Posted under Teens

Parents: Watch Out for Teen Cough Medicine Abuse

With all the headline stories on the news about teen drug and alcohol abuse, parents may become somewhat inured to the reality that’s going on with their own teens. What many parents don’t suspect or even know about is the fact that a growing number of teens in America are abusing cough medicine. Continue Reading

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Teenagers Losing Important Sleep Patterns Due to Excessive Technology Use

According to a recent report from New Delhi, many teenagers are spending such excessive amounts of time involved with some form of technology that they are developing resulting health problems. Devices such as cell phones, computers and video games are causing teenagers to lose healthy sleep patterns resulting in depression and obesity, highlighted a recent news article. Continue Reading

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Thanksgiving Eve Night Biggest Night for Underage Drinking According to Poll

According to Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, or MADD, the night before Thanksgiving is a bigger night for minors drinking than prom night or even graduation. MADD cautions that parents need to realize that it is illegal to host events that allow minors to drink at their homes. Continue Reading

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Sonic Drugs a New Threat to Teens?

A recent study from the University of Pittsburgh and Dartmouth University suggests that music can influence teens’ decision to use drugs and alcohol. Teens listening to rap, R&B and hip hop can expect to hear three brand-name alcohol references per hour, potentially leading to teen alcohol abuse and other risky behaviors.

But can music itself get teens high? Some experts say yes. Known as sonic drugs, or i-dosing, some websites claim that listening to a specific type of sound can make someone feel high. Users choose from a menu of single drugs or “packs,” which range from a few dollars to almost $200. Sonic drug options include marijuana, alcohol, cocaine, hallucinogens and prescription drugs.

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The Power of an Informed Parent

"Oh, mom, not another talk about drugs!”

If that’s the response you get from your teenagers when you try to enlighten them about the dangers of drug abuse, congratulations, you’re on the right track! Continue Reading

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Gummi Bears and Dragonfly: A New Wave of Teen Drug Abuse

Just when you thought the teen drug scene couldn’t get any stranger, news reports boggle parents’ minds with new ways teens are getting high.

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Hookah Use in High Schools

While several decades ago cigarette smoking was associated with being cool, modern kids know better. SAMHSA reports that cigarette use has declined in recent years, which is welcomed news given the risks associated with tobacco use, from lung cancer to emphysema. Continue Reading

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Study Says Teens’ Sexual Behavior Impacted by Song Lyrics

What’s playing on a teen’s MP3 player or iPod can strongly impact their sexual choices and beliefs, says a new research study. For teen girls, sexually charged lyrics can also cause significant damage to their self-worth and body perception and possibly raise their risks for eating disorders.

Published in Sexuality & Culture, study authors from Utah’s Brigham Young University want parents and professional educators to know that their findings suggest a link between sexual lyrics and teen beliefs and behaviors toward sex. The authors’ findings fall into alignment with previous studies stating there’s a strong connection between exposing teens to sexual content on TV, in movies and through music and their sexual behaviors.

Not only do certain types of sexual lyrics seem to impact teen behaviors, according to a recent Medical News Today article, they also impact the way teens think about their peers’ sexual activity. Researchers believe the lyrics may lead teens to believe their peers are more highly involved in sexual behaviors, contributing to the strong effect of peer pressure to also become more involved in sex.

For girls, sexually charged song lyrics can also contribute to low self-esteem, a decline in body acceptance and a potentially higher risk of eating disorders, as well as problems with drug and alcohol use. They may also be more likely to experiment sexually or view themselves as a sexual object. Males may respond to sexual lyrics with aggressive behaviors toward women.

The connection between sexually themed music and teen behaviors has also gained strength by the sheer quantity of music teens and grade-schoolers are listening to. Studies suggest their usage of personal music players has grown by 45 percent in recent years.

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Social Networking Associated with Alcohol and Marijuana Use

Facebook has provided a new unknown for parents. Just as parents in the 1980s and 1990s may have felt uneasy about the introduction of rental movies and cable television into their worlds, parents now are aware that there might be risks associated with social networking. Continue Reading

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Cell Phones, Low Self-Esteem Cited as Reasons Teens Become Addicted to Online Porn

Today, sex addiction is topping the list when it comes to dangerous teen behaviors. One reason, say teens and experts alike, is that cell phones are making the material easier to access than ever. Continue Reading