Fitting in is one of the most talked about issues concerning teens, most of them would like to stay who they are and would like people to like them for that, but for most of them that is impossible. So some changes have to be made in order to fit in, but what changes are acceptable and which aren’t? That is a hard question to answer, but as long as teens stick to who they are I guess it will be all right. But as long as teens that are popular keep making barriers between them and the others most teens will be forced to deal with this issue.

It is really hard to fit in when everyone else seems different, but you don’t need to be like everyone else in order to fit in. Quite the opposite, you might be on a totally different plane than your friends and still fit in with them perfectly, the bottom line is how you feel about your differences, as well as how they feel about them. There are a few things that every teenager may keep in mind if he or she wants to fit in. First of all no one will ever listen to someone with no backbone or their own opinion. You have to think for yourself and stand for your believes, if you don’t, well you are in high school, someone else might just try and do that for you.

You can always try to go a little out of your way to make friends, not much, just a little. Usually hanging out with your friends on a more regular basis can be very helpful, especially if you are doing that at some cool place where other kids gather. Being noticed as a social person is a great boost, people will notice you and they might give you the opportunity to join them. But this is not about getting into a group of people just because they are popular; this is about you as teens feeling at ease with your friends. Feeling that you belong somewhere, filling that you fit in and that means you have to find a group of people that is ok for you.

Fitting in is not just joining a popular group and being seen as someone who fits in, it’s about finding the best place for you to feel safe, welcomed and loved, which is what it means to fit in. If you don’t have that feeling with kids that surround you maybe it’s time to look for a different group of friends, or maybe you just need to work a bit on yourself. In the end it depends on you and only on you.
 

Keeping up to date with your teen kid is much harder that it used to be, values have changed, trends have changed and kids, though essentially the same, have different look on things. So how does a parent stay in touch with teen children in this day and age, well the same as our parents did with us. What we used to do 10, 20 or 30 years ago was new for our parents the same as what our kids are doing now is new to us. We have to keep up with the trends and modern technologies that kids are using. But we need to do more than just keep up, we have to be open minded and talk to our kids.

The first step in keeping up to date with your kids is educating yourself on all the possibilities. Since we don’t want to alarm people around us for no reason the best way to inform yourself about what kids are going through these days is internet. You can find plenty of teen dedicated sites, both government and private, that will help you understand a bit of teen behavior in this day and age.

Once you get the basic info and educate yourself a bit you need to implement that knowledge. See if your kid is falling under a certain category or if he shows symptoms of any troubling issue. When you are educated you are more likely to spot a problem when it’s starting, rather that noticing it too late when it’s already hard to deal with it.

If you do notice that something is happening you should investigate. I know that most parents find it difficult to talk to their kids, but that is a bridge we made and we need to cross it, after all, our kids feel the same, they also think that it’s hard to talk to us. That is what you need to do, talk to your kids and try to understand them and their point of view, try to understand where they are coming from. Don’t argue, don’t fight, listen to them and try to understand. Once you listen to them objectively you may find a way to deal with the issue at hand together with your kids. It’s much easier that way, fighting and arguing can only be contra productive, so act on what you say to your kids all the time, think before you speak and think before you act.

Kids present themselves as they have more problems than we used to have in their age, like everything is different now and that there is no way we can understand them. We know that is not true, yes things are different, but those are just a few bumps on the road, their feelings and things they are going through are basically the same, so do not dare to use that as an excuse for not understanding your children. They may use that, but we are adults and we know better, and we as adults have to make the first step, especially if our children are on the line.
 

Many teen problems start in their own home, unfortunately many parents won’t admit that, so they blame it on the school, teachers, friends, but in the end parents need to take most of the responsibility. The reason why that is a fact is because parents have forgotten how to communicate with their children. As our kids are now part of the internet generation we were once a part of the MTV generation and we cause troubles for our parents, but they knew how to deal with us more or less, that bond and that knowledge seems to be disappearing.

Communicating with teens has always been a problem, but it’s something we must do in order to be apart of their lives and in order to help them when they need it. The first thing you need to do is learn how to talk to your teen child, that is if you forgot what it feels to sit down and have an honest conversation with your children. After that everything becomes easier to deal with, but the talking part can be sometimes incredibly difficult. That is if you let it get that way from the start, by connecting to your child from the early age you will have a chance to avoid that bridge when the teenager years come and the inevitable rebellion begins.
There are many different teen behavior patterns, some can be frightening, some can be alarming and some can be depressing, but with love and patience any parent can overcome them. Maybe I was wrong in saying that you first need to learn how to talk to your teen child, the first thing you need to do is listen to your child. That involves more than just taking some time to listen to what he or she has to say, you as a parent need to try and understand them and you also need to be aware of their social life, of their desires and their dreams. By knowing all that, by listening you will be able to talk to your child about those things and many other, that will give you the right tools to fight against many teenager behavior problems and other teen issues that might occur.
It is the parent’s responsibility to raise a child, the first step to dealing with your teenager is talking to him. So for those who forgot how it’s time to start learning the forgotten art of communication.

