16 RISK SITUATIONS IN ADOLESCENCE - PSYCHOLOGY - 2024

Risky situations in adolescence are behaviors that can produce negative consequences, both in the adolescent's health, as well as in their personal and family life and even in their future.

For the vast majority of people, adolescence is a time of many changes. For the first time in life, the individual begins to move away from family protection and begins to explore all kinds of new possibilities and behaviors. Unfortunately, in many cases this implies participation in activities with a high risk of causing negative consequences.

Smoking is risky behavior for teens. Source: pexels.com

Teenagers engaging in risky behavior is totally normal, despite how stressful this can be for parents. During this time people need to explore their own limits and understand their abilities, as well as test externally imposed rules and find their own path as individuals.

In addition to this, the latest research in neuroscience has shown that the areas of the brain responsible for planning and impulse control do not finish developing until around the age of 25. Because of this, teens are much more likely to engage in dangerous behaviors without thinking too much about the consequences.

Unfortunately, although this trend may be healthy and natural, it is also possible that it leads to risk situations that can have very negative effects in the medium and long term on people's lives. In this article we bring you a list of the ten most common risk behaviors that usually appear during this stage.

Main risk situations in adolescence

1- Abandonment of studies

For many parents, the main objective of adolescents is to train properly, so that in the future they can develop a good working life and find the necessary opportunities to achieve a satisfying career. However, due to many different factors, more and more young people are dropping their studies.

This risky behavior may seem relatively harmless at first glance; but in reality it is one of those with the most serious long-term consequences. Numerous studies show that poor academic results correlate with a lower income level and greater job insecurity in the future.

School dropouts can occur in many different ways. This behavior can be something as simple as studying less than necessary, in such a way that the grades suffer; or something as serious as not going to class altogether. In any case, parents and teachers must be attentive to this type of behavior to remedy them as soon as they appear.

2- Risky sexual activity

Exploring sex is one of the most important activities of adolescence for most individuals. When they enter this stage, people are attracted to others for the first time, and the urge to interact with others in a romantic, affective and sexual way appears. This is not only normal, but in almost all cases it is a positive thing.

However, sex is an activity that involves quite a few risks if it is not carried out with caution. There are many possible negative consequences, including unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, and even some purely social and emotional ones.

Because of this, both parents and educators have a responsibility to educate young people about the possible consequences of unsafe sex; about the importance of choosing your sexual partners well, using a condom and focusing on your own well-being and that of the other person at all times. Only in this way is it possible to avoid most of the negative consequences of this activity.

3- Alcohol consumption

It is practically impossible to think about adolescence and not associate this time with alcohol. Almost all the social activities of people in this age group have to do with their consumption: passing through bottles, parties or going out to discos, very few young people realize the dangers of this substance.

And is that despite being socially accepted, alcohol does not stop being a drug; and one of those that causes the most negative effects. For example, the alcohol withdrawal syndrome is one of the few that can cause death; And the same goes for her overdose, which is relatively easy to get to.

Therefore, educating teens about the dangers of alcohol abuse, its addiction, and the long-term effects that both can have on their lives is critical.

4- Smoking

Despite the fact that tobacco use is not as widespread as it used to be, the truth is that many adolescents still decide to start smoking. They usually do it as a result of different types of social pressure, or with the intention of appearing more attractive or interesting.

However, today we know that the long-term consequences of smoking are extremely negative. The best known is lung cancer, but there are many others, such as loss of lung capacity, impotence, hair loss or permanent damage to bones and muscles.

5- Use of recreational drugs

The vast majority of young people limit their experiences with drugs to alcohol and tobacco; but a small percentage of them decide to go one step further and start experimenting with other more powerful substances. From cannabis (the most common drug of consumption) to ecstasy, cocaine or LSD, the temptations of the youngest in this regard are many.

Unfortunately, it has been proven that the only truly effective way to prevent adolescent drug use is by raising awareness and creating a healthy lifestyle in which young people have adequate social support. Only in this way can the dire consequences derived from substance abuse of this type be avoided.

6- Risk behaviors in social networks

Social networks are a fundamental part of the lives of many adolescents; but its indiscriminate use can cause many dangerous situations. Therefore, it is necessary to train young people about the possible consequences of engaging in risky behavior on these platforms.

Thus, for example, many adolescents use social networks to contact strangers, send private photos, or share personal information that should not come to light. All these behaviors can have very severe damaging effects on the lives of the very young.

