Teen Dangers

Things you should know about.

AIDS/HIV | Alcohol | Break Ups | Bullies

Cheating | Curfews | Date Rape

Driving | Dropping Out | Marijuana

  

AIDS/HIV

• HIV leads to AIDS in all but a few cases.

• HIV and AIDS are most commonly transmitted through sexual contact with an infected partner.

• Condoms and other "barrier method" birth control do not guarantee protection against AIDS.

• You can get AIDS through oral, anal and procreative intercourse or through sexual contact of any kind where there are open wounds or sores.

• Abstinence is the only 100% perfect way to protect yourself from sexually transmitted AIDS/HIV.

• AIDS/HIV is not a gay disease or a punishment from God against immoral behavior.

• AIDS/HIV can also be transmitted through injection drug use, blood transfusions, and from mother to fetus.

• The HIV virus itself is not a very strong virus - it is not air born and has a very short life outside of human fluids.

• AIDS/HIV has been found in human saliva but there is no medical evidence to date supporting claims that it can be passed on through infected saliva.

• AIDS/HIV does not care about the color of your skin, your religious beliefs, your sexuality, your age or your socio-economic standing - it is an equal opportunity deadly virus!

Alcohol

• Alcohol is the most socially accepted addictive substance and is a contributing factor in over 75% of all Date Rapes.

• Alcohol dehydrates you: it does not quench thirst, it makes thirst worst. Alcohol is also extremely high in empty calories.

• Drinking alcohol while you are pregnant can cause permanent brain damage and often causes physical deformations in babies. FAS and PFAS (formerly FAE) are devastating disorders that often render their victims unable to function is society or to care for them selves in socially acceptable ways; many of these children grow up to commit suicide or end up "living" in the criminal justice system.

• Alcohol causes varying degrees of the following side effects in EVERYONE who uses it; dullness of sensation, lowered sensory motor skills, lowered reactive or reflexive motor responses, impaired thought processes, impaired memory, impaired judgment, sleep or sleeplessness, and in extreme cases can cause coma and death.

• When an alcoholic beverage is ingested a full 20% of the alcohol immediately enters the bloodstream by penetrating the wall of your stomach; drinking on a full stomach can slow this process.

• Many people mistakenly believe alcohol is a stimulant, like coffee, when in fact it is a depressant.

• One of the first things to go when you have been drinking alcohol is your sense of "good judgment" and your "inhibitions".

• Alcohol can cause the following behaviors; aggression, sexual openness, excessive talking, spilling secrets, lying, phony friendliness and quick tempers.

• A "hang over" is what happens when your body enters alcohol withdraw and the head aches you get are caused by extreme dehydration of your brain - your brain is literally being pulled away from your skull, leading to throbbing aches and sharp pains at attachment points like the temples and base of the neck.

• 70% of alcoholics and alcohol abusers will suffer the following irreversible physical side effects; cirrhosis of the liver (fatal in over 60% of cases), "cauliflowering" of the nose and ears (where your ears and nose become cauliflower shaped), permanent restructuring of the brain including loss of long term memory, heart problems, obesity, premature dementia (partial and full), loss of bladder control and slurred speech even when sober.

Percentage of Blood Alcohol and How it Effects Behavior

Blood Alcohol in Percentage	Behavioral Effects
0.05 (5%)	Lowered alertness, "feeling fine", no inhibitions, lack of "good judgment".
0.10 (10%)	Slowed reaction times, impaired motor functions, recklessness and "dare devil" behavior.
0.15 (15%)	Large lapses in reaction time and judgment, some short term memory loss.
0.20 (20%)	Marked depression, "coming down", decreasing sensory and motor ability, slurring words.
0.25 (25%)	Severe motor disturbance (stumbling, staggering, falling down), little to no sensory input (can't smell or taste, blurred vision)
0.30 (30%)	Stuporous (totally unaware of what is going on around you) but still conscious, no awareness of pain, no pain reflexes.
0.35 (35%)	Unconscious and in some cases in distress, vomiting occurs, no motor skills (can't roll over when vomiting), similar to being under surgical anesthesia. Occasionally, coma can occur at this level.

Break Ups 

• More often than not, breaking up is as hard on the person ending the relationship as it is on the person being broken up with - don't assume just because a person is breaking up with you means that they no longer care about you, caring about you and wanting a relationship with you are not one and the same.

