Teenager Stereotypes

[FluffyRobi]

What is your opinion on teens? teenagers are often misunderstood and played off as a funny "joke" while at the same time being pressured to be an adult
Why do you feel that way? Because teenagers are treated like children but expected to act like an adult. You can tell in the way the school systems are wired and how the ads treat us. We're supposed to decide what we want to do with the rest of our life, but we get laughed at if we exhibit a day where we're "moody" and "unsocial." Not to mention that because of these stereotypes, many disorders that appear around the teenage years are ignored and left to manifest and turn into worse things, (depression into suicide, anxiety into severe anxiety, schizophrenia into dis-associative identity disorder) and then when symptoms really appear as young adults, people are told that they "should've caught it earlier!"
Teenagers are treated like jokes and pulled every which way (girls need to keep themselves for marriage and not wear revealing clothes and be pure and modest, while boys have to have sex in order to be seen as manly / at eighteen you're too young to drink alcohol but old enough to make the decision of what you want your career to be for the rest of your life / seen as moody and ungrateful yet whenever they voice their opinion it's shot down). Watching a simple programme can bring light to how teenagers are viewed in America. Meg is the butt of almost every joke on Family Guy and her brother is played off as an immature bimbo. The way we are treated plays very close with how we are presented, and neither are rather respectful.
When you were a teenager, or if you still are, did/do you exhibit any teenage stereotypes? I do, actually. I'm very involved with electronics and I dislike my family/parents, but there are reasons behind those things that I think many people don't exactly understand. Or, at least they don't choose to.

[Tekla]

@FluffyRobi

I just want to address the disorders part of your post.

Firstly: DID and schizophrenia are completely different disorders. They can't just "turn" into one another.

Mental disorder is often not "caught early" or diagnosed in the teens because sometimes they simply can't be. A good example of this is antisocial personality disorder, which cannot be formally diagnosed until adulthood because of all the changes growing up causes.

Disorders in teenagers are hard to diagnose because there are so many factors to consider. As you noted, teenagers go through a lot of pressure - they are still figuring out who they are and who they want to be, they face pressure from society and peers to be "typical", they face pressure to do well in school so they can get a "good job". On top of that, puberty and hormone fluctuations can cause mood swings, making mood disorders hard to diagnose. In addition, mental disorder can present differently between males and females.

Also, teenagers are not always forthcoming or honest about their problems and to what extent those problems affect them. One of the hardest steps to overcoming mental illness is admitting the need for help. And many times other people, even family, don't recognize the signs of disorder until they get worse, so it's really a lose-lose situation when a teen won't share the issue and the family isn't properly equipped to recognize or understand.

This is not to say that the disorders that can be recognized early should not be treated early, because those disorders should be. I just wanted to give some insight into why disorders in teens often go undiagnosed or unrecognized.

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What is your opinion on teens?

They're immature. u: Which isn't actually a stereotype; people don't truly finish maturation until young adulthood.

That said, a great many teens DO fit the stereotypes.

I don't particularly care for teenagers because of that "I'm invincible, I can get away with ANYTHING" mindset many of them have.

Why do you feel that way?

I think that in some cases the parents themselves play into some of the stereotypes - especially the "unwillingness to accept blame" stereotype and the "hate parents" stereotype.

A parent who is always there to make a problem go away is teaching their child nothing but an "it's not my fault and mommy will make it go away for me anyway" mindset.

Teens are at an age when they are trying to find themselves and separate their images from that of their parents and siblings, which can lead to the 'hate parents' mindset. This can be made worse if the parent grew up in a different generation with different values, because teenagers are more affected by their peers and sometimes the values of a teen don't jive with those of a parent.

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In any case I witnessed the stereotypes - my brother, who is only 17 months younger than me. We were in high school some of the same time and of course I lived with him, so I got firsthand experience....

-My brother had a stealing problem, including trying to shoplift once, so there have been times he couldn't be trusted
-My brother went through, and to some extent is still going through, the stereotypical 'hate parent' phase (which usually presented/presents itself when mom tries to discipline)
-Still has trouble accepting the blame and consequences for his actions, a result of mom always being there to make problems go away
-Troublemaker; he got nastier in personality as he got older, which may have been influenced by the very dark music he listens to - also damaged property in fits of rage
-Stereotypical "don't care about school"
-Stereotypical "I want only the most expensive because it's the BEST" mindset
-Ungrateful for what he had/was given - always wanting more

To a lesser extent, my peers were roughly similar given all the parental complaints I overheard and the need always for new expensive clothes and jewelry.

When you were a teenager did you exhibit any teenage stereotypes?

I'm not a teenager anymore, but I don't think I did, at least not the ones listed on the first post. Mostly I think it boils down to personality and mindset; I'm an introvert and I simply don't enjoy social activities that are expected of teenagers. I was never interested in relationships or sex (I really dislike being touched in general) and I avoided trouble like the plague - I've always hated being in trouble.

I was pretty much the only person like that in my class. I'm the quiet solitary cat lady who'd rather play video games.

