Teen Issues Today

Can you think of the last compliment you received? Can you remember how warm and tingly it made you feel on the inside? Daily I see evidence of eating disorders, drug use, self – esteem issues, self harm, and mental conditions. Many of the people I converse with seem to have one or more of these concerns, they normally state that they don’t have anyone to talk to or they don’t have any friends. People don’t realize how effective a “Hello” or a simple compliment can mean to someone. I believe self-confidence and self- respect, especially among females is ridiculously poor. I advocate being a friend, giving a compliment daily, confidence, and recovery. Teens Helping Teens is a group on MySpace, run by a small town girl, which is for teens who are dealing with any social problem. I am a student leader with the group, meaning anyone can message me and talk about any issue they may be having. Receiving messages has really opened my eyes to how important just a person to talk to really is.
Depression is so prevalent in teens today. On average, one out of every five teenagers hasclinical depression. Many teens who message me talk about how they hate feeling sad all the time. They say how they want to “give up” or how they feel worthless. No one should feel a lack of importance. Many of the teens have not been prescribed or they gave up on medications. People with depression have been known to give up on medications after two tries with negative results. Those people often tend to commit suicide. I tell the despondent teens that I believe meds are a good thing, with the right combination, and that they may not get the right combo the first, second, or fifth try. I say that there is a medication out there for them they just need to find. I support the use of help hotlines, especially for the people who really just want someone to vent to, besides me. Teen help hotlines are a great option. They are confidential, they are trained, and they care, and most are 24/7. Telling...