Teen Issues
There is a silent epidemic working its way through teens, their families and society at large. Confirmed by government and private agencies alike, this epidemic is causing behaviors that can ruin individuals' lives, shatter once-solid families and harm entire communities.
Here are six symptoms of this epidemic:
Families are Imploding
Today, countless families are imploding as they experience tremendous pressures on many fronts. And chances are, it's happening right in your neighborhood. Staggering numbers of children live in poverty. Many experience homelessness. Abuse and neglect are on the rise. Add in the converging crises of divorce, addicted parents and absentee guardians, and the need for intervention and effective transformation becomes painfully acute.
Teen Crime Victimizes Everyone
Teens who commit crimes can ruin their own lives. But they also threaten the well-being of the community at large. The direct tangible cost to crime victims totals an estimated $105 billion1 annually in medical expenses, lost earnings and public programs for victim assistance. The number rises to well over $450 billion each year when you include the resulting pain, suffering and reduced quality of life.
Alcohol and Drugs Wreak Havoc
Youth who start drinking before age 15 are 5 times more likely to develop alcohol dependence or abuse than those who begin drinking at or after age 21.2 In Minnesota alone,3 64% of high school seniors, and 38% of 9th graders used alcohol, and marijuana is used by 30% of seniors. The havoc this wreaks in lives, schools, homes and society is nearly incalculable.
Self-Abuse and Suicide are Stark Realities
Teens literally hurt themselves through "cutting", eating disorders and other forms of self-injury. The facts surrounding depression and suicide are even more frightening: 1 in 8 adolescents are diagnosed with depression;4 and in Minnesota, suicide is the 2nd-leading cause of death among those 15-24 years old.5 Depression is often an underlying contributor to other at-risk behaviors.
Teen Sex is Rampant
Adolescents are using the Internet and cell phones for sexual-related activity and becoming obsessed with sex, leading to promiscuity at younger ages and with multiple partners. The long-term consequences are dire: Teen pregnancies, STDs, sexual identity confusion and sexual violence represent just some of the fallout teens are experiencing because of this out-of-control behavior.
Truancy and Failure to Graduate are Costly
When kids drop out of school and fail to graduate, they don't just shortchange the quality of their own lives. They cost society billions. If the high school students who dropped out of the Class of 2009, for example, had graduated, the nation's economy would have benefited from nearly $335 billion in additional income over their lifetimes.6 In Minnesota alone, over 25% of students drop out and don't graduate. And for African American and Hispanic students, nearly 60% drop out and fail to graduate.7
That's what is going on in the world. Six Symptoms. One Silent Epidemic.
Visit our Teen Issue pages to learn more about what teens are struggling with and how you can help.
TreeHouse is dedicated to breaking the silence and stemming the tide of the epidemic by loving kids, bringing hope and transforming lives.
1National Institute of Justice. 1996. Victim Costs and Consequences: A New Look. Washington D.C.: U.S.Department of Justice 2Centers for Disease Control 2008 3Minnesota Student Survey 2007 4Department of Psychology, Northern Illinois University 5Children's Defense Fund, State of America's Children 2008 6Alliance for Excellent Education (2009) Washington, D.C. 7Minnesota Department of Education (2007-2008)