Ang Jia Min

Social issues among Teenagers

Living in this sophistication, it is an undeniable fact that teenagers are the future inheritors
of this fully developed and modern Malaysia who make up 60 per cent of the population.
However, social ills among teenagers are drastically escalating at an alarming rate and
become rampant nowadays. These problems definitely have large potential lead to negative
impacts to the social. Basically, social issues among teenagers include internet addiction,
juvenile delinquency and health issues.

First and foremost, the most significant social issue is internet addiction. In this era of
modernisation, technology has been on the rise. As internet provides fast and more
accurate information to mankind, numerous misleading information are disseminated
through unhealthy websites as well. Those naive youths who are unable to differentiate
what is right or wrong will easily be misguided. They will liable to drop into internet scam as
well. Moreover, a lot of interesting online games can cause addiction especially violent
games. Consequently, teenagers will gradually become aggressive, vulgarity and
disrespectful. Thus, relationship between adolescents and their family, peers will prone to
get worse. Hence, internet addiction is a main social ill among teenagers.

Apart from that, the another notable social problem among youths is juvenile delinquency.
As a young’s social circle plays incredibly important role in the choices they make, bad
company will lead astray easily. Teenagers nowadays tend to engaged in gangsterism and
pilferage after being abetted especially who are from poverty-stricken family and during
their “hippie” period to fulfil their material needs and gain a sense of satisfaction. Besides,
smoking and drug abusing are the meaningless but useful ways for teenagers to escape their
problems such as domestic abuse, relationship problems and academic pressure, just to
name a few. Youths who are wet behind their ears will also smoke and take drugs
inquisitively. While they are incapable to control themselves, they will likely become
addicted. According to the New Straits Times, a study by Ministry of Health revealed that 13
per cent of Malaysian teenagers were addicted in smoking and vaping. In short, juvenile
delinquency is absolutely a major social ill among youths.

Last but not least, the one of the social issues among teenagers is health problem. As a
matter of fact, adolescents nowadays contemporarily face a lot of health problems mentally
and physically. While students nowadays study intensively through cramming, they are
forced to compete with peers under high academic pressure. Students especially introvert
will easily become depressive. So, some of them will pessimistically try overeating, alcohol
abusing, drug abusing and the like when they face unbearable problems. However, obesity,
alcoholism and drug addiction will be resulted. Teenagers who are lack of self-discipline will
likely to become dependent on these harmful substances in life and dreadfully lead to
irrevocable consequences. When they gradually hate to school, they will attempt to play
truancy and loiter with their bad company. Their academic performance will undeniably be
affected. Additionally, youths especially who lack of concern from their parents will prone to
engage in bullying to gain the sense of superiority and attentions from the others. A recent
study showed that 16 per cent of teenagers in Malaysia had been involved in bullying in
2019. Hence, mental and physical health issues are totally one of the social ills among
teenagers.

All in all, internet addiction, juvenile delinquency and health issues are social issues among
teenagers nowadays. As the adage goes, “Prevention is better than cure”. Parents should
cultivate good habits and pick up bad habit of their children from childhood. Besides,
adolescents should look before they leap and speak out their problems to their parents,
peers, teachers or the trusted one because a problem shared is a problem saved.
Ang Jia Min

Social issues among Teenagers

Living in this sophisticated society, it is an undeniable fact that teenagers are the future
inheritors of this fully developed and modern Malaysia who make up 60 per cent of the
population. However, social ills among teenagers are drastically escalating at an alarming
rate and become rampant nowadays. These problems definitely have large potential leading
to negative impacts to the society. Basically, social issues among teenagers include internet
addiction, juvenile delinquency and health issues.

First and foremost, the most significant social issue is internet addiction. In this era of
modernisation, technology has been on the rise. As internet provides fast and more
accurate information to mankind, numerous misleading information is disseminated
through unhealthy websites. Those naive youths who are unable to differentiate right or
wrong will easily be misguided. They will be liable to drop into internet scam as well.
Moreover, a lot of interesting online games can cause addiction especially violent games.
Consequently, teenagers will gradually become aggressive, vulgar and disrespectful. Thus,
relationship between adolescents and their family or peers will be prone to get worse.
Hence, internet addiction is a main social ill among teenagers.

Apart from that, another notable social problem among youths is juvenile delinquency. As
a young’s social circle plays incredibly important role in the choices they make, bad
company will lead them astray easily. Teenagers nowadays tend to engage in gangsterism
and pilferage after being abetted especially who are from poverty-stricken family and during
their “hippie” period to fulfil their material needs and gain a sense of satisfaction. Besides,
smoking and drug abuse are the meaningless but useful ways for teenagers to escape from
their problems such as domestic abuse, relationship problems and academic pressure, just
to name a few. Youths who are wet behind their ears will also smoke and take drugs
inquisitively. While they are incapable to control themselves, they will likely become
addicted. According to the New Straits Times, a study by Ministry of Health revealed that 13
per cent of Malaysian teenagers were addicted in smoking and vaping. In short, juvenile
delinquency is absolutely a major social ill among youths.

Last but not least, one of the social issues among teenagers is health problems. As a matter
of fact, adolescents nowadays contemporarily face a lot of health problems mentally and
physically. While students nowadays study intensively through cramming, they are forced to
compete with peers under high academic pressure. Students especially introverts will easily
become depressive. So, some of them will pessimistically try overeating, alcohol abuse, drug
abuse and the like when they face unbearable problems. However, obesity, alcoholism and
drug addiction will be resulted. Teenagers who are lack of self-discipline will likely become
dependent on these harmful substances in life and dreadfully lead to irrevocable
consequences. When they gradually hate going to school, they will attempt to play truancy
and loiter with their bad company. Their academic performance will undeniably be affected.
Additionally, youths especially who lack concern from their parents will be prone to engage
in bullying to gain the sense of superiority and attentions from the others. A recent study
showed that 16 per cent of teenagers in Malaysia had been involved in bullying in 2019.
Hence, mental and physical health issues are totally one of the social ills among teenagers.

All in all, internet addiction, juvenile delinquency and health issues are social issues among
teenagers nowadays. As the adage goes, “Prevention is better than cure”. Parents should
cultivate good habits and break the bad habits of their children from childhood. Besides,
adolescents should look before they leap and speak out their problems to their parents,
peers, teachers or the trusted ones because a problem shared is a problem halved.