Tag: #teens

Peer Pressure

More Harm Than Good

Peer pressure is the direct influence on people by peers, or an individual who gets encouraged to follow their peers by changing their attitude, values or behaviour just for the sake of acceptance. The section of society which is most vulnerable to the effects of peer pressure is teenagers. The fact of peer pressure is that when your peers start trying to get you do things which you otherwise wouldn’t do. For instance, in our society we have people who pressurise us to do things we don’t want to do, hence causing us to not being able to think for ourselves. If you neglect being able to think for yourself and let others do that job then it could have a good outcome for them, but for your well being and for you as a person it can turn out to be a disaster.

Ill effects and Impact

Peer pressure can harm the group by making it too uniform. When all the members think and act alike, the group does not have access to alternative opinions creating a barrier in solving problems.

Peer pressure is a rite of passage that all of us go through but its impact varies from person to person. Some are able to brush it off without any issues while it negatively impacts others. Peer pressure affects the lives of teenagers in a number of ways. It can take a self-confident child and make him or her someone who is not sure about themselves and has a low self esteem. It affects their academic skills too because despite being capable of performing well, they choose not to because in the eyes of their peers, it would seem uncool. In an effort to fit in with their peer group, they place more emphasis on being social rather than working on their academics.

Adolescence and Peer Pressure

The desire to be accepted by their peer group is one of the strongest motivating forces during adolescence. The reason that negative peer pressure happens, especially during adolescence, is because humans are social beings and ‘WE’ want to belong. We do what we believe others want us to do for the sake of acceptance and to ‘fit in’. Extreme peer pressure may lead you to follow what your peers feel right, thereby, you end up losing your own identity.

Conclusion

It honestly depends on the people you surround yourself with. Peer pressure is influenced from a members peers. So it is up to you who you hang around with. It is only a bad thing if you make it one.

Teenagers & Anxiety

All teens experience some amount of anxiety at times. Anxiety is actually a normal reaction to stress, and sometimes it helps teens deal with tense or overwhelming situations. For many teens, things like public speaking, final exams, important athletic competitions, or even going out on a date can cause feelings of apprehension and uneasiness. They may also experience an increase in heartbeat or excessive sweating. That’s how the brain responds to anxious feelings.

For some teens, however, anxiety can go beyond these typical symptoms to negatively affect friendships and family relationships, participation in extracurricular activities, and even their schoolwork. When feelings of anxiety interfere with normal daily living, the presence of an anxiety disorder should be considered. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 25% of 13 to 18-year-olds have an anxiety disorder, and just under 6% have a severe anxiety disorder.

Given that teens experience a wide variety of physical and emotional changes as they grow, an anxiety disorder can be difficult to spot. Many red flags may seem like usual teens struggles or be chalked up to hormones. Watch for these hidden signs of anxiety in your teens :

1. Emotional Changes to Watch Out For in Teens

While some anxious teens express feelings of pervasive worry, others experience subtle emotional changes such as :

  • Feeling “keyed up”
  • Feeling on edge
  • Irritability
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Restlessness
  • Unexplained outbursts

2. Social Changes

Anxiety can negatively affect friendships. If your once social teen suddenly avoids his favourite activities or stops making plans with friends, think twice. You might notice that he/she is :

  • Avoiding social interactions with usual friends
  • Avoiding extracurricular activities
  • Isolating from peer group
  • Spending increased time alone

3. Physical Changes

Many of the physical complaints that can occur with an anxiety disorder mimic average teen complaint, which tend to increase as they get older. Pay attention to patterns. A couple of headaches here and there shouldn’t be a cause for concern, for example, but frequent headaches are a red flag. Watch for these common psychosomatic complaints :

  • Frequent headaches, including migraines
  • Gastrointestinal problems
  • Unexplained aches and pains
  • Excessive fatigue
  • Complaints of not feeling well with no obvious medical cause
  • Changes in eating habits

4. Sleep Disturbances

Teens aged 13 to 18 get 8 to 10 hours of sleep on a regular basis to promote optimal health. It is also recommend shutting down screens 30 minutes prior to bedtime, and removing all electronics from the bedroom.

