Supporting Adolescents by Managing Parental Expectations: A Grounded Perspective with Asia-Pacific Reflections : Shruti Joshi, Founder – Estrange Aurora

As the Founder of Estrange Aurora, I regularly sit across from parents and teenagers trying to find common ground in their shared but sometimes conflicting hopes for the future. A recent session with a young student—let’s call him Aarav—and his concerned father reminded me just how often we see similar stories unfold, not just in India, but across the Asia-Pacific region.

His father’s concern? Aarav seemed “too relaxed,” unbothered by the future, and even showing signs of stress-induced hair loss. “He doesn’t seem worried,” the father said. “Shouldn’t he be?” This heartfelt question opened up a deeper conversation—one that families everywhere are grappling with today.

Understanding the Emotional Landscape of Asia-Pacific Teens

Across the Asia-Pacific, adolescent mental health is becoming an increasingly urgent concern. From school pressure to shifting social expectations, our youth are growing up in a fast-changing world—and they’re feeling the weight of it. In many countries, approximately one in seven adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 face mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, or behavioural issues (WHO 2021; Statista 2024).

In places like Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, and India, the numbers mirror or exceed this global average. Internal struggles like anxiety and emotional stress often go unnoticed because they don’t always manifest as outward “problems.” But they’re there, quietly shaping how young people interact with the world—and with themselves.

Over the last few decades, the region has seen a stark rise in youth mental health conditions. Research by Chen et al. (2024) shows a 47% increase in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and a 57.5% rise in reported mental health cases from 1990 to 2019. This isn’t just a statistical concern—it’s a deeply human one.

When Concern Turns Into Pressure

One of the most impactful lessons I’ve learned through my work is this: adolescents absorb far more than we realise. Parental stress, whether about jobs, finances, academic performance, or social expectations, tends to seep into the family atmosphere. And while it’s natural for parents to worry—it shows how deeply they care—unchecked anxiety can sometimes create more harm than help.

Studies across Asia confirm that parents who struggle with anxiety or depressive thoughts may unintentionally transmit these feelings to their children. This can show up as emotional withdrawal, reduced self-esteem, or even addictive behaviour such as excessive screen use and gaming.

The antidote? Calm, consistent, emotionally available parenting. When parents model emotional regulation, young people mirror it.

The Hair Loss Question—and What It Means

It might seem trivial at first, but the link between stress and hair loss in adolescents is real and growing. A study conducted in urban Indian settings revealed that over 40% of men aged 25–40 reported early hair thinning, with stress and lifestyle factors being major contributors (CNN Asia, 2020). Similar findings are echoed in countries like China and Japan, where nearly 64% of youth surveyed by China Youth Daily admitted they associate hair loss with daily struggles and mental strain.

More recent biomedical research has even connected chronic stress hormones to changes in hair follicle function, increasing vulnerability to hair shedding and thinning (NIH Research Matters, 2025).

But instead of focusing only on the symptom, we must zoom out. What else is going on in the young person’s life? How are they sleeping, eating, and connecting? These broader questions offer a more complete—and compassionate—view.

So What Can Parents Do Differently?

Here’s what I often suggest during counselling:

Don’t Pass on the Panic

Adolescents are emotionally absorbent. Try not to project your financial, social, or academic fears onto them. Model balance, not burnout.

Replace Fear with Reassurance

Instead of emphasising what's “wrong,” recognise what’s steady or quietly thriving. A calm demeanour doesn’t mean apathy—it can signal internal resilience.

Normalise Seeking Help

If you're feeling overwhelmed, reach out. A few sessions with a trained counsellor can realign your mindset, which will ripple into your parenting style.

Celebrate Calmness

A “cool” or quiet teen isn’t necessarily disinterested. Many thoughtful, grounded leaders once showed these same signs—what matters is support and framing.

Treat Health Holistically

If physical symptoms like hair loss show up, start with lifestyle hygiene—balanced nutrition, digital boundaries, stress management, and healthy sleep patterns.

A Gentle Reminder to All Parents

Adolescence isn’t just a period of growth for children—it’s also a period of transformation for parents. Each generation faces new challenges, and our role is to evolve with them, not impose outdated expectations.

Aarav’s story reminds us that behind every “unbothered” teenager is a young mind navigating change, fear, hope, and dreams. What they need from us isn’t pressure—but presence. Not interrogation—but understanding.

Let’s build homes where young people feel safe to talk, to stumble, to grow, and to shine.

Shruti Joshi

Founder, Estrange Aurora

Career & Adolescent Counsellor

91-8826-992431

(schedule a call via WhatsApp)

References:

World Health Organisation. 2021. Mental Health of Adolescents: Key Facts.

Chen, Q. et al. 2024. “The Burden of Mental Disorders in Asian Countries, 1990–2019.” Nature.

Samsudin, S. et al. 2024. “The Prevalence and Underlying Factors of Mental Health Problems among Adolescents in East Asia and the Pacific.” ScienceDirect.

Statista. 2024. Share of Adolescents with Mental Disorders by Gender and Subregion (Asia-Pacific).

ScienceDirect. 2021. “Psychological Distress and Parental Involvement among Adolescents in China.”

CNN Asia. 2020. “As Hair Loss Rises, Bald Men in Asia Grapple with Cultural Stigmas.”

China Youth Daily. 2019. “‘Hair Loss’ Becomes New Buzzword among Young Chinese.”

NIH Research Matters. 2025. “How Stress Causes Hair Loss: Biological Mechanisms and Youth Implications.”

The Lancet. 2025. “The Epidemiology and Burden of Ten Mental Disorders in Asia-Pacific.”