Teen Health Can Be Enhanced Through Positive Attitude
Teen Health > Teen Health Can Be Enhanced Through Positive Attitude
Your teenage years are a prime time for experiencing nagging doubts about your self-worth and image. Peers can be downright cruel to classmates who are deemed too fat, too thin, not pretty enough, too smart, not smart enough – practically anything to set a teenager apart is considered a flaw by a lot of middle school and high school students. Beyond stressing over issues such as whether you’ll have a prom date or be invited to sit at the cool lunch table, developing poor body image or self-esteem can contribute to serious and destructive teen health issues, including anorexia, bulimia, depression, suicide attempts, aggression toward others, drug and alcohol abuse, and – resulting often from drug and alcohol abuse – car accidents. Teenage life is all about making Positive choices.
Puberty and the changes in body appearance and hormone levels that come with it is a big source of why teenagers often feel down on themselves. Your body is developing rapidly (or not rapidly enough) at a time when everyone wants to look “normal” to each other; to fit some ideal standard of how a teenager should look, which is made worse by a constant barrage of "perfect" looking teen actors and actresses in the media. Baby fat may still linger; growth spurts give some teens that gangly appearance; certain parts grow quickly while others take their time catching up; and of course, thanks to the raging hormones, acne is a problem for many teens. Girls are often uncomfortable with attention they may receive thanks to their maturing bodies (and to their hormonal male classmates), while guys worry that their shoulders aren’t wide enough, their voices haven’t changed, and their muscles are still puny.
Unfortunately, bullying and ruthless teasing seems to be a hallmark of middle school and high school, and the effects can long damage a teen’s self-esteem. For teens who are targets of this behavior, it might be helpful – somewhat – to try to keep in mind that bullies are usually insecure with themselves and must project this onto others. This might not sound plausible to the picked-on teen, but it is a truth they will understand eventually. Meanwhile, teenagers who witness bullying should say something in defense of their classmate. Although it may seem that your voice will not be heard or will immediately be drowned out by a bully now targeting you, try it anyway. You may be surprised to find that often, all it takes is one or two people to stand up to a bully for others to follow and call out bad behavior when they see it.
You never know, this action may save a life – research shows that teen suicide and aggressive actions such as school shootings by students are often traced to being bullied and picked on. Sticking up for a classmate can also boost your own self-esteem – you’ve “done the right thing.”
In addition to doing positive things for others, here are some ways to enhance your self-esteem and therefore your overall enjoyment of life: Accept yourself for who you are and learn to love whatever makes you different and original. For example, one teenage girl tells of a birthmark on her foot that always made her uncomfortable, especially during summertime at the pool or in high school swimming class. Brown in color and about the size of dime, she would so often stand with her other foot covering it up that she says to this day, as an adult, she stands the same way when barefoot, even though she’s grown to accept and even like her birthmark, now looking at it as a “beauty” mark that sets her apart in a positive way. Believe in yourself. When you make a mistake, move on and let yourself off the hook; don’t beat yourself up. A constant inner mantra of “I’m such a screw-up” or “I can never do anything right” will soon become outwardly visible and hold you back from doing new things.
This type of positive self-image can help teenagers feel in control of their lives and enjoy life to the fullest. A well-adjusted teen with an optimistic attitude is less likely to engage in destructive behaviors such as promiscuity, drug and alcohol abuse, self-injury or suicide attempts, violence toward others, and succumbing to an eating disorder. If you find that even though you try to adopt a positive attitude and to ignore bullying but still experience depression, eating disorders, or drug and alcohol abuse, tell someone. Your parents, school counselors, friends, or family physician can help direct you on the road to a less bumpy teen experience