Sun Nov 09 14:37:11 UTC 2025: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Teen Brains are “Ferrari’s with Bicycle Brakes” Expert Warns at Bengaluru Mental Health Festival
Bengaluru, India – November 9, 2025 – Teenagers possess incredible learning capacity but struggle with impulse control and decision-making, according to author and resilience coach Sujata Kelkar Shetty. Speaking at “Manotsava,” a mental health festival in Bengaluru, Shetty described the teenage brain as a “Ferrari with bicycle brakes and poor steering,” highlighting the disconnect between their intellectual capabilities and their ability to regulate behavior.
Shetty emphasized the critical role of adults in providing the necessary guidance and support that teenagers lack, especially in navigating the challenges of the digital age. She noted the absence of a public health system that adequately addresses the mental and physical health needs of teenagers. She argued that increased screen time and social isolation following the pandemic have exacerbated mental health issues like anxiety and depression. According to Shetty, teenagers “actively rewiring” their brains with social media usage.
Shetty advised parents to act as compassionate coaches and prioritize sleep, nutrition, and movement for their children. She highlighted the data that 90 minutes of sleep loss can cause a drop in teenager’s IQ points; supplementing the diet with Omega 3 improves brain fertilizer; and just 30 minutes of exercise a day increases Brain-derived neurotrophic factor.
First Piper 