Male teenagers find many ways to abuse their health. Too many male teens abuse drugs and alcohol, use anabolic steroids, engage in risky behavior, and do not think about the long-term health consequences of their behavior. Male teens tend to think they are indestructible. They take risks never thinking that they could permanently damage their health. Male teens may also view weapons positively and experience too much violence.
Anabolic Steroid Abuse
Anabolic steroids are often used by male teenagers to try to bulk up their body or to obtain superior sports performance. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), steroid abuse is very dangerous. "Abusing anabolic steroids can include prematurely stunted growth, jaundice, fluid retention, high blood pressure, severe acne, shrinking of the testicles, reduced sperm count, infertility, baldness, development of breasts, increased risk of prostate cancer, and in rare cases liver and kidney tumors." According to the NIDA, anabolic steroid abuse may also cause "extreme mood swings, depression, irritability, and manic-like symptoms leading to violence."
Drug and Inhalant Abuse
Male teens are more likely to experiment with marijuana than female teens. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), "Male students (13.2 percent) were significantly more likely than female students (7.5 percent) to have used marijuana before age 13." Male teens also use many different kinds of household products to get high. The NIDA states that inhalants are dangerous and addictive. They are "chemical vapors that people inhale on purpose to get high. The vapors produce mind-altering, and sometimes disastrous effects." Inhalants include "paints, glues, gasoline, cleaning fluids, paint thinner, nail polish remover, gasoline, markers, hair spray, butane lighters, and whipped cream dispensers." Use of inhalants may damage the brain by limiting oxygen flow. Brain damage may cause "compromised ability to solve complex problems and slow and clumsy movements." Inhalant use may also damage the "heart, kidneys and liver" according to the NIDA.
Risky Sexual Behavior
Male teens are often eager to begin sexual activity. They may engage in high-risk sexual behavior without use of condoms to prevent HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and other sexually transmitted diseases. Teenagers often make spur of the moment decisions to participate in sexual activity without worrying about sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy prevention.
Alcohol and Risky Behavior
According to the CDC, 13.3 percent of students had driven a car or other vehicle after drinking alcohol. Male students (17.2 percent) were more likely (9.5 percent) to have driven after drinking alcohol." Male teens often do not understand the risks involved in drinking to excess and driving after drinking.
Weapons and Risk to Health of Male Teens
According to the CDC, male students (29.3 percent) were significantly more likely than female students (6.2 percent) to have carried a weapon." Male teens endanger their life and their health when they carry a weapon and use weapons in interactions with other teens. Carrying a weapon greatly increases the possibility that a fight will turn into a situation involving serious injury to health or even death. Per the National Institute of Health, "nearly half the children surveyed were assaulted at least once in the past year, and more than one in 10 were injured as a result." Male teens are too often involved in violence at school and in social settings. Male teens may have been also influenced by violence and use of weapons in television and in video games.
An Unhealthy Diet
Male teens often consume a very unhealthy diet. They may eat too many servings of fast foods per week and eschew the healthy foods served at home or sent in a school lunch for foods like pizza, burgers, fries or tacos. Male teens do not think about the long-term impact of an unhealthy diet. They often consume high-salt and high-fat foods without worrying about how they may damage health.
