Understanding the Psychological Impacts of Youth Age Marriage

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Marriage rates for adolescents (under 18 years) in Indonesia are quite high compared to other countries. According to data compiled by UNICEF, a UN agency that is engaged in child welfare, of all married Indonesian women, 34% are married as teenagers.

The number of cases of marriage of teenagers in Indonesia and other countries in Asia and Africa has attracted special attention from the researchers. Maybe you've heard of teenage marriages at risk of causing miscarriages, infant mortality, maternal death during labor, cervical cancer (cervix), and transmission of venereal disease. In addition to these various health risks, marriage in adolescence also has a negative impact on the mental health of both partners. The following are psychological impacts that may arise due to teenage marriage.

Mental disorders

A recent study in the journal Pediatrics shows that teens who marry before turning 18 are more at risk of developing mental disorders. The risk of mental disorders in teenage couples is quite high, up to 41%. Psychiatric disorders reported in the study included depression, anxiety, dissociative disorders (multiple personalities), and psychological trauma such as PTSD.

Entering the household ark at a very young age is not an easy thing. The report from UNICEF states that adolescents tend not to be able to manage emotions and make good decisions. As a result, when faced with domestic conflicts, some teenage couples use violence. This certainly leads to mental disorders such as depression and PTSD. In addition, miscarriages or loss of children that often occur in teenage couples can also cause mental disorders and trauma.

Because most cases of teenage marriage occur in areas that have not provided access to mental health services, teenage couples who have mental disorders cannot get proper treatment. So, their psychological condition can be even worse with age.

Addiction

Marriage in adolescence can also cause psychological problems in the form of addiction. Whether it's addicted to liquor, cigarettes, drugs, or gambling. Addiction is often the case because many teenage couples cannot find healthy ways to vent emotions or look for distractions when stressed.

Economic and household problems and lack of education are often the reasons for teenage couples to switch to unhealthy lifestyles. In most cases, addiction will continue to cling to teenage couples into adulthood. In fact, parents who have been addicted to dangerous substances such as alcohol, nicotine, and drugs from the youth have the risk of causing fetal disorders or disabilities and infant mortality.

If the baby dies or is born with a disability, the teenage couple may be more overwhelmed by the situation and increasingly dependent on opium. This becomes a kind of vicious circle that will not be completed.

Social pressure

Close family, relatives, and community can be a burden for teenage couples. This is increasingly apparent in countries that adhere to communal living systems. Teenage boys are required to be the head of the household and provide for their families, even though they are still very young. While adolescent girls are required to raise children and take care of the household, even though psychologically they are not fully ready to carry out these responsibilities.

If teenage couples are unable to meet these social demands, they may be ostracized or labeled badly by local residents. As a result, the teenage couples are increasingly difficult to get the help and support they need from the people around them.

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