We’re living in a dangerous world that keeps testing us every single day. When it comes to health risks, teenagers are prone to diverse negative consequences that may arise from various stimuli.
To protect ourselves or our children from today’s most common dangers, we should properly acknowledge the possible causes that may directly contribute to health problems. Unfortunately, one serious health problem is enough to blame yourself for the rest of your life.
In today’s post, I’m outlining the top 10 teenagers’ health risks that you must acknowledge in order to prevent them from happing to you or to your teenage children.
Obesity
Millions of children and teenagers are risking various health issues that are officially linked to obesity, as childhood obesity is the #1 health issue in the US. The rates of obesity are pretty scary. In the last twenty-five years, they have tripled.
What can you do about it?
Focus on education. Educate yourself and educate your children. Education first, habits second. Acknowledge the risks that you’re facing and start taking real action to change your outcomes.
Drug Abuse
According to the UM National Poll, more than 36% of American adults believe that drugs represent a serious danger for their teenage children.
Why do teenagers abuse drugs? That’s a very interesting question. I used to compare and contrast essays for college students back when I was studying psychology. What I’ve realized is that addiction is way more complicated than most people see it.
Some psychologists suggest that teenagers abuse drugs because of their environment, and if they were to change it, the need to escape would disappear. However, other experts claim that addiction is the consequence of negative subconscious beliefs and neuro-associations.
Smoking
It is estimated that more than 5 million U.S. children are smokers, and each day, nearly 6000 teenagers under 18 start smoking.
Cigarette smoking is one of the deadliest habits that teenage children develop. Respiratory illnesses, lung issues, heart diseases, and decreased physical fitness are just some of the negative effects that come with early age smoking.
Bullying
The National Youth Violence Prevention Center suggests that approximatively one-third of all American teenagers are involved in bullying, either as a perpetrator, a victim, or both.
Bullying is known to create emotional traumas and long-lasting psychological issues that will later contribute to various mental issues (depression, anxiety, anger, etc.)
Alcohol Abuse
Drinking is a popular activity among college students. While some students are treating it as an occasion, others may become addicted to it. Statistics show that teen alcohol use kills approximatively 4700 individuals each year.
Stress
Stress is another popular health risk among teenagers. The consequences of stress are both physical and mental, and they often affect us on an unconscious level. For example, when I was back in school, I used to pay for university essay instead of crafting it on my own. I made a habit out of this simply because I was too stressed about other priorities, so all my pocket money went into that direction.
If you learn how to manage stress, you’ll never have to sacrifice your health, energy, attention, or money while you’re still in college.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
A shocking report shows that while teenagers represent 25% of the sexual population, they represent 50% of all the new STDs (sexually transmitted diseases). In the U.S. alone, more than 20 million new cases of STDs are reported on a yearly basis. It is crucially important for teens to acknowledge the infection risks and protect themselves in every circumstance.
Depression
The pressure of exams, teachers, and parents are often overwhelming. Today’s teenagers are bombarded with different stimuli. Social media implants desires, responsibilities kick in, not enough resources, a breakup or two, academic disappointments – these are just some of the many causes for which today’s teenagers are prone to anxiety and depression!
Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation is another common health concern among students, especially because this condition is hardly diagnosable. Many teenagers sacrifice their sleep time due to numerous reasons. Once fatigue sets in, lots of teenagers will experience the symptoms of sleep deprivation, which are both subtle and impactful.
Physical Inactivity
The lack of physical exercise is an indirect contributor to a lot of physical and health issues among today’s teenagers. Obesity, lack of energy, lack of motivation, and lack of self-esteem are just some of the indirect effects of physical inactivity. Sedentarism is a habit that teenagers preserve throughout their adult life.
Takeaways
Every college and school should have a student health center that should be responsible for offering students the basic information they need to avoid unpleasant health risks. It should act as a student health service, focused on educating students about the most significant health risks that they might face.
BIO: Elizabeth Skinner is a nutritionist and a health expert from the U.S. She’s constantly educating herself in order to educate others. She writes blog posts for various health magazines and blogs while traveling across the world.
