How simple everyday interactions can support adolescent mental health

Every year on 10 October, the world observes World Mental Health Day, led by the UN. While mental health matters at every age, Bangladesh must take adolescent mental health much more seriously. Nearly one in five citizens — about 33 million people — are adolescents, according to UNFPA. Alarmingly, one study shows that around 74% of school-going adolescents experience stress, often undiagnosed and untreated. 

Another study, recently published on 1 September 2025, by the World Health Organization (WHO), shows that one in seven (14.3%) suffers from mental disorders such as emotional, behavioural, and eating disorders, with some even experiencing hallucinations and tendencies toward suicide or self-harm. 

For a country with such a large adolescent population, investing in their mental health is not just a moral responsibility — it is a national imperative.

While systemic interventions are essential for dealing with mental illness recovery, an equally powerful force lies in the proverb "prevention is better than the cure." 

To help our adolescents humanise, we should prioritise the bonds they build every day in all their relationships, including with teachers, peers, parents, mentors, even neighbours and extended family. 

Through simple, everyday humanised interactions, these relationships can become positive developmental connections that support mental and emotional well-being.

According to the World Health Organization, adolescence spans ages 10 to 19 — a critical period marked by intense physical, emotional, and psychological changes. As teenagers go through this transformative stage, they often experience confusion and curiosity about what's happening inside them. 

This is when having a trusted, compassionate adult nearby becomes essential — someone who listens without judgment, engages in honest conversations, and offers age-appropriate guidance. 

Such support helps them understand their experiences while building resilience, self-awareness, and emotional stability, which are fundamental to human development.

Parents and teachers play a crucial role during this stage. However, it is shocking that without listening to their actual needs, they repeatedly pressure adolescents about their academic performance (Dr Tajuddin Sikder, associate professor of the Department of Public Health and Informatics at Jahangirnagar University), leading them to experience stressful lives from the very beginning, which can cause emotional and social disorders. 

Instead, they should be present, approachable, and attentive to an adolescent's emotional needs, which will have a profound impact on their development. 

One of the most powerful contributions adults can make is helping adolescents understand and manage their emotions to become better human beings. This forms the foundation of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) — a research-backed approach that cultivates vital life skills such as empathy, stress regulation, self-awareness, and effective communication.

When teenagers feel emotionally supported and understood, they not only handle life's challenges better — they flourish. They become more attentive in class, develop stronger and more respectful relationships, and gradually grow into confident, compassionate adults. Putting time and care into their emotional growth today is an investment in the kind of adults they will be tomorrow.

Supporting SEL does not require special training — it starts with small, consistent actions. For parents, this might mean creating space for adolescents to talk without judgment, helping them identify their emotions, or simply validating how they feel. For teachers, it could involve greeting students warmly, encouraging group work that promotes empathy, or checking in with students who seem withdrawn. 

These small gestures help young people feel seen, safe, and supported — and over time, they foster an environment where both emotional and academic growth can thrive. 

This is where the idea of positive developmental relationships through simple interactions, introduced by Dr Junlei Li, a faculty member at Harvard University's Department of Human Development and Education, becomes truly transformative.

In his article, "Developmental Relationships as the Active Ingredient: A Unifying Working Hypothesis of 'What Works' Across Intervention Settings," Dr Li describes developmental relationships as "reciprocal human interactions" that include "an enduring emotional attachment" between children and young adults. 

These relationships are transformative—not based on control or structure, but rooted in authenticity, flexibility, and a willingness to meet young people exactly where they are. 

It is this simple, adaptable human presence that turns ordinary relationships into truly impactful ones — relationships that empower and last. Relationships are the main force that shapes healthy emotional and social growth. 

They build competence, emotional well-being, and identity by connecting young people to the larger human community. These meaningful bonds have a lasting effect, supporting emotional regulation, social skills, moral development, trust, and overall mental health.

Adolescents spend much of their waking hours in school, placing teachers at the forefront of mental health support. Unlike clinical interventions — which are often too late or hard to access — teachers offer daily, preventative care through relationships. 

This does not mean teachers need to act as therapists; it means seeing teaching as a relational act. 

When students feel respected and understood, their brains are more receptive to learning — and their spirits more open to growth. Classrooms that normalise emotional expression, encourage collaboration, and celebrate progress over perfection become spaces not just for learning but for healing.

Of course, teachers can't bear this responsibility alone. Mental health support is a shared duty. Parents can create safe spaces at home where emotions are acknowledged rather than dismissed. 

Schools can integrate SEL practices into daily routines, from morning check-ins to group activities. Policymakers can invest in training teachers to develop relational skills alongside academic knowledge. 

Communities can work to reduce mental health stigma, fostering open conversations instead of silence. Each effort contributes to what Dr Li calls the "active ingredient" of developmental relationships: connection, consistency, and care. He likens these to fluoride — the essential ingredient in toothpaste — without which other components like detergent or flavour are ineffective. 

Similarly, academic achievement and extracurricular activities alone cannot foster kind, compassionate, and fully developed individuals without genuine human connection. Supporting adolescent mental health doesn't always require new policies or expensive programs; sometimes, the simplest acts — being present, listening deeply, and affirming each young person's humanity — are the most impactful.

The 10–19 age group is delicate yet crucial. A kind word, a trusted family member, a supportive teacher — these are not minor details. They serve as lifelines. 

When we foster relationships built on empathy and respect, we do not just help adolescents cope — we equip them with the tools to become emotionally intelligent leaders.

Ayesha Reza. Sketch: TBS

Ayesha Reza is a Lecturer in the Philosophy Department at Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She teaches Indian Philosophy, General Ethics, Philosophy of Mind, and Educational Philosophy at the undergraduate level. She can be reached at ayeshareza16@gmail.com.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.