Teen Violence or also known as the Youth Violence does not only involve shootings. Teen violence activities include fights with other teens or other group of teens. It may also include suicide and gang fights. Teen violence is a real situation in our society nowadays and it can affect a big part of the teen’s life. Teen Violence does not only mean violence, it can also be a teen dating a person who is violent, slaps and beat them frequently, seeing violence everyday in their school is also a form of teen violence. Many teens nowadays use drugs, alcohol and become easily depressed. When teens experiences these things, this could be dangerous to them, because this is usually the time that they don’t think clearly, their minds are occupied mostly with problems and other things. With depression, they might bring a knife and gun at school and create havoc, threatening their selves and other individual. If the teen is on more complicated state they might shoot another teenager or a teacher that they hate the most or has been very unfair to them. Depression can also be a reason for teenage violence.

A teen involve in a gang is the one that can experience teen violence all the times. This gang violence is what is dominating right now in the society. There are growing concerns when it comes to this gang violence. Teens involve in this kind of situation are oftentimes shoot or stabbed or even beaten to death. Teens who are members of this gang are the ones who can commit violence to other person or teen which they might kill in the end. The longer a child stays in this form of environment, the more violent they may become.

Another type of teen violence which is not very common in our society, is the violence seen in the family or homes of the teen. A form of violence wherein a teen witness one parent beaten and abused by another or the teen itself experiences beating from his/her parent. While the other parent is not aware of it that is why the teen cannot be save from it.

The most effective way of preventing youth violence is to make sure that violence does not exists at home, always have a loving and understanding relationship with your child, treat everyone fairly and with respect and courtesy. Posing a good example to your child is one way of preventing teen violence, and it will help your child treat everyone with respect. Talking to your child will also help in preventing teen violence, talking and letting them know that you understand them and their situation, let them know that you are always at their side no matter what. Be more supportive to them when everybody turns them down. Continue to observe your child, if you’ve seen some odd behavior talk to your child immediately.

Teen violence statistics shows that fifty percent of men who abuse their spouse will abuse their children. This fact is very sad to hear since it only shows that three million of children are at risk of being abused by a parent each year. A teen growing up in a family wherein violence is present the more likely the child will also involve in teen violence compared to a child living in a family wherein love and support exists. Forty per cent of teenage girls have friends that have been a victim of some violent act. One in five high school girls has been in a violent relationship with a boy. Teen violence has been a problem for a long time but statistic show that this problem is growing and getting more violent each year. Understand that it is a serious problem and we need to not take it lightly.

Teenage depression is a very common incidence in teens nowadays and it generally affects anyone. Most of the parent with a teen already knows what teen depression is. They are already aware of the dangers depression might bring to their teens. If not, we have to inform them about teenage depression for them to prevent it from occurring.

To start teaching parents with teens in their family we must first present to them the signs and symptoms of teenage depression. Some common symptoms of teenage depression are; frequent sadness, crying which is often with no reason, they tend to withdraws, refuse to eat or overeating. Sometimes they feel hopeless, they sometimes talk of death or suicide or obsession with death or suicide is evident.

After teaching the parents with the signs and symptoms of teenage depression, next stop would be presenting to them the causes of teenage depression. Teenage depression may be due to different causes. Teen years can be hard stage for someone, together with pressure around them, like expectations of parents, friends, and school. If this is combined with the use of alcohol and drugs this could lead to depression.

Furthermore, one of the problems of a depressed teen is that they have problems either in school or at home. The other reason of teenage depression can also be form medical conditions or other behavioral problem like eating disorder. But some teens may only need an improved diet or get some sleep.

When it comes to treating teenage depression it should not be treated the same with adult depression because this two are not the same. There are different treatments when we speak about teenage depression. Medications are available to treat depression but it might only be needed in a short period of time. Teen depression involves knowing what the cause of depression is and it involves counseling. In counseling knowing the origin of the problem is the way to help the teen get away from depression.

