Do you agree teen age years are the most difficult period in one's life?

hell no. They only have to worry about who thinks they are cool or not. Try worrying about keeping a job in this economy with 3 kids and a wife that eats anything that moves.

LOL. You wish. Just wait.

No, not at all. I found my teen years to be easy compared to the 'real life', adult responsibilities, tragedies to friends and family in later years, the changing of the times we live in. Teens were easy compared to later life.

They can be very rough, depending on what the teenager is experiencing.

It's my belief that the so-called "sunset years" of retirement are the worst, because those folks are much closer to dying, than someone in their teenage years.

+5

I'm not too far out of my teenage years, but I hope that I never have to go through anything as near as difficult as I did when I was a teenager.

Absolutely not. The most difficult period of one's life is menopause.

To a teenager, they "seem" like the most difficult period because teenagers haven't learned yet how to deal with a lot of things, but I think the period that includes "college/marriage/raise a family/land a good career/buy a house" is probably more difficult in terms of actually accomplishing something.

I would say so yes.

No.

They are the most self involved years, the most dramatic, the most emo, the most wrapped up in what others think and also the ones where men are more likely to be attacked and both sexes are more likely to commit suicide (because they are the most self-involved and dramatic etc etc)

Once you get over the peer pressure and the desire to conform and the general vapours, then the rest of life is much easier to cope with.

Which is a good thing.

Because that's when the real issues start.

Mine weren't that difficult. I have Aspergers Syndrome, of course I didn't know it then. I had taught myself by age ten to ignore all social situations and concentrate solely on schoolwork and personal interests. My twenties were actually harder than my teens, as Army life forced me into formalized social situations; I had to learn to mimic "normal" behavior. +5

Well I'm 23 and I (so far) havent experienced anything harder than being a teenager.

Although a lot of life changing things went on in my childhood/teen years so maybe that has something to do with it.

Yes - but not me

They are the most difficult part of the aging process. There may be times in life that are more difficult due to external reasons.

Not compared with the mid-life crisis of realising that you aren't actually ever going to be a big star, a great scientist, a genius musician, or even a competent parent; and everything in the future will be the same except for gradually increasing physical decrepitude.

Of course we expect teenagers to whine: we did it when we were teenagers too; but not surprisingly we grew out of it.

They can be.
I went through alot of things my teenage years cuz I wanted to rebel against my parents.
Drug abuse, alcohol, car wreck, dui, possession charge, juvy for 8 months, abusive relationships, kidnapping, rape, sexually promiscuous, pregnancy, and failure, failure, failure. I was a stupid kid...so that WAS the most difficult period of my life.
I straightenened out, learned alittle...and now am pretty structured. things are gravy now...but my teenage years were just crazy. I was just stupid though. I liked to live on "the edge" Which is living stupid, and feeling the consequences. Going from school to school, and in and out of probation and juvy, drug rehabs...I felt alone even though I always had people. I had a depression I suppose. I didnt feel right, I was missing something.
I realize what it was. I suppose I put myself as #1, which actually put me at the bottom.

But...it could have been so easy. Geez I had a roof over my head and food to eat and never had to do anything. Geez, I think about it...and I wasted what could have been the best years.

Stupid Jamey. LOL. Oh well, its in the past. Things are good now.

When I read skel's answer I thought "right on!". I remember a whole lotta freedom with minimal, if any, real responsibility = a *great* time!
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Then I read maddisongirl's comment and thought "right on!" Through most of college, I was dirt-poor and went hungry all-too-often. And the whole 'freedom/responsibility' thing somehow got switched around on me!
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"But i guess it just depends on the person, not their age." =
Amen!
Very wise.
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;-)

It may seem that at the time but then you grow up.

yes.

I'm surprised by how many people have answered 'no' to this question. I'm in my 30s now and, like everyone else, I've had a few trials and tribulations since I was a teenager, but if I had to choose one part of life not to go back to, it would be my teenage years. At least now I feel quite well equipped to deal with bad things that happen to me, from having more experience of life, but back then I didn't have the knowledge to cope with things in the same way and therefore they seemed to be much worse than they were. For that reason, I'm going to go out on a limb and say yes they were, in some ways, the most difficult period in my life.

no if brought up right it is manageable. most difficult is when you have a child, mortgage, cars etc... so now way teens are a cake walk

In reality they may not have been, but it was difficult to not have as much control over life.

Absolutely +5

They can be for some, but not for me.

