Media and Its Effects on Teenagers

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Media is the main means of mass communications, such as televisions (TVs), radio, magazines and newspapers, which reach the wide majority of a population. It offers entertainment, culture, news, sports and education, and celebrities are regarded by young people as heroes and idols. The media is an important and often inescapable part of our lives and has much to teach but some of what it teaches may not be what we want our youth to learn. Our society is constantly bombarded with commercials whose purpose is to sway our buying habits, and with shows, movies and magazines which influence what we wear, like, and think. These messages are interpreted differently by young people and have a direct impact on their increase use of illegal, and sometimes prescribed, drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. There is a direct relation between the ways celebrities are viewed as having the perfect lifestyle and how teenagers believe illegal substances would enhance their life in the same way. The different sources of media also aid in this portrayal. Reality TV shows promote the use and abuse of drugs, alcohol and tobacco by celebrities and regular people who get their one minute chance in the limelight.
In today’s society, the media has many beneficial along with undesirable influences that determine the behavior of many teens and young adults. With its constant development and advancement, young people especially are constantly exploiting different sources of media in which indirect messages are influencing their behavior within society. Alcohol and drugs are the most common substances that are continuously portrayed in the media and consumed by our youth (Atkinson, Bellis, Elliot, and Sumnall, 6). Adolescents encounter a variety of alcohol and drug r...

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...is unrealistic to think that we can shield our children from it. If we do not have internet and TV at home we are certain to make our children feel like outcasts in society for they are unable to join in the conversation with their peers. When they are at their friends’ house, we are unable to control what they watch and hear. Instead, as a society, we must deviate from this obsession with celebrities and their addictions. Parents need to maintain an open line of communication with their children and teens and ensure that they are aware that what they see on TV is for entertainment purposes and should not be replicated for there will be real life consequences. Teenagers are more likely to abstain from drugs, alcohol and tobacco if they are engaged with other activities such as sports, outdoor activities, and a good communication relationship with their parents.

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