Before an American teen reaches the age of 18 they have seen an average of 200,000 violent acts committed on television, in movies and video games. In the time between 1994 and today, teenagers arrested for violent crimes had dropped from 500 in 100,000 to 350 in 100,000. Although the arrest rates may have dropped, other crimes are on the rise, such as violence in schools. This new and unnerving trend was brought into the media spotlight in 1999 with the Columbine shooting when 13 people were killed, including the two young shooters.

Science is now getting more deeply into the heart of the teen violence issue. More research is being done in order identify the roots of this violent behavior. The myth that some people are just born violent or that violence in the home (i.e. physical abuse) is the true root causes. In fact, light is even being shed on the violence seen on TV. This is no longer believed to cause a "lasting" effect. Strong evidence and case studies point to media violence as being only a short-term aggression inducer, lasting only a few hours or maybe a day.

However, unlike media violence, video games and repeated violent lyrics in music seem to have a longer lasting effect. In the case of video games it seems that teens, who are still working on becoming adults, are actually taking part in the violence. Similarly, violent lyrics in rap and metal are repeated over and over, often being sung along to. This seems to send a subliminal message to the mind, increasing the likelihood of adopting the very behavior they are singing about.

While scientists continue to uncover more information about these causes, parents should be proactive and limit these influences when possible.

Labels: at-risk behavior, dating violence, domestic violence, gang violence, teens

Being a teenager these days can be extremely difficult; the pressures of home and school can become nearly unbearable. While drugs and alcohol are just a couple of the negative ways teens might attempt to cope with the problems in their lives, one method that is even more dangerous is to simply run away from them. Two million runaway children live on the streets of America each year, and nearly one in seven children will run away from home (at least temporarily) before reaching the age of eighteen.

Teenage runaways face considerable danger and can be easy prey for criminals and other predators. The vastness of the homeless problem in America can make it very hard to recover a child that has run away from home and intends to stay away, so the best method of combating the problem is prevention. Most teens run away from home when they feel that they have no one or nowhere else to turn, and see their social network as more important than their home life.

It's important to be able to communicate with your child. No matter the difficulties in your relationship, try to ensure your teen that you're always willing to listen to them, and be as understanding as possible. The simple idea that you can offer them a way through their problems can prevent them making the decision to flee to the streets, and can be a valuable step in resolving the issue that faces them.

In the event that your child does run away from home, contact the police immediately. There's no waiting period for reporting a missing minor, and ensuring your child's quick return and safety is paramount.

Labels: at-risk behavior, running away, teen anger, teen runaway

The sudden onset of severe depression that coincides with puberty is most often the consequence of an abusive childhood pedagogical environment. Children are biologically predisposed to idolize authority and adults in general, and they will suppress and redirect any anger they feel towards their parents or other authority figures towards themselves. The symptoms of abuse can be treated to some extend by drugs and therapy, but the causes of the depression cannot be eliminated without an intensive therapeutic program directed at uncovering the source of childhood pain.

It takes a mind predisposed to mystical explanations for observed phenomena to accept explanations for depression based upon nebulous descriptions of chemical imbalances and perhaps innate wickedness on the part of the suffering young adult. While many of these imbalances have indeed been identified, and neurological differences between depressed brains and relatively healthy ones objectively identified, what causes this depression remains obscured from many patients, psychologists and psychiatrists, not necessarily by any fault of their own. The causes of depression can indeed be identified, but only through self-examination and therapeutic discussion.

Therapy cannot cure poor cognitive function caused by neurological deformity, but such diseases are relatively rare and cannot explain common incidences of depression among the majority of otherwise healthy young adults. The expansion of the mental health profession and the correlative increase in diagnoses or depression during the post-war period can't fully explain what has been correctly termed a societal epidemic of depression. Those identified as depressed have objectively determinable symptoms: professionals do not simply invent cases and their patients are not lying about their feelings.

When a psychiatrist suggests both a program of drugs and therapy, the latter prescription is aimed at solving the causes of the depression, while the former treats some of the surface symptoms. The illness will persist so long as its roots are allowed to survive.

Labels: at-risk behavior, self-abuse, Self-Injury Triggers, suicide

A deteriorated relationship between a parent and a teenager can culminate in a destroyed relationship. Using the police force or rehabilitation centers to try to bring your child back into the fold will probably backfire in the long run, even if you hear that they have significant rehabilitation rates. A broken relationship cannot be healed through force.

Generally, there will be a substantial amount of warning before a teenager runs away. It's virtually unheard of for someone with no visible problems to decide to suddenly decide to run away from home. If someone that you know characterizes their relationship with their child as "fantastic," yet they have suddenly decided to run away with no explanation, you should examine the facts of the situation more closely, as there's a good chance that there's more to the story than meets the eye.

