Help for Parents of Troubled Teens

By Curtis Reed

It's normal for teenagers to want to feel independent. However, it's not typical for troubled teens to act out in dangerous extremes. If your struggling teen is displaying self-destructive behaviors, it is crucial that help be sought out immediately.

Troubled boys and girls are known to explore new things, but it is very rare that a severe change in personality occurs out of the blue. If a troubled teen begins making drastic behavioral changes, there is an underlying issue. As parents of troubled teens, it's your duty to identify the root cause of these negative behavioral changes. Many troubled teens have a difficult time overcoming the issues they're being faced with as they're being faced with them. 

As a parent of a troubled teen it is important that you look back and reflect on negative events that may have happened throughout your child's life, whether it be a recent event or something more deep-rooted. These negative events help shape children's personalities. Due to, often times, traumatizing events that have occurred at some point in these teens' life they may feel an overwhelming amount of pain and anger. Unfortunately for most troubled teens, they lack the ability to act on those emotions in a positive manner. 

Parents, it's important to listen and talk with your teens. Teenagers today are faced with more opportunities to make bad decisions than ever before. This is all the more reason for parents of troubled teens to be a positive, reliable person in your child's life. Listen to him or her and resist the urge to judge or advise; sometimes just being heard helps. Even though teens often reluctant to admit it, they're ultimately seekng approval, love, and a support system from their parents. When teens don't feel valued, loved and understood at home, they may turn elsewhere to get the acceptance they so deeply need.

Therapy Insider's Family Advocates Offer Help for Parents of Troubled Teens

When facing controversy, placing troubled teens in an environment where there are able to restore themselves has been beneficial to many teens. The family advocates at Therapy Insider can educate parents of struggling teens, on how to place troubled boys and girls in the correct environment in order to receive the help they need to overcome their struggles.