SOCIAL PROBLEMS AMONG TEENAGERS

A social problem is a condition that at least some people in a community view as being
undesirable. Everyone would agree about some social problems, such as murders and DWI
traffic deaths. Other social problems may be viewed as such by certain groups of people.
Teenagers who play loud music in a public park obviously do not view it as a problem, but some
other people may consider it an undesirable social condition. Some nonsmokers view smoking
as an undesirable social condition that should be banned or restricted in public buildings.

Every newspaper is filled with stories about undesirable social conditions. Examples
include crime, violence, drug abuse, and environmental problems. Such social problems can be
found at the local, state, national and international levels.

There are many social problems that teenagers go threw. Drugs and Teenagers Drug
use is the increasing problem among teenagers in todays high schools. Most drug use begins
in the preteen and teenage years, these years most crucial in the maturation process. During
these years adolescents are faced with difficult tasks of discovering their self identity, clarifying
their sexual roles, assenting independence, learning to cope with authority and searching for
goals that would give their lives meaning. Drugs are readily, adolescents are curious and
venerable, and there is peer pressure to experiment, and there us a temptation to escape from
conflicts. The use of drugs by teenagers is the result of a combination of factors such as peer
pressure, curiosity, and availability. Drugs addiction among adolescents in turn leads to
depression and suicide.

One of the most important reasons of teenage drug usage is peer pressure. Peer
pressure represents social influences that effect adolescents, it can have a positive or a
negative effect, depending on persons social group and one can follow one path of the other.
We are greatly influenced by the people around us.

According to the lecturer from Faculty of Leadership and Management (FKP), Islamic
Science University of Malaysia (USIM), Madam Marina Muneera Abdul Muattalib said that, in
todays schools drugs are very common, peer pressure usually is the reason for their usage. If
the people in the social group use drugs there will be pressure a direct or indirect pressure from
them. A person may be offered to try drugs, which is direct pressure. Indirect pressure is when
someone sees everyone around him using drugs and he might think that there is nothing wrong
with using drugs. Person might try drugs just to fit in the social norms, even if a person had no
intentions of using drugs one might do it just to be considered cool by his friends.

Today drugs are considered to be an acceptable social phenomenon by many

teenagers. Here is a personal example of drug use from a teenager, When I started using, was
only on weekends, at parties. I used drugs recreationally and therefore thought I had no
addiction problem. I used drugs like nicotine, marijuana or LSD to be happy or to have fun. I
needed drugs. I kept using drugs. I used drugs like marijuana to fit socially. I had problems in
my life, emotionally, that drugs only seemed to solve. Drugs made my problems worse. I started
snorting cocaine. I injected heroin into my veins. I almost died. I was addicted.

In todays highs schools the availability and variety of drugs is widespread. There is a
demand for drugs and the supply is plentiful. Since drugs are so easy accessible, a natural
interest in them may develop. Many teenagers today believe that the first use of drugs is safe.
However even though there is no instant addiction with the first try, youngsters tend to
experiment further. Soon a person could actively seek the euphoric effects of drugs. Drug
addiction is the result of intense preoccupation with the dicer to experience the mental and
bodily changes with drug use. The final and the most disastrous stage are when a person needs
drugs in order to function adequately. Therefore availability, curiosity and experimentation could
result in drug addiction among teenagers.

According to the staff of government, Mohd Azuan Hussin, 26, said that, one of the most
devastating side effects of drug addiction and abuse is depression. Depression is the result of
chemical imbalance, environmental influence, or a combination of both. Using heavy and very
highly addictive drugs as heroin, cocaine, opium and many others will cause sudden mood
changes, deterioration of the immune system, nervous breakdowns, unusual flares of temper
and many other side effects. Besides physical side effects, drug addiction can create problems
in a persons social circles. The person may run into many conflicts with his family and friends,
resulting in desire for isolation. This in turn will create more problems since the person will have
no social support. Furthermore, drug addiction is a financial strain especially for teenagers.
When a person is addicted to drugs he will do anything to obtain money to fulfill his needs. Drug
addiction is the results of 3 Is. Teenagers may think of their problems as Inescapable,
Interminable and Intolerable. Life may seem bleak and miserable. Seeing no way out feeling
lonely and no prospects for improvement leads to depression. This can further lead to attempted
suicide. Many studies have found that drugs are a contributing factor to suicide.
 Using drugs may reduce inhibitions and impair judgments, suicide is a possibility. As one
statistic illustrates 70% of all young people who attempted suicide used drugs. Illegal drugs, for
example, weed, speed, acid, or ecstasy has always been a problem among the younger folks,
the problems gets even more serious if it involves additive substances such as cocaine. The
most common seen illegal drug around teens in BC is Ecstasy, or generally called E. Es are
usually involved in rave parties; people take Es and dance overnight. The academic name for E
is hallucinogenic stimulant, it generally affects the concentration of the brain, and it can change
ones mood, sleep, sexual behavior, body temperature and appetite. The sensation sight, sound
and touch are enhanced, thats why its usually used at discos and parties. It takes about 30 to
40 minutes to get high and about three to four hours to wear off. Side effects include heart and
blood pressure problems, blurred vision, chills and sweating. The tablet changes every week
and counterfeits are always around, it is not addictive. It is illegal to buy, sell, produce or posses
any amount of E.

