For parents of teenagers, it is only natural that they constantly worry about their offspring all day long. Teenagers are a risky bunch to look after because sometimes an old soul is no match for a vigorous spirit.

A few generations ago parents used to worry about their kids getting involved with drugs and alcohol, cigarettes and chewing tobacco. The dangers that your parents warned you about in your young days have taken different forms now and the spectrum of addictive behavior has multiplied manifold in modern times.

Teens and social networking is the new “in” thing, along with sex and other drugs. These words define the addictive tendencies of the modern teenagers who are shunning traditional ways of getting high and experimenting with far more dangerous things.

This attitude has been described well by Dr Matt Bellace in his book A Better High in which he explains that unhealthy natural highs are achieved through behaviors that activate the pleasure center of the brain. According to him, teenagers who are addicted to such highs can find themselves adopting destructive behavior.

Addicted to Prescription Drugs

Addiction to prescription drugs is the most common among teenagers because this high comes easy and cheap.

The grave situation of youth getting hooked on prescription drugs has led to different campaigns. The Wake Up! campaign is one such initiative that educates teenagers on the dangers of abusing prescription drugs.

In addition, it educates schools and communities about the facts of drug abuse. Some are as follows:

• Every day, 2,500 youth get high on a prescription drug for the first time.
• Around 22 percent of American high school seniors admit that they have misused prescription drugs.
• One in five teens suffers from prescription drug abuse.
• Over one-third of abusers of prescription drugs are between the ages of 12 and 17.

The Social Network

The world of social networking is not as romantic or colorful as it usually seems because it could prove to be a dangerous territory to navigate for many teens.

The need to stay connected all day long keep teenagers busy surfing their profiles or those of other people on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.

According to Suzanne Raga, author of You Rock! How to Be a Star Student and Still Have Fun, “Because so many teens are active on these sites and check or update them multiple times a day, they feel like they’re missing out on social opportunities and news if they don’t repeatedly check them.”

Beep Beep… You Have a Message

Among other things, the modern teenager is crazy about texting.

Teen expert, Erika Katz, mentioned in her book Bonding over Beauty, “Girls, especially, are becoming addicted to the immediate response… If they don’t get a text back, it makes them crazy and nervous and they text more.”

Texting addiction is one of those habits that interfere with the daily life of a person. Excessive texting can interfere with the normal development of social skills among children and would restrict them from focusing on important everyday things, say driving, for instance.

Sex and Other Drugs

A passing look at any billboard lining the roadsides will show this written all over it: Sex sells. Teenagers are oblivious to this fact because the media is constantly airing sexual content and images every day, all day long.

Sex and drugs have gained a solid ground in teen circles and this obsession has led many kids to become sexually active at a young age. Due to these random changes in the younger generation, intense sexual behavior is being now observed in school hallways and playgrounds.

These are some of the important modern day addictions that teenagers suffer from. Parents need to open their eyes to this reality. They should start educating themselves about the media and technology that are so instrumental in forming the behavior of children belonging to the space age.