Saturday, June 13, 2009

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http://parentingteens.about.com/b/2008/07/22/what-makes-teens-happy-believe-it-or-not.htm

Hmmm So What Really Makes A teen Happy ?

Believe it or not in a recent seven-month survey of thousands of 12 -24 year olds came up with two potentially happy, peaceful keys: Family and Friends. "It was found that, while us teens do find our parents annoying at times, overall we appreciate the support and we see our parents as friends and kind of a partnership relationship. This was very surprising to the media." But I totally agree with the survey, because there is no better love than the love one recieves from the closets people to us- our Family. At the end of the day thats all we really have in life.
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20322801

What worries teens most about going back to school ?
*Schoolwork- 32% *Extracurricular- 3% *Social Issues- 30% *Appearance-25%

A new school year can be fun & exciting. Its a good feeling of having a fresh start, catching up with your friends, and making progress by moving up a grade. But there's no denying that it can be stressful too. Some adults might not think that school can be stressing just for the simple fact that they been passed their school years and they have bigger things to worry about. But truthfully stressing over school can lead to suicidal thoughts, I know because I've been in that situation. Especially being in your senior year it can be very difficult to stay on task and make sure all your is handed in at its assigned due date. Regents & finals can be a killer because those will mostly determine whether you pass or dont.

So If you find yourself preparing for school by hoping for the best and imagining the worst, you're not alone.
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http://www.alterheros.com/english/dossier/Articles.cfm?InfoID=113

In today's world, even as awareness and tolerance increase, homosexuality continues to be viewed negatively and through stereotypes. Unfortunately, many of them are treated unfairly throughout society - in church, at school and even in their own homes. At various times homosexuality has been considered a crime, a sickness, a sin or at the very least an abnormality. Given these negative social, religious and familial attitudes it is likely that most gay and lesbian people face difficult and challenging experiences on a regular basis. These youth experience a sense of being different and isolated in the world, and they are at high risk for severe depression and suicide.

Suicide is the 8th leading cause of death in America & is high amongst teens. For Teens ages "15-24, suicide is the third leading cause of death (National Center for Health Statistics, 1997)." As staggering as these numbers may appear, it is widely believed that suicide amongst gay, lesbian and bisexual youth is even more profound. According to Gibson (1989) "gay and lesbian youth have a two to three fold risk of suicide" compared to heterosexual youth. In a recent study by Bagley (1994), "5 out of every 8 suicide attempters were gay or bisexual -- or put another way, gay and bisexual youth are 13.6 times more likely to have attempted suicide than their heterosexual counterparts."

Gay & lesbian teens do not want to kill themselves because they are homosexual, but rather, they want to end the pain of constant rejection and abuse. It is not their sexual identity that leads to depression and the wish to die, but rather, the experiences of living in such an uncaring world.
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http://www.jenniferann.org/dating_violence_risks.htm
Warning Signs Of An Abusive Relationship

  • History of discipline problems.
  • Blames you for his/her anger.
  • Serious drug or alcohol use.
  • History of violent behavior.
  • Threatens others regularly.
  • Insults you or calls you names.
  • Trouble controlling feelings like anger.
  • Tells you what to wear, what to do or how to act.
  • Threatens or intimidates you in order to get their way.
  • Prevents you from spending time with friends or family.

Having An Over-Obessed Partner Can Be The Beginning Of An Abusive Relationship. When Behavior Changes In A Mate, They Loose Intrest In Things They Once Enjoyed, They Become Secretive & Moody, They Try To To Cover Up Brusies & They Try To Dodge All Questions Concerning Their Relationship Then They Are Going Through Serious Problems.

People in abusive relationships sometimes mistake the abuse for intense feelings of caring or concern. It can even seem flattering. excessive jealousy and controlling behavior are not signs of affection at all. Love involves respect and trust; it doesn't mean constantly worrying about the possible end of the relationship.

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http://www.abovetheinfluence.com/facts/whydrugs.aspx?id=search_whatdrugs#
What Is It About Marijuana That Teens Like So Much? What Gets Them Addicted?

  • Marijuana is addictive. More teens are in treatment with a primary diagnosis of marijuana dependence than for all other illicit drugs combined.
  • Young teens who use marijuana weekly have double the risk of depression later in life.
  • Heavy Marijuana users are more likely than non-users to be diagnosed with schizophrenia later in life. A recent study found that people who had used marijuana more than 50 times before the age of 18, had a three fold increased risk of developing schizophrenia later in life.
  • Weed can cause increased heart rate and make some users extremely anxious or paranoid.
  • Heavy marijuana use impairs young teens ability to concentrate and retain information.
  • The short-term effects of marijuana can include problems with memory and learning.

Some Teens Use Drugs To Run Away From Stress, But Drugs Dont Reduce Stress Or Fix Problems. They Think Drugs Will Make Them Seem Cool Or Tuff, But There Are Other Ways To Get Noticed.

