As teenagers rapidly transition from childhood to adulthood, the pressures they encounter may lead them to make bad choices. Learn about the health risks that accompany substance abuse, teen dating, body issues and other common health concerns. Watch for signs that your child is in trouble. If you feel like you need help, ask a psychologist who specializes in family issues for advice.
Substance Abuse
Peer pressure and other factors can result in underage drinking, which carries with it a number of health concerns. "Underage drinking is a leading contributor to death from injuries," according to Too Smart to Start, a public information program provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The program cites research that says underage drinking leads to deaths due to car accidents, suicides and homicides. It also increases the risk of drug and tobacco use and causes brain development problems that can have serious consequences later in life. Another report cited by the program says underage drinkers who start before age 15 are more than five times likelier to develop alcohol abuse or dependence problems than those who start at age 21 or older.
Dating Violence
As teens begin to enter into relationships, they may encounter dating violence. The Centers for Disease Control performed a survey that found "9.9% of high school students report being hit, slapped or physically hurt on purpose by their boyfriend or girlfriend in the 12 months prior to the survey." The CDC says that numerous factors can lead to dating violence, including alcohol and drug use, difficulties managing anger, negative influence from violent peers, history of violence in the home and lack of parental supervision and support. The CDC adds that teens who encounter dating violence are more likely to do poorly at school, may turn to alcohol and drugs, could develop depression or eating disorders and even might attempt suicide. If you fear your child may be in a dating violence situation, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE.
Body Image Issues
Several factors can cause a teen to develop eating disorders and other body issues, according to Kids Health from Nemours. As their bodies change during puberty, teens begin to compare themselves with others, not realizing that everyone develops differently. Other influences, such as media images, family members or peers, might cause teens to criticize themselves unreasonably. If a teen takes these self-criticism too far, eating disorders can result, causing serious health risks due to malnutrition. Common disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder and other variants.