It’s no big secret that homework demands, changing brain structure, extracurricular activities, and screen time can all cut into the sleep habits of teens. Therefore, it can be difficult to know whether fatigue is a product of anxiety or of a busy schedule. Watch for these red flags :

  • Difficulty falling asleep
  • Difficulty staying asleep
  • Frequent nightmares
  • Not feeling refreshed after sleep

5. Poor School Performance

Given that anxiety can affect everything from sleep habits to eating habits to missing school due to physical issues, it should come as no surprise that poor academic performance can also result from untreated anxiety. School avoidance, missed days due to anxiety-related illness, and persistent worry can make it difficult for anxious teens to keep up with their workload. Watch for these changes in your teen :

  • Significant jump in grades (usually downward)
  • Frequently missed assignments
  • Describes feeling overwhelmed by workload
  • Procrastinates on, or has difficulty concentrating on, homework assignments more than usual

6. Panic Attacks : Know the Symptoms

Not all anxious teens experience panic attacks, and some experience mild symptoms of panic without enduring a full panic attack. The following symptoms are common among people with anxiety disorders :

  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Sweating and trembling
  • Dizziness
  • Upset stomach
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Chest pain
  • Feeling like they’re dying
  • Feeling like they’re “going crazy”
  • Numbness or tingling in arms and legs
  • Derealization.

Hugging might even lower heart rates and blood pressure

The university of North Carolina conducted a studies with 59 women and found some interesting results after a short series of questions and general chatting about their partner some women ended each session with a 20 second hug

The women who received a hug from their partner had lower blood pressure and heart rates during stressful section of testing the researchers think that oxytocin that we mention earlier might be the causes for their better heart health

Hugging can be good for your heart health. In one studyTrusted Source, scientists split a group of about 200 adults into two groups:

  • One group had romantic partners hold hands for 10 minutes followed by a 20-second hug with each other.
  • The other group had romantic partners who sat in silence for 10 minutes and 20 seconds.

People in the first group showed greater reductions in blood pressure levels and heart rate than the second group.

According to these findings, an affectionate relationship may be good for you heart health.

Oxytocin is a chemical in our bodies that scientists sometimes call the “cuddle hormone.” This is because its levels rise when we hug, touch, or sit close to someone else. Oxytocin is associated with happiness and less stress.

Scientists have found that this hormone has a strong effect in women. Oxytocin causes a reduction in blood pressure and of the stress hormone norepinephrine.

One study found that the positive benefits of oxytocin were strongest in women who had better relationships and more frequent hugs with their romantic partner. Women also saw positive effects of oxytocin when they held their infants closely.

Fashion tips for teens

We all love to dress up. But, dressing up also includes fashion. Teenagers like to follow the latest fashion trends available in the market and they like to try them. 

First of all what is fashion? Fashion is the form of expressing ourselves in front of people. These fashion trends change from time to time. It includes clothing, footwear and accessories. Teenagers love to be in trend. It is our freedom to dress up and explore the latest current trends that suit our taste.

Even though we love to keep the fashion trend in our mind we should be comfortable in dressing up. If we are not comfortable in the outfit that we choose try tp find some other alternatives instead of sticking to it without having a comfort. Don’t worry about the weight if you like what you wear don’t wait for others to give thier opinion. Criticism in fashion and what you are dressing up is not important. Don’t give a damn to these people.

There are lots of jeans available in the market nowadays. Like high-waisted jeans, ripped jeans, mid-waisted jeans, low-waisted jeans and boyfriend jeans. Many girls prefer boyfriend jeans as it is super cool and has lots of hidden pockets to keep your things. Wear colors that suits to your skin. You can choose your outfit based on your shape. There are lots of options available in the internet to find the right outfit for your shape and size. 

Having a good hairstyle with your outfit is a plus. Choose hairstyles that matches your outfit. Try something new and you will be astonished by the results. But as a teens we have budget issues. But doesn’t let us stay away from fashion. There are lots of trends available in the market from Low budget to High budget. 

Once you are dressed up take photos and make a lookbook in your phone to see the changes. It will help you to identify which trend suits you well. If you love fashion designing there are courses available for you to take up and the advantage is you can choose your own fashion trend. 

Nowadays crop tops are trending everywhere. You can pair the crop top with high-waisted jeans if you don’t want to expose your navle. Also, crop tops can also be paired with straight pants. If you are working women and want to change your dressing sense try to pair collared shirt with full sleeve and straight cut cigarette pants. It is one of the killing office looks. Mostly collared outfits will look good for your workplace.

During winter season you can opt for Sweatshirts. They are really cool and will keep you warm and match it with your favorite pair of jeans. Style it according to your taste and don’t forget your hairstyle to match with. 

If you like floral dresses you can match it with denim jackets. Denim jackets are the best to go with floral dresses. It will enhance your look. Especially during winter season denim jackets will keep you warm. Some people don’t like to wear sleeveless dresses but they like floral prints. In that case denim jackets are your saviour.

A pair of cool sunglasses also enriches your looks. When you are traveling have at least 2 pairs of sunglasses in your travel list. Not only it protects you from sun rays but adds a cool look to your outfit.