With rising living standards, today's teenagers can enjoy all kinds of material comforts. The large number of small families means that parents can spend more time and money on catering to their child's every whim. But, indulgent parents and a comfortable upbringing have not spawned a generation of happy youngsters.
While parents and grandparents endured war and economic hardship and learned to take difficulties in their stride, today's young people buckle easily under pressure. A parental rebuke or criticism from teachers may be enough to trigger suicidal thoughts.
An average of 30 teenagers commit suicide each year, according to figures compiled by the Suicide Prevention Services over the past decade.
Today's young people also suffer from low self-esteem. They are bombarded by an image-obsessed media to the extent that, in the numerous surveys conducted on youth self-image, many teens use their physical appearance as the only yardstick against which to measure their self-confidence.
Girls view slimness as beauty and go to great lengths to be thin - anything from starving themselves to taking laxatives.
Teenagers of today also lack spiritual contentment. They wear designer or brand-name clothing and expensive accessories, but shun meaningful pursuits which can give them mental, spiritual and emotional fulfilment.