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Looking at Life Through a Teenager's Eyes.

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Submitted By jesterlester
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Looking at Life through a Teenager’s Eyes

As a teenager, I know for sure that it is not easy. We are surrounded by temptations, difficult situations, and sometimes our faith is really put to the test. When we face afflictions, we try to look for ways to get through them. Some may be smart, and some may be not. The three most common issues among teenagers that I will be discussing in this essay are drug use, bullying, and self-harm.
Illegal or legal drug use can be seen anywhere, even in school. Peer pressure and low self-esteem can be the cause of many teens looking at drugs for many reasons. Drugs are serious substances that can harm the users and anyone around them. Drug use can lead to drug abuse, and will lead to a much more serious problem- addiction. Using drugs is a way for teens to escape from their reality for a while so they can feel a little better.
There are many teenagers that have been bullied or are being bullied. Bullying can be physical or verbal and can inflict significant damage on many. Along with the advanced technology, bullying can be done anonymously and make things even worse. Because of bullying, the suicide rating among teens has increased and has resulted in many to drop out of school. Most victims of bullying turn to drugs and self-harm than to an adult to talk about it because they feel alone and that no one would be able to understand.
Self-harm is a way of expressing and dealing with emotional distress. Some teens can hide their cuts and lie about how they are feeling, but deep down they are dying. Teens self-harm to distract themselves from the pain they are feeling inside. As illogical as it may sound to others, self-harming can be soothing. Self-harm can relieve the pain temporarily, and can quickly be followed by other feelings such as shame and guilt. This is also an issue that can be addicting and hard to turn away from.

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