HANDBOOK #3-4

As society progresses and technology becomes integrated into every aspect of our lives, a lot of concerns have been raised in regards to this. Among those are questions about the safety of teenagers when being online, especially on social media. Social media is truly a double-edged sword: whereas it can be used as a means for communication and connection between people, there are also a lot of sources of dangers that come from there as well. Without proper uses in the digital world, adolescents may be susceptible to a lot of bad things, which may have a direct impact towards themselves (Hershenson, 2017).

Concerns

• Online Predators: defined as “internet users who exploit children and teens for sexual and violent purposes”, an estimated 500,000 online predators are active every day (Avanier, 2023), and any teenager can be subjected to harassment by these predators.

• Negative Influences: when being online, teenagers can be exposed to any kind of information, and without being aware of the information being fed to these adolescents, they may be negatively affected by bad influences, especially since teenagers’ brains are not fully grown and can be easily swayed by external sources. For example, teenagers may learn from social media to conduct illegal activities or to say bad slurs.

• Cyberbullying: teenagers can easily be subjected to cyberbullying - “the use of technology to harass, threaten, embarrass, or target another person”. Cyberbullying takes in many forms, but some of the most common methods include sending anonymous threats, posting pictures/videos without consent, and commenting negatively on others online.

Protecting Yourself

• Keep all private information private. These things include live location, identification numbers, phone numbers, email addresses, and more. 

• Be aware of the threats that you can face when being on the internet. By realizing these things as well as understanding the appropriate approaches towards these issues, this can prevent you from being subjected to the negative impacts of social media.

• In case an unknown person is messaging you online in a “sketchy” way, remove and block that person immediately. Reach out to your parents if needed. Along with that, recognize and help peers who are facing the same issue.

• Be aware of different information exposed to you online and determine whether the information is trustworthy or not. Much of the time, bad things can be fed to you online, including misinformation and websites that promote negative activities; and by blocking these sources, this can prevent predators and negative things to get to you.

4) Puberty

Puberty is, without a doubt, a very interesting phase in our life. This is a stage you go through in your life and happens to both boys and girls: it usually starts around 9-15 and it ends around 17 years old;  boys tend to go through puberty later than girls a few years. During this time, a lot of changes occur in a person, both on the physical and psychological aspects; that’s why this is called the “transitioning phase” between a child and an adult! By being aware of different aspects of puberty and how it affects a person, you can better prepare yourself for things you have never experienced before (KidsHealth)

Physically

During puberty, we experience a lot of physical changes, and these alterations are different for males and females.

MALES

Males usually experience a lot of hair growth as well as your genitals getting bigger. Males also have about a 50% chance of chest developing thus making it slightly bigger than those who don’t experience this. Your body will also produce a hormone called testosterone that will help make the brain develop as well as making your voice sound deeper. You will also have your height increase significantly (starts 1-2 years after the start of puberty. Some teens are also prone to acne. This affects both boys and girls but the rate could be slightly different for a boy vs a girl.

FEMALES

Girls can experience some hair growth but not as much as boys. Girls will also tend to have mood swings more than boys due to hormonal changes in the body. During this time, breasts will develop. The change that differs from boys the most is the menstrual cycle (period). Girls generally get their period around the age of 12 (but maybe earlier or later) and could be a challenge for girls that experience it for the first few times. And with the mood swings, girls can become easily agitated at times and could be affect by estrogen (which is the hormones to make your body enters puberty for girls) and menstrual cycles (period). 

PERSONAL HYGIENE TIPS

• Take a shower every day 

• Scrub places with strong body odors like armpits a little bit more. 

• Consider using deodorant (use non-smell aluminum chloride deodorant if you don’t like the smell). 

• Wash your face with face cleansers and use pimple patch removers, not popping pimples 

• Change clothes/underwear daily 

Mentally

During puberty, your brain is developing, which can lead to emotional intensity and mood swings as a result of changing hormones in our body. Because of this, we become more likely to act in an impulsive manner, and that is unfortunately very challenging to manage. 

In this time, it's also very common for us to explore ourselves so we have personal identities such as what you value, interest, etc. Additionally, we start to explore our sexual interests as we fall into romantic relationships (which can be explained by testosterone, estrogen, oxytocin, and vasopressin) 

Another problem that many teenagers tend to face is body image issues. Nowadays, as you go online, you can easily see posts of people showing their “desirable” body states; and whereas some people use it as a form of motivation to improve themselves, others develop insecurities as they compare themselves to others.

WHERE TO ASK FOR HELP?

It is completely normal for teenagers to face these different issues; yet, without having careful considerations and choices, this can lead to many consequences, such as conducting impulsive misbehaviors or constantly experiencing negative emotions like depression or suicidal thoughts. 

Please always keep in mind that you are never alone, and that there are always those around you that can aid you in the adolescence process. 

• Your family is (hopefully) a safe space where you can share things that are going on in your life as well as your concerns and problems. 

• Your friends are in the process of maturing along with you also, so they are ones who can understand and empathize with you.

• At DGS, there are your advisors and the school counselor (Ms. Niamh) who are always willing to help you, so don’t hesitate to reach out to them!

• Finally, seek professional help if you find it necessary to do so.

• Always keep in mind that the people you are sharing your concerns need to be those who you fully trust.