How to get help for a troubled teenager
Help for a Troubled Teenager
Do you have trouble breeding and raising a teen? Indeed, raising a teen is not an easy task, as many challenges are faced in the process. Nonetheless, the teenage years are a very delicate phase, and some teens may find it difficult. How do you find help for troubled teens? This guide teaches the signs of how to identify troubled teens and how to get help for a troubled teenager.
Who Are Teenagers or Teens?
Before getting to ways to get help for troubled teens, it is important to understand who teens are, and their transition phase. Teens are the most difficult children to grow as most of them are still under the guidance, rules, and regulations of their parents, but they are ready to seek independence of their own, that is, getting free will on what to do.
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They often want to get familiar with others outside their immediate home and are used to wanting to exit that home as soon as they reach that stage. It is usual for arguments and chaos to occur during that period as they are most likely to start displaying signs of recklessness, violence, and some unnatural acts that are not difficult to spot.
It is not abnormal for troubled teens to manifest change in behavioral patterns and emotionally related actions, which are more complicated than the typical problems teenagers absorb. They are expected to keep doing dangerous and reckless things like violence, drug abuse, alcohol intake, pilfering, sexual exploits, and other criminal and immoral activities. Teens could also display Mental-related signs, but whenever you notice a high rate of repetition of these signs, you as a parent are obligated to note those acts and do the best you can to prevent the teen from aggravating.
9 Signs of How to Identify a Troubled Teen
- They start to display violent behavior and engage in similar activities.
- They argue too much as they get involved in a lot of talks. The constant argument would enter their blood as you would find them doing that every time.
- They get irritated at any slight disturbance. The irritation level in them starts to rise, and they would be found exhibiting that most of the time.
- They start to practice truancy. Missing classes and essential programs are something you will catch them doing. They continue to do this frequently and crave the freedom they want.
- They make apparent the change in their personality. There is a swift change in their character and behavior as they feel entitled to a new way and living style.
- You would find them regularly drinking alcohol and practicing drug abuse. High intake of alcohol on a regular scale would be their trademark, and misusing drugs while sampling them is another very dangerous dimension.
- There is a possibility of a sharp decline in their academic life. Their performance academically begins to reduce, which is most likely due to the phase they are passing through.
- There is likely to be a change of peer group and the friends they keep close. They may ignore the friends they grew together and start lobbying around those who have the potential to influence them in negative ways.
- Sometimes, they tend to feel unwanted, which leads to loneliness or, better still, wanting to be alone as they may not feel comfortable in others’ presence, including the parents. They would sometimes feel sad and in a state of despair every time, and this, if noticed, should indicate without prejudice that something is wrong somewhere.
Why Do Troubled Teens Act Strangely?
As it is not easy to raise a teen, there are many times when you won’t have an idea of where your teen is, and that might make you exhausted after nights of ignoring sleep to worry about where your teen is, what your teen is doing if your teen is safe or other worrying acts. You can get weakened while thinking about the cause of the defiance in him, the fights he gets engaged in, the moody nature you see him engrossed in almost every time, and the new conduct emanated in him.
The hormones developed in the adolescent stage lead to some physical changes and tends to complicate the process further. Taking the situation professionally and parental manner is the only way to keep your teen running well with you and find a lasting solution to the issue on the ground. This would bring a connection level between both of you, and your teen won’t feel reluctant to tell you of any disturbance he is facing but rather feel comfortable enough to share things with you.
You also need to note that no matter what your teen does or the extent to which he feels withdrawn from you in a very emotional way, you still have to show him the parental love he needs because, despite those acts he portrays, he still needs to feel loved by you. You need to give him the attention he seeks.
How to get help for a troubled teenager
1. Set boundaries for your teen
You need to have a heart-to-heart talk with him when the situation is calm and let him know in detail the consequences of expressing anger and the ability to be angry but not venting it. Showing anger in a dangerous can lead to some complicated things and can even cause him to lose some privileges to which he feels entitled. Still, his ability to cage the burst of anger can save him a whole lot of stress and complications that may arise from it.
2. Take note of the warning signs on time
You need to note the signs that lead to your kid behaving in such ways. If you can identify what happened before displaying those irregular acts, it would be easy for you to help him out when it’s time to start solving the problems. Ensure steps are in place before they explode to cool them down before they go beyond control.
3. Try out a professional adept in therapy
The best way to get help for troubled teens is to visit an expert on mental health and related matters with your teen to work through the issues being the source of those irrational behaviors. The therapist can diagnose mental illness and recommend ways to solve and solutions to strategize on curbing the harmful acts and menace caused. If you fail to get a therapist, consult the nearest medical facility or seek your practitioner’s support to bring you a very good one highly skilled at his job.
Programs for Troubled Teens
As the title implies, programs for troubled teens are schools with academic and therapeutic qualities designed to help troubled teens live a healthier life. Enrolling your teens in programs for troubled teens is an ideal way to seek help for troubled teens.
These programs usually have a boarding setting where the teenagers can live under the supervision of specialists who will help diagnose the kids and recommend appropriate treatments to help them feel better and cultivate healthier habits.
Programs for troubled teens help treat problems like; depression, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD, behavioral issues, bipolar disorder, obesity, Post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD, personality disorder, drug and alcohol addiction, anxiety, lack of motivation, and many other problems.
Benefits of engaging your teens in programs for troubled teens
If you are not convinced enough about the transformation programs for troubled teens can bring to the life of your teen, here are some reasons why you should waste no time in saving your teen’s life.
1. Familial presence
As a parent dealing with seeking help for troubled teens, you’d agree that sending your kids to some residential facility brings about doubt, especially when you can’t interact with them. Fortunately, programs for troubled teens are a lot different. They create systems and schemes that involve parents in the treatment process because family presence is also vital to the child’s recovery process.
2. Professionalism
Getting help for troubled teens can’t be better than meeting a professional. Programs for troubled teens have a highly trained staff specializing in creating a conducive environment for teens, making them feel safe, helping curb terrible habits, and helping them get better in the long run. Workers in these facilities go through a rigorous training process to ensure they can handle teens in the best possible way.
3. Curated system
The programs for troubled teenagers are always specialized to make the system effective. Some factors are always considered before acceptance; nature of the disorder, age, physical conditions, and many more. These factors, alongside the environment and curriculum, are essential in developing the best treatment process. Hence, if you find a system that suits your teen, be sure they are in safe hands.
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How to choose the right program for troubled teens
Searching for your teen’s perfect program is undoubtedly a tedious process because it requires great attention to detail. Here are some ways to find the ideal program for troubled teens.
1. Source
The first thing to consider when getting help for a troubled teen is the source of information. Before considering any information as an option, ask yourself, how valid is this source? How popular is it? This step is vital as some information online can be counterfeit. And should not be trusted to ensure your teen’s safety.
2. Viability of the program
Ensure to do researches about programs you hear about or find. The programs should be specialized according to age group, problems, environment, and curriculum. It is therefore essential to know that the curriculum suits your teen before enrolling them. Some programs’ unrealistic systems may claim to understand and know how to help your teen. But it is necessary to ask questions based on your teen’s disorder to ensure the help such programs offer.
3. Accreditation
This is the most crucial factor to consider when seeking help for troubled teens. With so many fraudulent programs pretending to be legitimate. It is only critical to ensure that whatever program you are considering registering your child under should guarantee their safety. Programs should have more than licenses to prove their authenticity. They can also be members of reputable associations and organizations.