Teenagers and Natural Medicine
T
eenage years…a time of enormous transition, challenge and reward. The only thing you can be sure of
is nothing will ever be the same after pu- berty begins. There is the exciting devel- opment of a new body shape and form, the struggle with a new menstrual cycle, and hormonal changes. Adolescents anticipate a new life as a partner and a sexual person, experience social chal- lenges as the pecking order in school develops, and begin to establish a new relationship within the family structure. They discover that although they once felt invincible, unfortunately they are vulnerable in many ways. Naturopathic and Chinese medicine
are on the rise as both primary and ad- junctive care modalities for people of all ages. The teenage demographic is rap- idly turning to natural medicine to fulfill their healthcare needs. Some teenagers are brought to naturopathic or Chinese medicine practitioners by family mem- bers or friends, others come on their own accord. Common physical complaints bringing teenagers to the office are acne, menstrual difficulties, sports injuries, pain, and headaches. Common mental or emotional concerns include anger is- sues, hyperactivity, drug use, addiction, depression, and sleep difficulties. Naturopathic and Chinese medicine
practitioners approach these concerns by seeking out the root cause. Optimal health is considered to be a state of ev-
20 August 2010
er-changing balance, and symptoms are the fire alarms that alert the patient and the physician to imbalances. These can be on the physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual level, and treatment can be through a variety of types of medicines. They include prescription medications, herbs, homeopathic remedies, physi- cal medicine, counseling, acupuncture, Chinese herbs, energy medicine, and more.
Adolescent health is unique in that
change occurs at an accelerated pace, and often symptoms are dramatic. In ad- dition, teenagers are in the process of developing a whole new adult body, and are therefore unfamiliar with all the new sensations and needs involved. They are often unaware of how much sleep, food and water their adult body needs. Ado- lescents are flooded with sex hormones, which are necessary for the develop- ment of secondary sexual characteris- tics. This tidal wave of hormones carries with it extreme and confusing sensations that no other age group experiences. Emotionally, the desires and needs of teenagers have changed as well, and the activities and relationships that satisfied them as a child are no longer enough. They are called to establish themselves as separate from their family, and they begin to need a new type of companion- ship with their peers. It is often difficult for teenagers to express the challenges and changes they
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are experiencing. They are developing a deeper and broader consciousness, and everything is a process of discovery, in- cluding their physical, mental and emo- tional wellbeing. Their very real need to establish themselves as new adults and separate from their parents makes it extremely difficult for teenagers to ask adults for help. A naturopathic and Chinese medicine practitioner can be- come a trusted adult who is outside of the family that the adolescent can turn to for guidance. It is essential that the practitioner be experienced in working with teenagers to build an optimal thera- peutic relationship. When a teenage patient comes in
to my office, my primary goal is to es- tablish a relationship of mutual trust and respect. It is essential that teenage pa- tients feel honored as newly developing, autonomous adults. They can then come to understand and accept the responsi- bilities of this new role. A first visit with a naturopathic or Chinese physician is usually an hour long. It consists of an in-depth conversation about every as- pect of the patients’ health. This is true for patients of all ages; however, con- sultations with teenagers include their experience of development, their social interactions, and their goals and aspira- tions during this time of great transition. Included in the discussion is their un- derstanding of sex, prevention of sexu- ally transmitted infections, prevention of
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