It’s funny and somewhat ironic that Dr. Oz chose to discuss the issues of Teenage Pregnancy, Reality TV shows, and Kidney disease on his show today.

Doctor Oz and Teenage Pregnancy Information from Today’s Show

This area of the Doctor Oz website will give you some additional information and there’s another page about the MTV Reality Show. While I am of the opinion that this program is not directly going to contribute to the majority of the decisions to become popular by becoming pregnant to be on this television show by young girls, there is plenty of evidence to show that some stupid girls have actually gone that route to get attention and a possible deal. That’s crazy! But our children are out of control when they have less-than ideal role models, families, and people in their lives to model mature behavior like a mirror.

There are far too many adults in the entertainment industry, the magazine business, the night clubs, and even daily commercials on TV and in print media to suggest that our young people are innocently directed toward sexual expression by their peers. Adults could do a much better job of representing… Mature behavior is relatively hard to find and doesn’t get the attention that the wild and wacky wields in our society. Even Doctor Oz insists that his audience have sex many times a week to maintain their health! What are our children to think?

Other cultures and more experienced civilizations have expended a great deal of effort on building families, teaching young people about appropriate social constructs, and monitoring disciplined choices to be responsible and capable of entering into and maintaining healthy relationships which contribute to a stable and evolved society. You can take our understanding of Kidney Yang for example. If it is balanced; then a person expresses that balance in every aspect of their life, including a healthy body and healthy partnership in intimate sexual expression. Balance!

It’s the excess or over-stimulation of Kidney Yang that often compels both young men and young women to express their sexuality before they are mature enough to enter into a family relationship and raise a child together with a stable partnership.

When you find that a society begins to use stimulants on a regular basis, then an excess in behavior results as a matter of course. You cannot introduce a stimulant into the human body and expect no reaction. When our young children are exposed to synthetic hormones, artificial substances, environmental toxins, agricultural chemicals, and other molecules which stimulate the physiology of the human organism; what do you expect?

Aggressive behavior from excess Kidney Yang can easily be expressed in assertive sexual proclivity. Even young girls who would normally be victims of young boys who have traditionally initiated a sexual encounter are now becoming the ones who force their boyfriends or male targets into sex before developing a genuine relationship.

Teenage pregnancy has been a national and international issue for centuries, but it was rarely openly discussed, except in closed circles. Shame, guilt, fear, deception, and other unhealthy emotions and attitudes often accompanied these unfortunate and unplanned events. Girls lives were changed forever from one moment of abandon and lack of self-control. But now there is at least an open dialogue as well as Reality TV shows that are addressing this topic.

I know that I was pushed toward exploration of my own sexuality by my culture in the 1970’s that were early compared to other decades. Now that has taken another turn and younger girls and boys are saturated with sexual images, advertisements, activity, and uninvited associations more than ever before. This results in unplanned pregnancies and disease as well as dysfunctional relationships. It’s a mess…

The young single female parents that Dr. Oz interviewed all seemed to be better adjusted than many other girls with their advent on national TV shows. So many young girls in similar situations that have no support system do not fare as well as these girls with their brood. They spoke as if they had a handle on the issues and challenges that they are facing and appear to be more informed about their situations than the average young girl who finds herself alone and pregnant.

While there was some blame and finger-pointing by one group of parents and concerned individuals who think that these Reality Shows are making teen pregnancy and unwed parenthood glamorous. Another advocacy group held quite the opposite position and explained how protection and prevention and responsible action are intertwined with all of the new attention given to the youth who find themselves in this position. We are seeing all sides of this issue now. That’s a plus.

I fail to see Dr. Oz, parents, and advocates dealing with basics with our youth. Where are the educators that instruct our children about human sexuality and reproductive cycles from a scientific and social point of reference? If young girls truly understood their menstrual cycles and the nature of reproduction, they could better control their own behavior to be responsible for their choices and outcomes. But how many of these girls know when they can conceive? And where are the young boys in this discussion and the fathers? That’s the other half of the equation that merits our attention. If young boys do not learn what is at stake, then the girls are forced to bear the burden alone or with custody battles, endless emotional disputes, and embroiled interactions that do not foster healthy relationships.

I was thinking about self-esteem issues while watching Dr. Oz talk with the girls. He finally brought up this topic. I was glad to see that it was a consideration. Anyone can manage any obstacle or intrusive element in their lives when they have a good sense of Self. It does make it easier when a person has a support system, but that’s no guarantee of a satisfying outcome or bright future. Lives change in ways that these young people have never even thought about before engaging in sexual behavior…

It’s not that there are not pockets of groups and organizations doing something valuable about this issue, they are. But it’s not enough for our young people who look to their parents, teachers, doctors, and therapists to assist them while growing up, learning about their bodies and relationships, and becoming schooled in the fine arts of healthy family Life. We can all do better…

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011 at 4:03 pm and is filed under Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.