When you are a parent with a depressed teen, it is essential that you try to understand your child’s feelings, listen to him/her and try not to be accusing. Respect your teen’s opinions and do not blame him/her in his/her situation. It only shows that being a teen is not that easy. When you grasp this, you can aid your child. And bear in mind to offer loads of love and support and encouragement.

A teenage individual with ADD can really experience problems when it comes to school and friends. He/ She can experience judgment from others, being ridiculed; this will make the life of the teen miserable rather than happy. Additionally, this ADD is very crucial when it comes to age group. ADD with extreme behavior is usually seen in younger children rather than in teenager. This means that ADD in younger children are more visible compared to an ADD in teenager. The main difference between ADD in younger children and teenager is that when a younger child has ADD they tend to create a scene in their classrooms while a teen may find it very hard to concentrate on her/his studies. Moreover, a teen with ADD find it really hard to become interested in a certain subject in school. When they are at school they usually have their own world or their mind wanders everywhere. Teens with ADD are very easy to judge, since most of the teens with this condition are very different from those teens without the condition. Teens with this condition are very difficult to sit still and they have difficulty in focusing to one subject or to a lecture or even to a conversation.  Having this kind of situation, ADD will really ruin the life of teenager; it will affect the quality of life of the teen. When you see these attitudes in your child better see your doctor immediately. Because diagnosis of this condition is very difficult and it requires an evaluation and diagnosis of a licensed doctor.  When your child is diagnosed of having this condition, they may need your attention as well as the specialists’ attention. Your support and presence are what your child need the most.When your child is diagnose of having ADD that doesn’t mean that they immediately need medical treatment. Because every ADD case is not all the same, it is case to case basis. To know on what to do to your child with ADD, visit your doctor and ask for advice. Your doctor may present you alternative treatment aside from medications. But to truly treat ADD, medications are really important. And most importantly make sure that you include your child on the process of treatment.

Summer vacation and unsupervised teens usually go hand in hand in the months following the last day of school. Statistics show a 40-percent increase in first-time youth marijuana use during June and July, compared to the rest of the year. Where there is more freedom, there is also more temptation. Statistics show youthful experimentation with drugs, tobacco and alcohol is most likely to occur during an unsupervised time when teens are alone or with their peers. Some of the things that parents can do to prevent drug experimentation and use during these times are:

• Encourage your child to continue his/her after-school activities like sports.
• Insist on a summertime curfew.
• Get to know your child’s friends and families.
• Plan summer activities the entire family can enjoy together.

Dr. Albert Hofmann – Swiss scientist who first synthesized LSD on November 16 1939

Dr Humphry Osmond – gave LSD to alcoholics in Alcoholics Anonymous who had failed to quit drinking in the late 1950′s

Dr Ronald Sandison – pioneered the use of LSD in the united kingdom in 1952

Aldous Huxley – famous novelist who wrote about the dystopian novel Brave New World. Also, used other psychedelic drugs such as mescaline. His writings are his most important contribution to the proliferation of LSD.

“Captain” Al Hubbard – a ‘freelance’ apostle for LSD in the early 1950s, Hubbard worked at Vancouver’s Hollywood Hospital with Ross McLean, with psychiatrists Abram Hoffer and Dr. Humphry Osmond, with Myron Stolaroff at the International Federation for Advanced Study in Menlo Park, and with Willis Harman at Stanford Research Institute (SRI) running psychedelic sessions with LSD.

Various musicians such as The Doors, Grateful dead, Jimi Hendrix and the whole “acid rock” genre.

The use of marijuana by hippies is popularly known fact, it has been depicted in many Hollywood movies. It is also a highly effective way of making marijuana look innocent and benign to the eyes of teenagers. But let us also remember that cannabis is a very addicting drug that is believed to be a gateway drug to more potent and more dangerous drugs.

Even the hippies themselves moved on to the more potent drug called LSD after it was discovered and introduced in the mid 1960′s. There is also psilocybin and mescaline which are also hallucinogens that the hippies used.

Amphetamines and opiates were also used in the hippie settings, though these harder drugs were disdained because they were harmful and addictive.

Hippies are a major part of modern American history and culture. They played, and are probably still playing, a big role in the arts, music, fashion and the overall contemporary culture. Since the 1960′s hippies have existed as a counterculture of the mainstream population, but that doesn’t mean that they are not widely accepted in the normal society.

One of the most popular traditions of being a hippie is the use of drugs to “explore consciousness”. Drugs such as cannabis more popularly known as marijuana and LSD, a hallucinogenic drug, are two of the favorites in hippie culture. Even now that the whole hippie scene has diminished into an obscure idea that teenagers read about in books and magazines, their influence, specially in the use of drugs are still apparent.