• Nobody likes to hurt another person, especially somebody they have been close to, and it is often very easy to guilt trip somebody into staying with you when they are trying to end things. Resist this urge! When you use guilt as a way to stop a break up you not only cheat yourself out of having a good and true relationship, you foster resentment in the other person which could lead to greater pain and heart ache in the future.

• Being broken up with does not mean that there is something wrong with you; it just means that there is something that is not working in the relationship. Try not to take the rejection too personally. Remember that lots of great people have had failed relationships - the fact that the relationships failed says nothing about their value as a person. The fact that your relationship failed likewise says nothing about you as a person.

• It is all right to cry, get mad and feel hurt when you are dumped. These are normal natural feelings. Just be sure that you let your feelings out in a safe place among friends or family. Do not make your ex the target of your feelings, even if they have done something to deserve your outrage. The sooner you let go of the other person, the sooner the healing can begin.

• Breaking up is never easy. You will have good days and you will have bad days. Take it one day at a time and don't beat yourself up if you have an overly emotional day - you're only human after all.

• Break ups are often followed by one of the parties starting a new relationship and when this happens it can bring up all sorts of old feelings. If you thought you were over someone who broke up with you and find yourself upset at the news that s/he has moved on, rest assured you are normal. Let yourself be upset, it is part of the healing process.

• Acting out in anger is never good for anybody. After being broken up with don't spread mean or spiteful rumors. Don't betray former confidences by telling old secrets to others. If another person was involved in your break up resist the urge to slam them behind their back. Acting vicious only makes you look bad and any satisfaction you may feel will be short lived. In the end this sort of behavior will only make you feel worse.

• A big part of the pain of breaking up comes from a feeling of embarrassment. We often fear how the situation will look to outsiders. Refuse to be embarrassed, even if you did something outlandish to cause your break up. Letting go of the embarrassment will help you move on to the healing.

• Nobody ever deserves to be hurt. Your ex does not deserve to be hurt because you are hurting. Your ex's new love interest (if one even exists) does not deserve to be hurt just because you feel jealous. You do not deserve to be hurt, even if you acted badly and caused the break up. Breaking up hurts, but it doesn't have to be made worse by holding a grudge or drowning yourself in a pool of if only's. Deal with the reality and let go of your anger, the pain will disappear more quickly if you do.

• Things may seem bleak now but you never know what the future may hold for you and your ex. You may get back together someday. You may not. Either way it is better to let go of a faltering relationship while there is still some caring left between the two of you. If you play it out to the bitter end and leave your ex no choice but to hate you to get rid of you, you close the door to the future. Bowing out graciously leaves room for a future relationship with your ex, even if it is just as good friends.

Bullies 

• Bullies come in all ages, sizes, races, religions, and in both genders.
• Bullies use many tactics to threaten and harass people including, but not limited to, words and physical violence.
• People who behave in openly hostile behavior, who threaten others to make themselves feel powerful, or who build themselves up by tearing others down are bullies.
• Girls are more likely to bully with words while boys most often resort to physical attacks. For this reason bullying by girls is often ignored or not taken as seriously as bullying by boys. The reality is that both types of bullying are very serious.
• Words can be just as harmful as physical violence and can cause lasting psychological damage to victims. The old adage, "Sticks and stones can break your bones but words will never hurt you!" is simply not true.
• Never try to handle a bully alone. Always go to a person with authority over the bully such as; a teacher, a principal, a school liaison officer or a parent.
• No matter what a bully threatens to do, you must tell somebody in a position of authority and your parents. Never suffer in silence. No matter how popular a bully seems you do not have to handle him/her alone. Responsible adults will help you if you tell them what is happening. Studies have shown that bullying stops when adults step in and telling an adult rarely makes the situation worse.
• Bullies often model what they see at home. Sometimes a bully is really crying out for help. Bullies often act out because they feel they have no control over their own lives; they bully in an attempt to take control. Telling an adult about a bully may end up helping BOTH of you.
• Ignoring bullies does not make them stop. Only adult intervention and awareness can end the harassment. Bullies thrive on the reactions of their victims and ignoring them can make them step up their efforts. However, if you tell an adult and then start ignoring the bullying behavior the bully will tend to back off. Only start ignoring the behavior after you have made as many adults as possible aware of the problem.
• As children grow in to teens bullying behaviors often escalate. Death threats, taunts urging suicide, group attacks, and violence with weapons can occur. This sort if behavior is criminal and should always be reported to the police as well as to school officials and parents.