The problems of teenage drug use, depression and suicide are evident in our society.
These are very real and threatening issues that have to be dealt with. Going into the 21st
century we have to face to problems of our future generations. There are many non-profitable
organizations that help teenagers to cope with drug use. There are help lines, community
services that offer information about drugs, and individual counseling is available almost in
every education institution. There is help available to those who seek it.

Unplanned pregnancy and the contraction of sexually transmitted diseases continue to

be prevalent problems among adolescents. These problems often result in adverse health,
social, and economic consequences for teenagers and their families.

Currently, there is little practice-based information concerning interventions designed to

improve communication comfort about sexually related issues within families, especially
between parents and their adolescents. Adolescents often engage in a wide range of high-risk
sexual behaviors that can result in adverse health, social, and economic consequences for
themselves and their families. Many of the programs serving teens and their families do not
utilize social learning or other similar approaches to facilitate effective communication about sex
between parents and their adolescents. In addition, many programs do not emphasize effective
familial communication about adolescent sexuality, specifically the prevention of pregnancy and
STIs, and this lack of attention may explain why changes in adolescents knowledge, attitudes,
and skills have not always resulted in corresponding changes in their risk-taking sexual
behaviors.

According to the student from Faculty of Syariah and Law (FSU), Islamic Science
University of Malaysia (USIM), Nur Nabihah Johari,22, said that parents need accurate
information and support to feel more comfortable and confident that they possess the necessary
communication skills to be effective in discussing risk-taking sexual behaviors with their
adolescents. Although effective familial sex communication can lead to decreased adolescent
risk-taking sexual behaviors, discomfort experienced by parents and their adolescents in
speaking about adolescent sexuality can prevent effective sex education from occurring.

In terms of communication an emphasis on comfort needs to be given to helping

parents increase communication skills while strengthening relationships. Adolescents who are
sexually active are more likely to report poor communication with their parents. Sex education
that provides skills training based on social-learning principles can be an important type of
practice- based educational approach. Social-learning theory suggests that the norms and
behavior of the people around teenagers, particularly parents, influence their behavior. Most sex
education programs communicate that it is desirable to postpone sexual intercourse and that
unprotected sex should be avoided. These programs may take place in school or community
settings such as hospitals. They usually combine information on human sexuality with specific,
concrete skills- building sessions on how to resist influences encouraging sexual activity. Some
of these programs also work to increase parentchild communication on sexuality and sexual
choices. Although evaluations of these programs have not provided conclusive evidence, they
do appear to be effective in postponing sexual activity among virgins. It is important to note that
while they do not appear to influence the level of sexual activity of those already sexually active,
these programs may help these teens use contraceptives more effectively. Teens not only need
information about their sexuality, but they also need to know how to apply this information in
daily life. For most people, including adolescents, there is usually a gap between what people
know and what they do. Therefore, sex education programs need to place emphasis on
teaching decision-making skills, life skills, and life planning.

Social workers and other helping professionals need to take leadership roles in
designing, implementing, directing, and evaluating comprehensive and effective practice
interventions in all areas of practice, including those that involve familial sex education
approaches and programs. However, practitioners must first recognize and then acknowledge
that parents have a vital role to play in prevention efforts. Preventative sex education efforts of
most programs still largely exclude parents as agents of change in agency-based interventions
intended to reduce adolescent risk-taking sexual behaviors. Sex education information has been
shown to be more effective when combined with familial sex communication.

It seems reasonable to believe that parental involvement could be successfully

incorporated into existing sex education programs. Doing so may result in both reduced
risk-taking sexual behaviors by adolescents and increased levels of comfort during familial sex
communication. For the conclusion, one of the most important goals is to prevent children from
violating any further so they can become responsible and successful adults. The second most
important goal is to protect society from the criminal acts of children. Parents need to teach
children self-control by monitoring the childs behavior, recognizing the different behaviors when
they occur, and punishing those which are unacceptable. Through education, treatment, and
affection, prevention of criminal acts reaches juveniles and assists them into a healthier and
better life. To be able to use these components at the earliest stage possible is to keep these
teenagers away from ever entering the juvenile justice system in the first place. With the help of
education, training, and support for the staff, probation officers can be better prepared to take
on diverse cases of all types. The juvenile justice system needs improvement. Probation
officers, judges, and family members need to make effective decisions about who should really
be incarcerated and/or receive probation. If an offense made is not extremely serious and the
client and officer can agree on a punishment, the child does not need to present himself upon a
judge. If either the client or officer wants to make an appearance in court, an agreement cannot
be reached, or threats have been made involving either parties or others, a court decision is
most suggested. In addition, to making the correct choices, good community programs are also
necessary to place delinquents in a better environment to be able to succeed. Though juveniles
tend to steal, trespass, fight, drink, take drugs, use profanity, run away from home, and miss
school, many solutions were being thought about to prevent these flaws. The first has already
been mentioned and deals with toughening up and placing juveniles in adult courts. The
removing offenders from society for longer periods of time will reduce crime. Those who have
not committed a serious crime will come to the realization of the possible punishments such as
life in prison, the death penalty, and others. Violent offenders would be less likely to repeat their
crimes by learning from their first lesson.

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