National

Youth In Crisis..The Pressure To Perform And The Weight Of Perfection

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – As we close our Youth in Crisis series, one challenge stands out: pressure. It’s a weight that every young person feels, from school, family, friends, and social expectations, and it can crush mental health, forcing youth to live lives that aren’t truly their own.

Published

3 months ago

August 29, 2025

Daniella Dorsette

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – As we close our Youth in Crisis series, one challenge stands out: pressure. It’s a weight that every young person feels, from school, family, friends, and social expectations, and it can crush mental health, forcing youth to live lives that aren’t truly their own.

Three young adults open up to Daniella Dorsette about their struggles with false identities, social media comparisons, and the relentless pursuit of perfection.

Adaria Adderley, CEO of Fusion Youth Movement, shares how easily young people can lose themselves in trying to fit in. “Going out to this party, you can’t fully be yourself because one, you don’t really even know who you are. So the you that you are isn’t enough for the people that you hang out with,” she says.

For Ryshanda McPhee, Director of Outreach at Fusion Youth Movement, the pressure extended into her personal life. A young mother and wife in a highly public relationship, she felt compelled to “perform” on social media rather than live her truth. Only after separating from her partner did she realize, “I deserve more than this… I don’t have to live for others.”

Thomas Maxwell, Director of Praise and Worship at Fusion Youth Movement, offers guidance for overcoming life’s pressures: “Read God’s Word. Surround yourself with like-minded people who uplift you and inspire you to grow. Avoid those who try to detour you or remind you of your past, they don’t want to see you succeed.”

The message is clear: our youth are struggling under the pressure to be perfect. But with honest conversations, strong support, and faith in God, there is hope for healing.