7- Aggressive behaviors

During adolescence, hormone levels change completely, causing young people to act in ways that just a few years earlier would have been unthinkable for them. One of the situations in which these changes can be seen the most is in the use of violence.

Many adolescents (both men and women), having not fully developed their emotional and communication resources, choose to use physical or psychological violence to get what they want or to be above others.

Teen violence can take the form of fighting, bullying, name calling, virtual bullying, and many other similar actions. The consequences of all these actions can be delayed in the future and ruin the lives of both those who carry them out and their victims, so it is necessary to prevent and eradicate them when they occur.

8- Reckless driving

Although the minimum driving age in most countries is 18, many teens decide to get behind the wheel illegally before meeting this requirement. Not only can this lead to problems with the law, but it can also lead to extremely serious problems such as traffic accidents.

But even if the teen who is driving is doing so legally, it is very common for them to engage in reckless behavior behind the wheel. Studies show that young people are much more prone to actions such as exceeding speed limits or driving after drinking, which in many cases has fatal consequences for their physical well-being.

9- Perpetration of crimes

During adolescence, many young people feel a strong rejection of rules and authority. Although this is quite common and does not have to be negative in itself, in the most extreme cases it can lead them to commit all kinds of crimes and to seek very serious problems with the law.

For example, most petty crimes related to theft, violence or vandalism are carried out by teenagers, who in many cases commit them as a way to attract attention or gain the approval of their peers. It is essential to offer healthier alternatives to adolescents to prevent them from engaging in these risky behaviors.

10- Suicidal behavior

One of the most common risk behaviors among adolescents, and unfortunately one of the least mentioned socially, is suicide or the attempt to commit it. More and more adolescents feel that they do not have supports and develop all kinds of disorders such as depression or anxiety. If these difficulties are not addressed, the consequences can be extremely serious.

Suicide is the leading cause of death among adolescents. Therefore, it is necessary to create greater social awareness around this problem and generate an adequate support network so that the youngest do not resort to this desperate measure when they feel overwhelmed by their circumstances.

11- Sexting

Sexting, or having sex chat online, is another risky behavior that is on the rise among teens. The obvious risk is that a teenager may be chatting with a dangerous person who is using a false identity.

If a teenager who is under 18 years old sends a nude photo to someone, the act is legally defined as child pornography, even if the recipient is another teenager and both parties are willing.

12- Eating disorders

Eating disorders are more common in teenage girls. Warning signs to watch out for include low self-esteem, rapid weight loss, concern about calorie and food counts, and complaints about being suspected of being overweight.

The main eating disorders are anorexia and bulimia.

13- Inadequate diet

The adolescent is still in the growth stage, so not maintaining a balanced diet can lead to significant eating disorders. This will not only affect your physical health, but also mental health, generating from self-esteem problems to bulimia or anorexia.

14- Obesity

Obesity is one of the most important health problems in the world. In the case of adolescents, the figures multiply year after year, which poses a risk to their cardiovascular system and a greater probability of cancer, among other ills.

15- Illegal activities and vandalism

Vandalism and other illegal activities can lead to young people ending up in boarding schools, juvenile centers or, depending on their age, even jail. In turn, having a criminal record can cause you many problems in the future, and you may even be devoid of some rights.

16- truancy

Failure to attend class without justification can pose a serious problem for the adolescent when it comes to developing as a person. From family problems, flirting with drugs or alcohol, poverty, social rejection or difficulty inserting into work life.

References

1. "The Truth About Teens and Risky Behavior" in: Newport Academy. Retrieved on: October 29, 2019 from Newport Academy: newportacademy.com.
2. "Risky behavior in teenagers: how to handle it" in: Raising Children. Retrieved on: October 29, 2019 from Raising Children: raisingchildren.net.au.
3. "The Top Six Teen Risk Behaviors" in: Paradigm Malibu. Retrieved on: October 29, 2019 from Paradigm Malibu: paradigmmalibu.com.
4. "Risk behaviors in adolescents and young people" in: Clínica Universidad de los Andes. Retrieved on: October 29, 2019 from Clínica Universidad de los Andes: clinicauandes.cl.
5. "6 Types of Teen Risky Behavior to Watch Out For" in: Paradigm Malibu. Retrieved on: October 29, 2019 from Paradigm Malibu: paradigmmalibu.com.