"Stay Above The Influence"

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http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/06/09/graduating_homeless/

A Student From north High School Named Valencia McMurray Who Just Graduated This year Tells Her Story Of her Struggle To Stay In School & Graduate While Living On Her Own.

Shes Been Living Own Her Own Since She Was In The 10th Grade, Because Her Mother Moved To Oklahoma To Take Care Of Her Grandmother, & Her Father Lived In Wisconsin But She Didnt Really Know Him. After Her Mother Left She Shared An Apartement With One Of Her 4 Siblings In North Minneapolis. They Both Worked At A burger King To Pay The Rent. Sometime Went By & A Couple Of Her Brothers Friend Moved In And Her Brother Ended Up Loosing His Job, So She Had To Support All Of Them, But She Couldnt Do It & That Was Where Her Homelessness Began.

She Started Couch-Hopping, Staying At Friends Places. But She was Missing Alot Of School, And Her Teachers Noticed It. She Didnt Want To Tell Them That She Was Homeless, But They Kept On Asking & Wondering, So She Figured Something Had To give. When She Let Them Know How She Was Living The School Social Worker Found Space For Her At The 'Bridge' (An Emergency Shelter For Teens In South Minneapolis) (Where Shes Been Stayin For The Last 9 Months).

Valencia Says That She Thinks Her Teachers "Did A pretty Good Job Picking Up On Her Situation. She Was Missing Alot Of School, She Wasnt Doing Her Homework As Much As Before And Her Grades Were Slipping."

It Was Hard For Valencia To Keep Herself Motivated, To Get Up In The Morning To Go To School & Do All Her Work. Because When One Is Homeless The Only Thing You Have Are Endless Days & Unhappy Nights.
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Should Teen Criminals Be Locked Up In Adult Prisions ?
Some Say That Teens Who Commit Serious Crimes Should Go To Adult Prisons. Others Say That Teens Need Their Own Detention Centers.

"Do The Crime, Do The Time!" Thats What Always Been Said To Criminals, Especially Teens Who Commit Violent Crimes. There Are About Five Thousand Teens Under 18 Behind Bars In Adult Prisons And More To Come. Congress Wants To Pass A New Law That Would Send Teens As Young As 14 To Jail With Adult Criminals. They Argue That Sending Teens To Juvenile Prisons Lets Them Off Easy. They Say That Only Hard Time In Adult Prisons Will Convince A Teen Not To Commit Crimes.

I Believe As Much As Others Do Too That Kids Who Commit Serious Crimes Need Serious Help. They Need To Be In Rehabiliation Or Juvenile Detention Where They Can Clean Up Their Act. Locking Kids Up With Adult Criminals Only Increases Their Problems. They Dont Get The Help They Need. Worse, Adult Prisoners Will Often Attack Young People In Jail. Adult Prison Is No Place For A Yound Teen.

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Teens Beining Raped In Gang Initiations

Girls As Young As 13 Are Being Raped & Used As Sez Slaves In Sickening Gang Initiations. These Horrific Crimes Are Being Committed With Shocking Regularity Against Vulnerable Teenagers.Abuses Like This Have Been Going On For Years, But Some Say Its Been Getting Worse. Some Guys In The Gang Have Said That It Happens Alot, Girls Are Being Taken Advantage Of In The Most Horrible Ways. Some Teens Even Film Girls Getting Raped & Then They Pass It Around To Their Friends As If What They Have Done To The Young Teen Is Not Bad Enough.

Some Girls Are Pressured Into Doing These Terrible Things, Becoming These Gang Members Sex Objects & Their Sex Slaves. Some Girls Are Just Too Young To Understand What They Are Agreeing To. Sometimes The Girls Look Up To The Guy And The Guys Notices It & Takes Advantage Of Them. The Teen Can B Brainwashed Or Even Drugged & Forced. The Guys Think Of Them As Being 'Naive And Stupid Enough To Be Taken Advantage Of, & They Give Them No Respect For It At All.' The Worst Thing Is There Are Many Diseases & Unwanted Pregnancies Happening As A result.

The Rapes Are Like An Intiation, Sometimes For The Girl But Sometimes For The Boys To Prove They Are Men.These Male Teens In Gangs Ages 15-20 & Sometimes Younger, Have No Respect For Girls.

'They'll Say The Girl Is Willing, But Thats No Excuse To Take Advantage Of Young Girls'

Monday, June 8, 2009

Case: Beekman Vs. Virginia
Constitutional Question: Should parental consent be required for underage pregnant women to have abortions?

I agree with Virginia because if someone chooses to have sex at a young age then one must deal with the consequences. Maybe those conseqyuences will teach teens not to have unprotected sex. Its not right to kill an innocent child, who had nothing to do with his parents unforgiving decisions.

Friday, April 24, 2009

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http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-2139.html
What encourages teens to have sex anyway ?