If someone in your extended family runs away - even to your house - the best solution might not be to send them immediately back to their parent's house. Abusive households can appear to be quite normal to outsiders. If a child brings allegations of abuse towards the parents, they should not be dismissed out of hand, even if you have known those parents for a long time. Often, people who have had abusive upbringings do not begin to act in that fashion until they have had children themselves. This helps to explain why some families have such wildly different public faces when compared to the actual experience of the family members.

Labels: behavioral issues, running away, teen runaway

With today's hubbub and daily life centered very prominently on stress, we often forget what a toll this takes on our bodies and our well being. Because stress is so accepted, we also often forget the effect that stress can have on teenagers, and the fact that there are ways to teach your teens how to cope appropriately with stress.

According to a Reuters Health (http://www.rense.com/health3/teenstress_h.htm) in a study of 8000 students, two thirds of these teenagers reported feeling some level of stress at least once a week. More often than not students would feel very high levels of stress centered around performing well. Researchers hypothesize that the reason for these elevated levels of stress is that adults and society place not only a high emphasis on academic success, but also because teens aren’t taught how to prioritize and therefore feel torn between academic, social, and athletic success—they are being torn in multiple directions without being given the tools to cope and manage the stress appropriately.

As adults and parents, it is common to dismiss this stress as just being a part of life. Stress is, indeed, a part of life but it can also be extremely negative. There are health risks to experiencing elevated levels of stress for extended periods of time. What is important is to help give these teens the tools they need to manage stress, prioritize, and become successful individuals. One of the best things for stress in teenagers is a strong support system. Your teen should have at least one person to confide in on a regular basis. It is important to have positive feedback as stress can generate a lot of negative emotions. Parents should also realize that by setting a standard very high in several different areas makes it very hard on a teenager. Talk with them, decide what it is that is important and maintain positive support to help them be successful.

Everyone experiences stress, but what makes the difference is that when young you can be given the tools to better cope with stress in you daily life. We need to equip our teens to be more successful through the avoidance of stress.

Labels: stress, teenage behavior

Why do teens smoke? Thousands of dollars have been spent in order to create antismoking campaigns, but teenagers around the globe just don’t seem to take notice. There are many reasons why teens smoke, and most of these reasons are of the psychological sort.

The number one reason why teens smoke has to do with fitting in. Many teens find that picking up the smoking habit instantly leads to a group of friends that also smoke. If a teen can’t find solace elsewhere, they are more likely to join a group of friends that smoke. Smoking is a largely social activity, which is why many adults partake in this habit as well, and since teens want to be social, a cigarette seems like a great idea. Teens also pick up the smoking habit in order to suppress appetite; to help them relax; as a stimulant following sexual intercourse; and as a way to ignore their troubles. Lastly, teens smoke simply due to the fact that most parents and authority figures forbid it – teens like to break the rules.

If you notice that your teen has been coming home smelling of smoke, make sure that you talk to them. Rather than yelling at your teen, simply explain to your teen that you do not approve of the smoking habit. Also, ask your teen how they began to smoke, and what you can do to stop them from smoking. You may also want to clearly explain the side effects of smoking (believe it or not, some teens may not know), and you will want to help them through this addiction. Smoking is a tough habit to quit, but it does not have to be impossible for your teen to be smoke free.

Labels: at-risk behavior, smoking, teen smoking

It's one of those communication struggles that happens during the teenage years, as parents and children seem to speak entirely different languages. If your teen isn't confiding in you often, as a parent you may be concerned about changes that you have noticed in your child. At the same time, adolescence is a turbulent time with a host of changes. How can you identify when a teenager needs help and when the changes in behavior patterns are simply a normal part of the growing process?

While it is normal for teenagers to pull away from their families to some degree during these years, if you notice that your teen has suddenly stopped associating with friends as well, that may be an indication of a problem. If your teen is suddenly a loner, or dumps old friends out of the blue for new ones, or if your teen is suddenly not doing well in school, there might be an issue that needs to be addressed.

Look for other drastic changes in behavior as well, such as inflicting harm on others or themselves, obsession with weight issues regardless of their own weight, constant complaints about being ill, signs of violence, anxiety and depression that lasts for weeks or months at a time, and changes in patterns of eating and sleeping. It may also help you to be aware of other teenagers' behavior to help you determine if your teen is following the general pattern or seems to be displaying signs of significant problems. Identifying when help is needed isn't easy, but by looking for patterns of behavior over time you will be able to see more readily when a situation is normal and when it is a sign of a problem.

Labels: behavioral issues, inflicting harm, self-injury