Being a teenager isn’t easy. There are pressures to please parents and teachers, make good grades, fit in with classmates, and prepare for huge decisions such as where to go to college or what career to ultimately pursue. It is no wonder that teenagers often have problems. The most common teenager problems are as follows:
Depression/Self-Esteem
The teenage years are filled with highs and lows in terms of hormones. Not to mention that teenagers are trying to figure out who they are and what they believe. Low self-esteem is a very common teenage problem, especially for those who feel they don’t fit in with their peers. Some teens feel a lot of pressure to be popular, but instead they feel isolated and rejected. Other teenagers are severely depressed. Many go undiagnosed, while countless others are on anti-depression medications.
Eating Disorders
Some teenage girls develop issues with their weight. With all the pressure to be thin from the media as well as peers, some teenage girls resort to anorexia or bulimia to solve their problems. There are many telltale signs of these teenage problems such as sudden weight loss or gain and a resistance to eat with other family members. These teenage behavior problems should be addressed through therapy before it extends to adulthood.
Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Many teens turn to drugs and alcohol for fun or as a coping mechanism. They attend parties where drinking and drugs are involved, and they may start using them to be accepted by their peers. Often the situation can spiral out of control if the teen has a family history of drug or alcohol abuse, and especially when the teen comes from an unstable home environment. Drug and alcohol abuse are especially serious teenagers problems if the teens drives while under the influence, potentially endangering his or her life as well as the lives of others.
Sex and Dating
A very common teenager problem is learning to communicate with the other sex. This can be as innocent as learning how to ask someone out on a date, and coping with the nervousness this entails. However, if a teen becomes sexually active, that introduces a whole new set of issues and potential problems. Some teens are not emotionally ready for this experience, and may feel as though they are in love when it is purely lust. Others are not prepared by using proper protection, resulting in STD transmission or an unwanted pregnancy.
