Too small a Network

There may be times when you have a best friend, a circle of close friends, are part of a team or group and have good relationships with your family. That’s a pretty good web of relationships.

There may be other times, given the changing nature of people and relationships in the teen years, where your web of relationships gets pretty limited – no best friend, not many people in your circle of friends or lots of changes, difficulty with family relationships and not part of a group or team. That’s actually not unusual at times for teenagers, but it can cause a good deal of anxiety, doubting of self-worth and even depression.

You may also find that you are relying almost totally on a best friend or boy/girlfriend and that can generate feelings of vulnerability and overdependence. Adolescence is a ten-year heroic journey, so assume some changes in your web or relationships and also assume that you will need to work at building and maintain that web.

People will probably come and go and your web of relationships may vary from extensive and strong to limited and vulnerable. When it’s strong, don’t take it for granted and work to maintain it. When it’s weak, don’t freak out – just keep working at developing various relationships and remember that it may take time, but it will happen.