.”

Betting apps turn every cricket match into a stake. Gambling disorder is a recognised condition, and it is treatable.

Conceptual paper artwork: Charging cable coils around dawn-coloured paper sun; closed course notebook beyond loop.

N° 09

Gaming and phone overuse

“I’ll stop after this match. It’s 4am.”

Gaming disorder is a WHO diagnosis. When games or scrolling take over sleep, study and life, help can reset the balance.

Conceptual paper artwork: Folded cotton sleeve with a seam gently repaired in pale thread, generous ivory space.

N° 10

Self-harm

“It’s the only thing that makes the noise stop.”

Self-harm is a sign of overwhelming pain, not attention-seeking. With understanding and the right help, many people find other ways through.

Conceptual paper artwork: Small brass award disk low inside oversized paper frame; shadow rises above it.

N° 11

Low self-esteem

“I’m just not good enough. Everyone else is so put-together.”

A harsh inner voice that dismisses every success. Low self-esteem is linked to anxiety and depression, and it can change.

Conceptual paper artwork: Admission-coaching papers compressed into hourglass by a broad paper band.

N° 12

Exam pressure

“If I don’t get into medical, my life is over.”

SSC, HSC, O levels, admission tests: the pressure on Bangladeshi students is immense. Stress is normal; despair is not, and it needs help.

Conceptual paper artwork: Blue paper phone-window holds tiny view dots spilling beyond frame into ivory.

N° 13

“I’m on my phone till 3am. It’s giving burnout.”

Problematic social media use is rising among young people aged 11 to 15 in Europe, central Asia and Canada. Sleep, mood and self-worth can be won back.

Conceptual paper artwork: School notebook beneath blank message-panel tiles, edges stop before broad clean margin.

N° 14

Bullying and cyberbullying

“They made a group chat about me. Everyone’s in it.”

Bullying, at school or online, harms mental health, sometimes for years. Children deserve to be believed and protected.

Paper artwork: a school backpack, cricket bat and ball between two apartment doors in morning light

N° 15

Children and divorce

“Weekdays at Ammu’s, Fridays at Abbu’s.”

Children whose parents separate are at somewhat higher risk of depression and anxiety. Keeping them out of the conflict between parents helps.

Paper artwork: rows of empty school desks in soft light

N° 16

School refusal

“Every school morning, a stomach ache. Fridays, she’s fine.”

When a child is too distressed to go to school, the stomach aches are real and anxiety is often underneath. A planned, gradual return can help.

Paper artwork: a torch lighting an exam paper among ripe mangoes

N° 17

Perfectionism

“Ninety-eight isn’t a hundred.”

High standards help, until fear of mistakes takes over. How perfectionism links with anxiety and depression in young people, and how CBT can help.

Paper artwork: mist over green hills at dawn seen from a wooden balcony

N° 18

Fear of missing out (FOMO)

“Everyone’s in Sajek this weekend. Except me.”

The anxious sense that everyone else is having a better time, fed by stories and feeds. What it is, and when it becomes a problem.

Paper artwork: a plate of khichuri and stacking toy rings on a mat, lit by a tablet screen

N° 19

Screens and young children

“He won’t eat a bite without cartoons.”

When a toddler will only eat in front of a screen, the whole family feels it. What the guidelines say, and how to make changes gently.