They can be difficult, but I believe the years after 50 can be the most difficult. Growing old and coping with the changes that we're just not always ready for ... facing your own mortality. It can be a lovely time of life ... but also very challenging.

definently not

I actually gave this some thought and marriage for me has been the most difficult so far.

At the time they seemed pretty tough but now that I'm a bit older I don't think that they were that much of a challenge at all.

no..its because most teens (not all) arent equipped to handle situations as elegantly as they would as an adult. just inexperience and immaturity. with that being said, i wouldnt go back for anything..well, if i was paid a substantial amount of money and was able to take my *wisdom* with me..

no - Bette Davis said it - "Old age ain't for issies" -- i am beginning to believe her

Yes and No. Yes because teens have a lot of pressure on them at these ages. They have to make tough decisions on wether to follow that certain crowd, or dress this certain way, and let's face it...those damn horomones raging! lol. Drugs and sex.Things that can change the rest of their lives (if they go to jail or have kids!) They have to decide wether they are going to do those things like lying to their parents about where they are or be honest.Love. (and the first few heartbreaks make them feel like their world has come to an end!) They also don't have all the freedom that they want. Curfews, rules, restrictions, school. etc.But they are constantly supported with a shelter, food, clothes, etc. However as an adult, the responsibility comes.Bills, work, supporting yourself, possibly a family, and well...LIFE. So yea...I think its a difficult time but not so sure about it being the MOST difficuly.

not in mine +5

Well, now, wait a minute. Seems to me the 80s would be pretty rough.

No it just seems like that at the time..it becomes difficult when you start getting responsibilites..like paying the bills and rent!!

It depends very much on the person. Some find teen years turbulent and are very worried about the changes in themselves.
Some people have a hard time when family responsibilities coincide with times of economic hardships.
I dont think it can be generalised.

LIFE is hard...But a teenagers problems are teenage size. And so on. Once you've grown and have to worry about bill's, health,grief...THEN things are difficult !

One GOOD thing about getting older is : you've seen things before and what once was hurtful or bothersome , slide right off you. You've made mistakes and sometimes payed the price - But when older you have learned not to repeat the same mistakes.

that's just something people say so teen's will get caught with their pants down when reality come knockin.
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XD i mean sure, life's so hard when you don't have to support yourself, worry about your education and career, worry about finding a partner to build a shared life with, support the ever expensive children brought forth by such unions, mortgages, and pretty much everything else life makes you juggle.
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yeah life's really hard when your main concern is remembering to copy tomorrow's homework off some1 before class

no, I'm not sure if I'm still considered a teen, but it's not that hard. I think paying bills and putting up with kids teachers and adult stressors.. I consider myself an adult now though. cuz I am, legally.

Well, maybe the senior years are worse. It's when the body starts to fall apart and you don't have mommy & daddy to depend as a safety net any more.

No, they are the most enjoyable period of one's life.

Maybe keeping the hormones incheck is difficult, but personally I dont think mine were or still are very difficult.

No those are the best and most easy years of a life. :) Ha ha...At least I think. They may seem hard when your going through them, but once they are gone you see how nice you really had it made.

No, wait until you have real responsibilities with bills, family, career, and community. Kinda makes the pimple on the chin seem a bit lame. ;)

only till you are out of them ;-)

Probably for the majority of people considering how cruel high school age kids can be.

My grandma used to say "the good news is you only freak out about one birthday, the bad news is, I'm ____ and I haven't don't that yet".

She did freak out about her 86th birthday... she realized nobody in her family tree had Ever lived to see 85 years old and she was living on borrowed time.

Personally, it seemed like my whole 0-19 life was difficult and unhappy for no real reason.

No, they're the easiest. But it depends on the person.

Not by a long shot, The only thing difficult about being a teenager is buying into what others expect you to be, and trying to live up to it. Wanting to be part of the "cool crowd". Just wait till yo9u have a family to support and a mortgage to keep up on and car payments and all sorts of other bills, then its tax season.Then all of a sudden your 9 Yr. old breaks his arm and you get hospital bills on top of it. Oh whats that now, Yup your mother from your middle class family has passed away and they had no life insurance. HOLY CRAP THATS DIFFICULT.

No. I do think we all have issues going through them, live overreacting to everything, but definitely not the most difficult. But, I'm not really sure at what point is the most difficult. I would guess death, but plenty of people welcome it when it comes. +3

Mine were not. I have some pretty tough times later.

+6 for the good question and thanks to all for the answers here. +6 on the answers too. They are all interesting.

I am not sure the teen years are the most difficult but I wouldn't want to repeat mine either.