News Articles

By Evelyn Atieno Courtesy of HUFFPOST Originally posted 06/14/2016 “I don’t care if it was heroin in my cup, it’s in MY cup” said Lil Wayne in a 2009 interview for Behind the Music. Lil Wayne was being confronted about his abusive use of “lean” also known as codeine; to a Lil Wayne fan, it’s apparent that Wayne abuses lean, to others they think it’s what makes him, him. Lean has defined his career from his humble beginnings, in a perplexing way, Wayne doesn’t see lean as poisonous nor dangerous. He has been dependent on it for years, stating in [...]

A recent study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that 16-year-old girls using oral contraceptives are more depressed than peers not using oral contraceptives. Oral contraceptive users particularly reported more crying, eating problems, and excessive sleeping compared with nonusers. The study warns that use of oral contraceptives by teenage girls may affect their quality of life and put them at risk for not taking the contraceptives regularly, leading to unplanned pregnancies. Courtesy of JAMA Network Association of Use of Oral Contraceptives With Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents and Young Women Key Points Question  What is the association between oral contraceptive use and concurrent depressive [...]

In recent years there has been growing awareness of Child Sex Trafficking. Here are WARNING SIGNS to watch for: Signs of physical abuse such as burn marks, bruises or cuts Unexplained absences from school, truancy Less appropriately dressed than before Sexualized behavior Overly tired or falls asleep in class Withdrawn, depressed, or distracted Brags about making or having lots of money Displays expensive clothes, accessories, or shoes New tattoo (tattoos often used by pimps as a way to brand victims.) Older boyfriend, new friends with a different lifestyle, or gang involvement Disjointed family connections, running away, living with friends, or experiencing [...]

Courtesy of Good News Network More than a decade of data reveals that American teens have become far less likely to abuse alcohol, nicotine, and illicit drugs, and less likely to engage in delinquent behaviors, such as fighting and stealing. Researchers found that the number of substance-use disorders among 12- to 17-year olds had declined by 49% over a 12-year span, along with a simultaneous 34% decline in delinquent behaviors, such as fighting, assault, stealing, selling drugs or carrying a handgun. The decline in substance abuse among teens in the years before 2015 parallels findings in other recent surveys, but, [...]

By NBC15 Staff Courtesy of NBC15 MADILL, Okla. (WMTV)-- A police department in Oklahoma is warning parents about several apps that could be on their child's tablet or smartphone. According to the Madill Police Department's Facebook posted on August 5, they posted the warning ahead of the upcoming school year. "With school just around the corner, we wanted to share with parents, 15 Apps you should be aware of on your child's phone/tablet and the dangers that come with some of them," posted the police department. https://www.facebook.com/madillpolice/photos/a.581468455388006/1165489380319241/?type=3&theater   The full list of apps with descriptions from Madill Police Department: MEETME: [...]

By Annie Holmquist Courtesy of Intellectual Takeout Let’s face it. Almost every child has likely had some type of meltdown in public, causing great embarrassment to both the child’s parent and to other witnesses in the vicinity. But while such disrespectful behavior is embarrassing at age two, it’s downright horrifying the older a child gets. Dr. Leonard Sax recently experienced one of these horrifying displays of disrespect in his medical practice. He describes the scenario in a recent edition of The Wall Street Journal: “Kyle was absorbed in a videogame on his cellphone, so I asked his mom, ‘How long [...]

By Timothy Oblad Courtesy of Institute of Family Studies In 2016, Natalie Natividad was an 8th grader at Hebbronville Middle in South Texas. After repeated bullying at school and online over the course of a year, she tragically took her own life. This was especially impactful to the local community as they were just recovering from the news of a nearby high school student who also made a similar suicide attempt because of depression from bullying (although this young woman survived). Cases such as these are difficult to face, but the growing number of individuals struggling with depression and bullying from peers [...]

A recent study published in the journal Psychological Science found that engaging in uncommitted sex while single increases the likelihood of failure in a future marriage. Researchers found that when one or both spouses displayed behaviors making them more likely to engage in one-time sexual encounters and sex outside of marriage, they were less satisfied at the start of the marriage. One or both spouses were then found to have experienced a rapid decline in satisfaction over the first several years of marriage, ultimately predicting divorce. The researchers state, "strong motives to pursue uncommitted sex may interfere with marital success." [...]

Here at Free Teens USA, we are having a debate about whether a Stanford professor is exaggerating the downsides of excessive time spent on video games and online porn (we DO agree that pornography can be both ADDICTIVE and DAMAGING to healthy male/female relationships) or to take his warning seriously. We’d like to ask YOUR opinion. Do you think playing video games is a healthy diversion for (mostly) guys or a potential sinkhole to avoid? Let us know what you think! The demise of guys: Stanford professor claims video games and online porn will lead to the extinction of men [...]

By Rebecca Ayer Courtesy of UGA Today Dating, especially during the teenage years, is thought to be an important way for young people to build self-identity, develop social skills, learn about other people, and grow emotionally. Yet new research from the University of Georgia has found that not dating can be an equally beneficial choice for teens. And in some ways, these teens fared even better. The study, published online in The Journal of School Health, found that adolescents who were not in romantic relationships during middle and high school had good social skills and low depression, and fared better [...]