Cheating 

• When you cheat the person who gets hurt the most is you.

• Cheating is a form of lying - if you cheat you are also a liar.

• Just because others are cheating doesn't mean it is OK for you to do so.

• When you cheat in school the short term reward may be a good grade but the long term effect of the action is denying yourself knowledge and the satisfaction of achievement.

• If you feel the need to cheat in school it shows that you need help in that subject. Getting help will curb the urge to cheat and help you succeed in the long run.

• Cheating in a romantic relationship is very un-cool. If you are uncommitted enough to cheat you should break off the relationship and save the other person a great deal of heart ache. The pain and humiliation of being cheated on is never worse than the pain of being broken up with.

• No matter what you tell yourself about your reasons for cheating your motivations are purely selfish. Nobody ever cheats for the sake of another person.

• Telling on a person who is cheating is not "ratting", especially when the cheating directly impacts the lives of others (for example: people cheating on a test that is graded on a curve, or your friend is cheating on his girlfriend). You are not doing anybody any favors by covering up for a cheater.

• It is never too late to come clean about cheating. There will be consequences but when you admit to cheating you have already taken the first step toward making amends and others will respect that.

• Cheating rarely occurs in isolation. It is a fact that it gets easier to cheat each time that you do it, especially if you don't get caught. The likelihood that a person will cheat again is directly related to whether or not they have gotten away with it in the past.

Curfews 

• Curfews are not an effort by your parents to control you or ruin your fun.

• Curfews encourage responsibility and teach you a respect for rules (and later laws) that you may not like or understand.

• There is nothing "wrong" or "shameful" about having to be home at a certain time.

• Adhering to your curfew helps your parents to learn to trust you and your ability to "do the right thing".

• Having a curfew is a really good excuse to leave an uncomfortable situation (if you feel you need an excuse).

• If your parents expect you home at a certain time and you do not arrive at home they can get help faster if you should need it - if they don't expect you home at all they are unlikely to get help until it is already too late.

• Parents love you and worry when you aren't home (whether you like it or not) and your curfew allows them to get some sleep after you get home.

• Having a curfew does not make you a "lame-o" or a "loser", most teens do have curfews even if they won't admit it.

• Curfews imposed by your parents are not the same as the controversial city and state curfews - they are a matter of family courtesy, not public policy.

• As much as you will hate to hear it - parental imposed curfews are for your own good!

Date Rape  NO

• Date Rape is forced or coerced sex between; partners, dates, friends, friends of friends or general acquaintances.

• Date Rape can be coerced both physically and emotionally - some emotional tactics include; threats to reputation, threats to "not like you", name calling, saying you "brought it on" or "really want it", threats to break up and threats to say you "did it" even if you didn't.

• If a person has had too much to drink or is on drugs they can not consent to sex and having sex with them is legally rape.

• There are certain "date rape" drugs that render the victim unconscious and limit memory; using these drugs on somebody is not actually "date rape" but a federal crime with a possible 20 year sentence. (See: 1996 Drug-Induced Rape Prevention and Punishment Act)

• Rohypnol, GHB, "ActiveSeX", "Roofies", "Ruffies", "Roche", "R-2", "Rib" and "Rope." are all names describing a date rape drug. These drugs are odorless and tasteless and difficult to detect when in drinks or mixed with other drugs.

• "Date Rape" drugs may be difficult to trace but evidence of intercourse is not, and in cases where use of these drugs is suspected evidence of rape standards are lower.

• If you don't want to have sex, say NO like you mean it and fight it off if you have to - despite urban myths, people who fight off a rapist are more likely to stop the rape.

• Date Rape is the most common form of rape (78%) with 1 in 4 girls expected to fall victim to rape or attempted rape before they reach 25, and 3 out of 5 rapes occuring before a woman reaches age 18. (Sources: Rape Statistics, Rape Statistics 1992)

• Although girls are more often victims of rape, guys are not "safe" - they can be raped too.

• NO MEANS NO! If a person says no to sex (no matter how quietly or unconvincingly) and you go ahead with it anyway, that is rape.

Driving 

• Driving is a privilege, NOT a right!

