and getting highly upset if internet is unavailable is also seen they also have a reduced interest in selfcare upkeep or daily routine these adolescents also stop taking pleasure in things or hobbies in which they were previously interested parents should talk to them frequently listen actively and keep the ambience at home relaxed and comfortable so that the child can communicate build a rapport with them seek professional help of counsellors and psychiatrists if the problem aggravates parents should also learn skills to communicate with adolescentsq cases of suicides are also on the risea talks about ending life or what happens after death giving away things dear to to an individual saying sorry or asking for forgiveness repeatedly for no obvious reason should be taken seriously unnecessary aggression or sounding extra happy may also be seen with caution as it may be a smart way to mask or hide fear or depressing thoughts parents teachers and peers should be very cautious to pick these telltale signs early remain alert and not to leave such people alone for long make them feel wanted loved or important and seek professional help of counsellors and psychiatrists if the tendency or such signs persists beyond two weeks we also need education and awareness programmes on suicide prevention schools and tuition classes must focus on teaching life skills and discuss these issues in parentteacher meetingsq many adolescents are also losing interest in their studies or career a if students do not believe that their efforts are likely to improve their performance they would not be motivated to work hard similarly if they believe intelligence is something you do or do not have but not something you acquire over time they may not see the point of the extra effort they may lack coping skills to deal with tough competition and stress so the easy way out is to avoid studying there are eight defined intelligences academic intelligence is just one of those the curriculum may not offer opportunities for the other seven to develop hopefully the national education policy nep will correct this lacuna some may have genuine learning difficulties like attention deficit hyperactivity disorders adhd or learning disability ld among others social media and screens are huge distractions and may also create issues pertaining to selfesteem infatuations and bullying others q in what way has the pandemic affected adolescentsa families with better communication who followed good routines of study sleep exercise shared housework created avenues of togetherness enjoyment monitored screen time productively and listened well to fears and worries of each other especially adolescents fared better in terms of frustration and tolerance during the pandemic phobias anxiety depression posttraumatic stress disorder ptsd and such complications are definitely on the rise during the second wave with high mortality many adolescents lost their grandparents and even their parents so handling grief bereavement and the sudden burden of being a responsible adult became an additional issue for them extreme covid fatigue has become a reality now