[FluffyRobi]

@ Tekla
I'll admit, my wording was a bit off. What I meant by the whole DID and Schizophrenia part was that Schizophrenia can cause DID to develop because of trauma.
I know well why disorders in teens go undiagnosed until later years; all I was trying to convey was that sometimes the stereotypes placed on teens cause people to overlook what may be life-affecting disorders. Personally, my mum didn't get me much needed medication for depression and anxiety until I had about three breakdowns in one week and attempted suicide. If people would pay attention to what teenagers say about themselves, then maybe we could avoid more situations like that.
As well, the whole untruthfulness mostly plays in with how they were raised. If the teen had a very strict household, they're more likely to be pathological liars, while teens with unrestricting parents are more likely to be truthful and open. Of course you may have your outliers, but the basic idea is there.

[AlCaponage]

What is your opinion on teens? I have mixed feelings, I don't like to stereotype people so I kinda have different views based on different people.
Why do you feel that way? I guess I explained that a little above. I tend not to stereotype people simply because I don't think it's very polite.
If you are a parent with a teenager, does your teen exhibit common stereotypes? I am a teenager.
When you were a teenager, or if you still are, did/do you exhibit any teenage stereotypes? I honestly don't know. It's hard for me to tell if I have any stereotypes on my own. I guess someone could tell me if I exhibit any or not.


● Can't be trusted. Personally, I know many trustworthy teenagers. And, I do feel that I am trustworthy, though I guess it would be best to ask one who knows me better.
● Don't like their parents, they don't listen to them, and hate to be seen with them I do see many people who don't like or don't want to be seen with their parents. This is partly true with me, I'm not a huge fan of my mom, but my dad is actually a pretty cool guy. We do spend a lot of time together, and I don't mind going anywhere with him. We both do have many of the same interests, such as in books, TV shows (we watch different shows together all the name, even a couple animes.), video games, and general activities. I think it's really nice being around a parent I have so much in common with. Especially since I don't see my friends all that often. Actually, I don't have many friends. I think I just found out why.
● Only care about their social life(Boyfriends/Girlfriends/Friends) I don't have much of a social life, I'm more of an independent person. I'm really more concerned with school and my many interests.
● Want the most expensive things I really don't want much, period. I can live with a couple of things. In fact, I've often been told it's difficult to get things for me on holidays or my birthday, because of how little I want.
● Ungrateful I get really happy when people do things for me, and pretty much will offer to return the favor every time. I also thank people over even the littlest of things. I personally think I'm very grateful. I have, however, met people who are not.
● Troublemakers I'm the opposite, I can't even lie properly without shaking and stuttering and feeling the most guilt ever.
● Sex-crazed I am a sex-repulsed person. For some reason I can barely even stand the thought.
● Never accept blame/Always blaming parents for everything wrong in their life I also apologize for everything. I can't stand guilt, and I know when I do something wrong and I feel absolutely horrible. When I'm accused of something I did wrong, I accept it, all the color drains from my face and I can barely speak, but I still don't deny it.
● Don't care about school I care very much about school and my grades. I'm really into science and engineering. And I some day wish to have a career in that field. So it's important to stay extremely focused on school if I wish for that to happen.
● Immature I wouldn't say I'm immature, I've been told I'm pretty mature by many different people, and otherwise by different people.

Anyways, those are my views and experiences, as well as a little bit of information on myself.

[WarriorsRock2010]

What is your opinion on teens? I think they're quite scary, honestly. They travel in packs and take up a lot of space when they travel in said packs. They are also noisy and some can be really hateful (not all, just some), and a few can be full of themselves. Not all teens are like this, just some that I know.
Why do you feel that way? I am a teenager in High School, but I'm mostly timid by nature so maybe that's why I feel this way.
If you are a parent with a teenager, does your teen exhibit common stereotypes? N/A
When you were a teenager, or if you still are, did/do you exhibit any teenage stereotypes? Well, I can be unreliable for social things and I can be slow to do something when asked. I can be annoying, and I like heavy music/music adults might consider 'loud and fast paced'. For the most part, I don't think I exhibit normal stereotypes. If I do I don't notice them.

[Taehyung]

What is your opinion on teens? Well, I am one. Though, they are extremely alarming in a strange, weird way. For example. When I was a little child, I was downright horrified of them. They were tall, they cursed a lot (Even though I do now,) they were destructive, they are in these huge clans of a loud mess. And they always look like they're about to mug you from what I've seen.
Why do you feel that way? I dunno, really. I'm a homeschooled teenager, so I do actually travel in packs with my friends on school days. But we don't go around vandalizing, I guess.
Troublemakers Depends on the person, I guess. [How they were raised, etc.]
Sex-crazed Well, that's up for debate. Again, depends on the person.
When you were a teenager, or if you still are, did/do you exhibit any teenage stereotypes? A lot. What's with the whole starbucks and chipotle thing? I can make better coffee and chipotle gives me a stomach ache tbh.
Anyway, back on track. They're kind of just unsettling, and mysterious.

[myultimateanswer]

What is your opinion on teens? I'm still one so i know they're varying creature and so the idea of having a opinion on them as a 'them' is unrealistic except the truths that most are very stressed from having to pick out their entire future and control it even though they are still very young.
Why do you feel that way? personal experience?
If you are a parent with a teenager, does your teen exhibit common stereotypes? nope
When you were a teenager, or if you still are, did/do you exhibit any teenage stereotypes? yeah like how a teenagers natural body clock means a late morning and night, but not in terms of sex, partying and all that.