The Adolescent as a Patient

Factors influencing an adolescent’s comprehension of their illness are: age, maturity, family, educational background, culture, beliefs.

Regardless of gender, adolescents tend to prioritize quality of life over its duration. Illness may provoke anxiety, particularly due to the loss of independence and privacy, it is hard for them to admit the need to return to a dependent state, they may be perceived misunderstood and due to limited awareness of risks, often test boundaries—which complicates treatment adherence, they tend to fantasize about being healthy just like the rest of the people and this leads to live with sadness because of expectations for their future.

Adolescence is a stage marked by the search for personal identity, when illness occurs during this period, it can affect an adolescent’s self-image (whether due to the treatment or the condition itself) as well as their self-concept (the way they perceive themselves), this may lead to fears of criticism, social rejection for being “different,” or concerns about feeling unattractive.

It’s common for adolescents to experience spiritual or religious crises, interpreting illness as a form of divine punishment, or on the contrary, becoming deeply devout in asking for recovery, they may prefer isolation as a form of refuge, especially when they feel overprotected or infantilized, which can provoke emotional fluctuations, and at times they may appear indifferent to the seriousness of their condition that threats to their life.

It’s advisable to help family members, friends, and romantic partners understand that there will be moments when negotiation or compromise is necessary, offering alternatives and asking about the adolescent’s needs and preferences, such as wanting to be alone, choosing when to talk or not during the illness or missed social events or parties.