Teenagers’ Problems

Contents

• Self esteem

• Stress

• Depression

• Bullying

• Violence

• Drugs ( alcohol, smoking )

Self esteem refers to how one feels about him or herself. Self esteem helps teens deal with emotional stress. Causes:

-Appearance (self image). -Peers. Teenagers may have peers that make fun of them or put them

down. If a teen feels like an outcast, it can have an effect on his or her self esteem.

-Parents. Parents, coaches and teachers who always criticize can make a teenager feel as though he or she never does anything right, and is never valued. Such constant criticism may cause him or her to feel unloved.

-Unrealistic expectations. We all want to live up to our potential. But sometimes teenagers feel pressures from unrealistic expectations. Parents and teachers may expect too much of them. Often, a teen can develop low self esteem because he or she is not "living up" to the expectations that one sets for oneself. A teenager can, at some times, be his or her own hardest critic.

• Appearance (self image). Most teenagers are concerned about their appearance. This can be difficult to overcome, because in some cases it can be difficult to change one's appearance. Overweight teens often feel bad about themselves, as do teens that think that there is some sort of irregularity with the way they look .

Stress

• Just being a teenager can be very stressful.

• school work load, poor self image, problems with friends, death of a loved one, moving or changing schools, taking on too many activities at once, problems at home, and feeling lonely.

• Signs of Teen Stress:

1. Feeling down, on edge, guilty or tired2. Having headaches, stomach aches, trouble sleeping3. Wanting to be alone all the time4. Not enjoying activities you used to enjoy5. Feeling resentful of others6. Feeling like you have too many things you have to do

Adolescents prefer to keep their problems all to themselves and not share them with anyone, because they are afraid of seeking help

Teenage Depression - signs :

• Sadness or hopelessness • Low self-esteem • Spending more time alone ( away

from their regular friends) • Decrease in desire to do things they

used to like to do (sports, activities, hobbies)

• Physical ailments (headaches, appetite problems, sleeping problems)

• Problems in school (falling grades, getting into trouble, not paying attention in class)

• Running away from home

Bullying

• What is school bullying?Bullying includes a wide variety of behaviors, but all involve a person or a group repeatedly trying to harm someone who is weaker or more vulnerable. It can involve direct attacks (such as hitting, threatening or intimidating, name-calling, and stealing or damaging belongings) or more subtle, indirect attacks (such as spreading rumors or encouraging others to reject or exclude someone).

Violence

• Individual Factors in Teen Violence :

• -Attention deficits/hyperactivity

• Involvement with drugs, alcohol, or tobacco

• Low IQ

• Poor behavioral control

• Social cognitive or information-processing deficits

Family Factors in Youth Violence

• Exposure to violence and family conflict

• Harsh, lax, or inconsistent disciplinary practices

• Low emotional attachment to parents

• Low parental education

drugs

Alcohol• Some teenagers have serious problems related to drinking

alcohol• Some built up tolerance to the effects of alcohol• Other teenagers got psychological problems related to drinking• Other may have health problems

• Some of the contributing factors of teenage smoking are: 1. Low socioeconomic status2. Smoking by parents

3. Lack of parent support 4. Lower self-image or self-esteem