• In response to very high rates of auto related accidents and death in teens many governments have introduced graduated licensing programs - despite the fact that teens hate these programs statistics show that they DO save lives (teens and others).

• In general the driving age in North America is 16, but it can be as low as 14 (in rural areas, and usually for farm equipment only) or as old as 19.

• Most states and provinces require parental consent in order for you to get a driver's licence before 18 and your parents are under NO legal obligation to sign a consent form - just because you are 16 doesn't mean you can drive.

• Driver training is a good idea - people who get formal training are less likely to get in accidents or succumb to road rage.

• Speeding is the number 1 cause of accidents in people under 21, alcohol or drug use is the second.

• Contrary to popular myths that label women and minorities as "bad drivers", the most dangerous "group" of drivers, statistically speaking, are males between 16 and 25.

• Automobile accidents are the number 1 cause of death in teens - and it is suspected that automobiles are a suicide weapon of choice for youth, although this is hard to prove.

• It is illegal to drive while impaired - be it from alcohol, drugs (legal and illegal), emotional stress or other causes.

• For teens, the number of passengers in a car directly effect the likelihood of an accident - the more passengers, the more likely there will be an accident

Dropping out 

• It is a really bad idea, if things are bad at school because you are being harassed (sexually or otherwise) or bullied try changing schools rather than quitting.

• It is so not worth it - if academics are hard for you see your school counselor about a non-academic program, voluntarily set yourself back a grade, or get Learning Assistance (even if it is informally from a friend).

• Drop outs have a harder time getting good, secure, decent paying jobs.

• More and more entry level and trade specific jobs require a minimum of high school graduation.

• Dropping out gives you a lot of free time, even if you get a full time job, you are more likely to get in to a self destructive rut including drugs and/or alcohol.

• Pregnancy is not a good reason to drop out and get a job, look in to your options before taking such a drastic step (many schools and communities have programs designed to keep teens with children in school).

• Being a drop out is much harder than you think it will be.

• Going back to school as an adult is not as easy as you think it will be, and often costs you money - high school is free.

• Contrary to popular belief 16 is not a magic age at which dropping out is "OK" - many states make it a civil crime to drop out before 18 and many have laws against "truancy" (unexplained absences from school).

• Dropping out is not cool, it does not make you a "tough guy", nor does it mean you are "grown up" or "more mature" - in fact it makes you the exact opposite of all these things.

Marijuana 

• The active ingredient in marijuana is THC (tetrahydrocannabinal). The behaviors exhibited by introducing THC to brain chemistry are similar those demonstrated by alcohol use.

• Marijuana is classified as a "psychotropic" or "psychoactive" drug and is highly addictive for some individuals; frequent users may find that they need more of the drug to get the same "high" (Source) - as a result some marijuana users "graduate" to harder drugs, giving marijuana the label of "precursory drug".

• Smoking marijuana decreases blood flow to the brain (Source), is very damaging to your long and short term memory systems (Source) and some studies indicate it is more damaging to your lungs than smoking cigarettes. (Source: Starr et al, Medical Tribune, page 17, 1994)

• The reactive properties of marijuana are unlike other addictive drugs; as a result, very little is known for sure about the physical mechanisms of addiction and withdrawl in cannibus users. Some people claim marijuana is totally non-addicting, while others say it is just as addicting as other substances with only the causes of addiction being different. No one side has conclusively proven it's perspective. Since the reasons for marijuana addiction are unclear it is impossible to assess whether or not you may become "hooked" until it has already happened.

• Marijuana induces a broad range of "emotional" responses; from relaxation to introspection, irrationality to paranoia.

• Users feel more "in tune" with the world claiming to see brighter colors, hear new sounds and have an increased level of creativity - in fact, to sober people, "high" people sound ridiculous.

• Marijuana has a strong and distinct odor that is not easy to wash off and that can remain on the breath despite repeated brushing.

• You can get high from second hand marijuana smoke.

• Because it is part of the illegal drug trade and is the most widely used illegal substance in North America, marijuana is a major contributor (directly and indirectly) to petty crime and drug related violence.

• Smoking marijuana while pregnant can have similar effects on a baby as drinking alcohol (Source). These effects are irreversible, and for many children they will last a life time. (Sources: 1 - 2). NAS (Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome) can be caused by ANY type of illicit drug use during pregnancy; this includes marijuana use.

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last update: 01/30/08
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