4 of some the reasons are 'environment, friends that encourage them to do it, age of partner and perceived family support may affect young people's decisions to have sex.' Its been found that 4,201 girls in 8th through 12th grades that have had intercourse, those who lost their virginity between ages 11 and 12 tended to have partners five or more years older. For girls who had sex later in adolescence, the partner's age disparity was much smaller. I believe that when a younger girl gets involved with an older guy, the guy will try to take advantage of the girl and tell her everything she wants to hear so he can get what he wants.

Im not saying having sex is deadly and you shouldnt do it, but remember that with all these STDS and HIV flowing around the world one unprotected night with your mate, can be your last if you two dont be safe and use condoms. Statistics have said that Nineteen million new STD infections occur each year, almost half of them among young people ages 15 to 24. 10,000 teens are infected by STDs per day, one every eight seconds!

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

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http://depression.about.com/b/2008/02/05/1-in-6-teens-self-harm.htm

Why do so many teens tend to harm themselves? Its been said that 1 in 6 teens self-harm using methods like cutting, sufficating or burning themselves in order to cope with depression and anxiety.Cutting was the most common method utilized, followed by burning, scratching, self-hitting and minor overdoses of drugs and alcohol. But what leads teens to harm themselves in such negavtive ways ? 'In an interview with The Globe and Mail, research associate Mary Nixon made it clear that self-harm is not about suicide or attention-seeking. It's a "maladaptive coping mechanism to deal with stress," she said. "These young people are translating their emotional pain into physical pain."

Many teens tend to harm themselves when going through stress with school, being pushed around by friends, family problems, or just being unpopular. But those shouldnt be any reasons for 1 to harm themselves, we were made they we were for a reason, we just have to work with it and love oursleves for who we are. And believe that when 1 loves themselves they wont want to harm themselves.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/g/a/2006/10/29/sanqyouthvid.DTL&o=0

Ever wanted to know how it felt to be in prison? Well in this link you will have a good idea on what it may feel like. Four teenage boys from Oakland got a glimpse of prison life as San Quentin inmates showed them the harsh reality of daily existence inside 'The Big House.' Some of the inmates even acknowledged the prison as 'The Garbage can of Society.' Some of the inmates wanted to show the teens the bad choices they made and where they led to, and to try to help them see where they need to make better choices and how to make better choices. While in the prison the teens found it hard to live in the small, stink and dirty cells and live with the harsh criminals around them.

To all teens that are in trouble daily, or hangout with troublemakers and criminals, I hope you to can make the Right descision and back away from the situation. Remember only because you didnt do the crime it doesnt mean that you wont do the time! The people you associate yourself with can make you just as guilty. So next time your friend wants you to tag along when he's out to hurt someone, think twice before going along with him/her because you to will end up hurt... In Prison that is!

Friday, April 3, 2009

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http://www.standupforkids.org/slideshow1.html
In this link you can see how homeless kids were living and you can see all the hurt & pain they were going through while being homeless and living in the streets with danger and drugs. But happily the StandUp For Kids foundation found them and saved them they even found them families. The kids put in there own part also by learning to love themselves and want the best for themselves. They went to school and had great job occupations.

I want to personally thank and congratulate the people from the StandUp For Kids foundation. Its a very positive thing that you guys take your time out to help these young teens when they are in their worst times in life and they live wit so much hate and suffering. You are doing a very good thing for these teens and many others that you guys run into, keep up the good work.
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What is it about drugs that attracts millions of teens to them? Now-a-days, drugs can be found everywhere from the street corner, to the apartment across from you. It may also seem like everyone's doing them. But the most affected by the drugs and its abuse (which not many know about) are teens. Teens are very tempted by the excitement or escape that drugs seem to offer.
Raised in the streets of New York, I caught myself hanging with drug dealers and drug addicts; it really wasn’t my choice because that was all I saw around me. From just hanging out with them I began using the drugs and I think many other teens started off that way too. Many teens use drugs because it feels like you’re in another world. But no matter how good it may make you feel, you always have your own choice whether to stop or keep messing up your life. I chose to stop.
http://www.youthnoise.com/page.php?page_id=426 shows a percentage of teens smokers at young ages.
The drugs made me act different and I felt very weird and it made me very paranoid. I couldn’t take it anymore and I knew that drugs weren’t for me. It was easy for me to quit. But for other teens they are so caught up in it that it maybe to late because the drugs have the best of them. But they maybe naïve and believe they are not addicted but whenever they try to quit they go back to it when problems come up or when they see their friends doing them.
Some teens believe drugs will help them think better, become popular or stay more active. Others are just curious and think that one try wont hurt them but that can be the beginning. Others want to fit in. A few use drugs to get attention from their parents if they feel that they are being neglected.
Many teens use drugs because they're depressed or think drugs will help them escape their problems. But the truth is that drugs won’t solve ones problems - they just hide feelings and problems. As soon as a drug wears off, the feelings and problems remain, and may even get worse. Drugs can ruin every aspect of a person's life.

Your not alone quitting is only a few seconds away- making your life better can really happen you just have to believe and get help, ask a friend or a loved one, they are their for you.
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