Getting Through Your Teenage Years: A Simple Guide
When you are staring adulthood in the face, a lot of things are going on in your life. Your brain is changing, and you are starting to have seriously independent thoughts. You start wanting to experiment and experience all life has to offer. And your hormones are going absolutely crazy.
There’s also a good chance you feel invincible, immortal, and impervious to bad news – but the truth is somewhat different. The fact is, the choices and activities you choose to partake in now can have a long-lasting impact on your life – and could even end it sooner than you would like to think. Let’s take a look at some sensible advice on how to navigate your teenage years.
Your rebellious nature
First of all, it’s only natural that you start rebelling against your parents. You are starting to form different opinions and ideas about life than your parents, and it’s likely you think you know better than them. Perhaps you do, maybe you don’t – but it’s all irrelevant in the long-term. What you need to look out for is your rebellious nature getting you into trouble with the law. One grave mistake could result in life-changing consequences, which will be difficult to shrug off. A lawyer might help you escape a corrections facility for your first, second, or even third case of wrongdoing. But if you keep pushing society, it will push back in the end.
Substance abuse
As a teen, there is a good chance you will experiment with all life has to offer – but you also need to know the risks. We would always advise young people to steer clear of drink and drugs, but also appreciate that many teenagers give them a try – and many will be under peer pressure to do so. With this in mind, make sure you educate yourself about the risks and dangers before getting involved with substances of any kind. Your life may not ever be the same if you end up in a spiral of abuse, and it can be incredibly difficult to recover from the physical and mental addiction substances can cause.
Sexual relations
Given your hormones are flying around all over the place, it’s no surprise you have the urge to take things further with a partner – or even someone you have just met. It’s all part of becoming an adult, but you need to rein yourself in as much as possible and try to avoid making rash decisions on the spur of the moment. Not only can sexual encounters lead to pregnancy, but you also run the risk of picking up a sexually transmitted disease. Some might clear up in a short period of time, but others can remain with you for life.
Driving
Finally, getting your driver’s license is a fantastic occasion – but don’t ruin it by becoming a statistic. Yes, you have a sense of freedom and independence once you can drive, but the truth is that you are in the age group most likely to have a serious accident in a car. Again, there might be some peer pressure for you to put your foot down to the floor, or have a few drinks before driving home. But unless you resist, you could face life-changing – or life-ending – consequences.