Teen Dating Violence
Adolescent dating violence can be very damaging to the mental health of a victim. It can be described as inappropriate behavior that a teenager displays towards another in a relationship. This form of violence can manifest itself in many ways and it ranges from mental and physical to sexual abuse. Dating violence has a great deal of effects on the mental health of teenagers. These consequences can either be short term or long term to the affected individual (Offenhauer & Buchalter, 2011).
In the short term, teen dating violence can lead to decrease in one’s mental capabilities, increased levels of stress, nervousness and anxiety, low self worth, poor academic performance in school, multiple eating disorders and alcohol – substance abuse. The short-range effects can have lasting consequences if not dealt with accordingly and in due time. Teens that face these short-term effects may find it difficult to start new relations with their age groups and are mostly emotionally dependent. They have challenges developing individual beliefs, principles and ethics and this affects their focus, leading to deterioration in their learning development (Offenhauer & Buchalter, 2011).
Lasting effects of teen dating violence can be witnessed after a length of time and may roll on into the adult years depending on the magnitude and extent of abuse. A teen may carry on the violence into their adult relationships, either as a perpetrator or a victim. Perpetrators are more likely to continue with violence in their later years while victims are more likely to be involved in abusive relationships. This trend of behavioral events may persist throughout for very many years (Offenhauer & Buchalter, 2011).
The effects of teen dating violence vary across the sexes. Girls are more likely to experience long term mental and behavioral problems like suicidal attempts, depression and substance abuse than boys (Mulford & Giordano, 2008). Young men have the propensity to commit severe violence and endure lesser psychological consequences. On the other hand, young women have a tendency to be responsible for lesser violence and undergo more weighty psychological consequences. (Cutter-Wilson & Richmond, 2011). Boys involved in these forms of relationships are more aggressive and develop anti-social character traits. They are also more likely to damage property and turn to theft (Mulford & Giordano, 2008).
Teen dating violence is linked to the advancement and deterioration of mental health conditions. These conditions include: depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), fretfulness, obsessive compulsive disorders, substance abuse and mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorders in adults (Cutter-Wilson & Richmond, 2011).
Young women who have experienced teen dating violence are incapable of addressing many issues related to hostility in their later years due to psychological trauma.