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What is risky behavior?

Risk, risks or risky behaviour is something that is usually associated with negative thoughts and feelings. However, this should not always be the case, as risk-taking can also be seen as a necessary developmental stage of adolescence. Adolescents' interest in new experiences, including taking different risks, is a natural and important developmental task. It is by pushing boundaries and taking risks that teenagers develop independence, and through this the young person can grow and develop. This can be a challenging time for the adults around the young person, but it is important to remember that this is a sign of their healthy development and that teenagers are designed to seek independence and freedom. At the same time, it is important that risky behaviour remains socially acceptable and does not become serious, with uncertain outcomes or increasingly severe consequences.

When does risky behaviour become dangerous?

Risky behaviour changes from a socially acceptable normal developmental stage to risky behaviour of concern when teenagers start taking risks that endanger their and/or others' safety and these risks may have long-term lasting consequences. In this case, it is high risk behaviour. High-risk behaviour can have detrimental effects on the well-being, health and development of the young person, as well as on the well-being and health of others. It affects the young person's physical and mental health, the development of social skills and future prospects..

High risk behaviours include, for example:

  • Persistent substance use (smoking, alcohol, drugs)
  • violent behaviour towards other people (both mental and physical violence).
  • destruction of property
  • stealing of car(s)
  • self-injury (e.g. continuous cutting; clawing, burning)
  • suicide attempts
  • bullying
  • continuous differentiation of compulsory schooling
  • constant nights away from home
  • sexual risk behaviours (unsafe sex, sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancy).

Preventing the escalation of risky behaviour

  • Low self-esteem can be a reason for more risky behaviour, which is why it is important to work on developing positive self-esteem in children from an early age. This will help in building relationships and making the right decisions later in life.
  • It's important to talk about making safe choices when adults are not around, and to give clear signals that it's safe to let them know if they need our help, including if they are also in a risky situation and let us know, we won't punish them for involving themselves in unsafe activities. For example, say: "I'm asking you to make safe choices and take care of yourself. However, should you or your friends find yourself in an unsafe situation, I want you to come to me for help. I promise I won't make you regret seeking my help."
  • We know that young people don't always use their best judgement when they are with their friends. It is therefore useful to plan with them in advance how they will behave when risky opportunities arise. For example, you could say: "We're glad you agree that it's not safe to drink alcohol when you're with friends. Let us know what your plan is if everyone else is drinking. What will you say or do that will help you stick to the plan we're making now?"
  • Pre-planning doesn't guarantee that a young person will make decisions that suit us when they are with their friends, but they will cope better if they have thought through the situation and don't try to come up with a solution in the moment.
  •  It's also important to remember that young people don't want to feel shamed in front of their friends, and sometimes they can avoid this by implying that they are happy to engage in risky behaviour, but if they do, they will get into trouble with their parents.
  • When you talk to a young person about taking risks, we must not threaten them with punishment if they fail. While the intentions of the threat may be good, there is a risk that young people will focus on how not to miss out, rather than on engaging in risk-taking behaviour. As adults, for example, we might say: "It's not a question of whether or not you'll miss - most likely not - the main question is whether you might get hurt. It's your job to take good care of yourself, and if you're not doing that job, it's my job to step in to help you do it."