Teens at Risk: Dangerous Risky Behaviors

© Stephanie Hicks 2008

Ah... the teenage years. Time to expand your wings a bit and test the boundaries with your parents. Unfortunately, many teens take the "experimental" years too far, resulting in serious physical or emotional damage, or even death. As a parent, it is distressing to read news reports of car accidents, school shootings, or drug experimentation gone wrong. But a close personal relationship with your teen can, in fact, increase the odds that your child will graduate high school with a healthy mind and body. What do you really know about teens at risk?

Of the many risky behaviors in which teens tend to participate, the following are probably the most common:

1. Underage drinking
2. Drug use and abuse
3. Smoking
4. Unprotected sex
5. Excessive dieting and/or eating disorders
6. Unsafe driving (under the influence, on cell phones, or rough-housing with friends)

If you are not certain whether your teens at risk, or if you know someone who has children this age, please read on!

Do you have teens at risk for underage drinking? In the United States, you must be 21 years old to legally purchase alcohol. Consumption is less regulated, however, and unfortunately, some parents either do not pay attention or even specifically allow their teens to drink alcohol with their friends. Of course, an underage drinker can be arrested for being a "minor in possession" of alcohol, as well as for actually attempting to buy alcoholic products.

There are a number of reasons why teens should not consume alcohol, beyond just the legal aspects. First, teenagers are more likely to binge-drink. Binging is defined as drinking more than 3 alcoholic drinks in a single sitting. A single drink is 12 ounces of beer, 6 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor. Binging can lead to intoxication and impaired judgment. Not a good thing with a teenager who thinks he or she already knows everything.

Second, a teenager's brain is still growing and developing. Consumption of alcohol can interrupt and even arrest this development, leading to long term brain damage! While a teen may appear like an adult physically, their bodies are still changing and growing in less obvious ways.

Finally, a drunk teenager is more likely to engage in other risky behaviors, such as unprotected sex or driving (or riding with someone) under the influence. A single drink can be enough to lead to lifelong circumstances that cannot be reversed.

Talk to your teen about these risks and make sure that they understand the long-term effects of drinking.

Teenagers may experiment with drugs, both legal and illegal. Of course, we are all aware of potential teen use of marijuana, cocaine, crack, and methamphetamines, which are particularly dangerous for teens at risk. In addition are the dangers associated with use and abuse of legal medications. Some teens sneak into their parents' medicine cabinets to use drugs prescribed for another person. Others abuse cold and cough medications for a "high."

Parents and educators alike need to apprise teens of the risks of using any drugs, or even so-called "natural remedies." Combinations of a number of drugs, even those legally prescribed, can be fatal. The sad story of Heath Ledger's death is a grim reminder of this fact.

Illegal drug use, like alcohol, can impair the judgment of the teen user. It can damage developing brains, as well. When taken in combination with alcohol (which itself is a drug), serious side-effects may result. Teens may be tempted by their peers to try seemingly benign drugs like marijuana (pot), thinking that there cannot be any harm considering pervasive use in the 1960s and 70s. These days, smoking pot is considered to be a "starter" drug, which can easily lead to more dangerous use of cocaine and meth.

Cigarette smoking tends to come and go as far as "coolness." Despite a general overall reduction in the population's use of tobacco, teenagers still light up at an alarming rate. State laws have been enacted since my high school years, making it illegal to purchase cigarettes if you are under 18 years of age. As with alcohol though, there are some stores that do not check IDs frequently enough to prevent teens from acquiring and using tobacco products.

Smoking is highly addictive and dangerous. There are no safe cigarettes! Teens that smoke as few as 100 cigarettes (about 10 packs) can be hooked and find it difficult to quit.

One study showed that "nicotine is the number one entrance drug into other substance abuse problems." Teens who smoke each day are more likely to use other drug substances.

As much as parents would like to ignore this fact, teens often become sexually active before graduating high school. Over the years, media uproar has resulted from some schools making condoms available to the students, on the basis that it would encourage kids to have sex. Whether or not your teen will choose to sleep with their boyfriend or girlfriend, it is best for them to become educated about the transmission of disease and/or potential pregnancy.

Risky behavior includes sexual intercourse without the use of a condom. Teens have a number of misconceptions about sex: what constitutes "sex," how you can or cannot get pregnant, and HIV/AIDS. Unfortunately, their bodies are developed before their minds. If you are not sure your school is providing thorough, accurate information, have a talk with your child. Buy some books and make sure that they understand that merely being on birth control pills will not prevent disease.

The emotional toll that early sexual behavior can have on teenagers can also be damaging. Loss of self-esteem and destructive behaviors can arise when teens start engaging in sex at too early an age.

Body image is especially important to teens, as they develop an identify of who they believe themselves to be. Girls and boys alike can fall into dangerous dieting behaviors for a number of reasons: to impress friends or members of the opposite sex, for attention, to "make weight" for certain sports, or simply as a symptom of other underlying emotional issues. When weight loss reaches a certain level, or the child cannot stop obsessing about food and weight, a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa may be warranted. People that suffer from this disease have a distorted body image and may think that they are "fat," when they are instead wasting away. Medical intervention is often necessary. Taken too far, or for too long, teenage girls will stop menstruating, grow additional body hair, and/or lose hair from their heads. Internal organs may start shutting down in extreme cases. It is a very serious disorder that requires immediate attention.

Another common eating disorder is bulimia. This involves forced vomiting and/or use of laxatives after eating to "rid" the body of the food and calories. Bulimia may or may not include binging on food before vomiting. Again, this form of behavior is very dangerous to the health of the teenager. Electrolyte imbalance can result, leading to hospitalization or death. Years of forced vomiting can wear away the enamel of teeth and scar the esophagus. Like anorexia, medical attention is required if your teen has this disorder.

There is a reason why the legal driving age in the United States is 16 years. Many teens are simply not responsible enough to consistently drive a vehicle in a safe manner. A number of states have instituted additional laws to protect teens and the general public from mistakes that may be made by early drivers. These include cell phone bans (some generally applicable, others limited to teens), driving only at certain hours of the day, restricted number of passengers, etc.

Texting is a big no-no for people of any age. After a boy on his bicycle was killed by a texting driver recently, the judge declared at the sentencing (3 years in prison) that texting while driving is like driving blindfolded.

Obviously, the biggest risk is that your teen would drink and drive. It is against the law no matter what your age. And it takes much less for a teen to exceed the legal blood alcohol limit (usually .08). As little as one drink and your teen can be over the limit. Of course, teens should not be drinking anyway.

Other risks include those that result from too many kids in one car, and horsing around. Inattentive driving can result in serious, if not fatal, car accidents. A teen needs to stay focused on the road ahead, not play with the car stereo or try to make or take phone calls. Limiting the time that your teen has access to a car, or the circumstances under which they are allowed to drive can help reduce the likelihood of tragedy.

There are varied reasons why teenagers engage in some, or all of these risky behaviors. Every child is unique, and home situations vary. A certain amount of risk-taking is probably just a result of growing up and experimenting. However, teens that consistently put themselves into dangerous situations, or take the behavior to the next level, may be crying out for help. If you see teens at risk, talking to your child is the first step. Seek additional resources through the school counselor, pediatrician, or religious leader, if necessary. Don't just sit by and watch your teenager risk their life. Your teen will thank you - someday.