Troubled Teens: Signs That Your Child Needs Help

Teenagers go through the ups and downs of adolescence. But how do you know when your child’s behavior is more than just puberty? Knowing the signs that your children may need mental health help can help you discern between typical behavior and troubled teens.

Signs That Your Child Needs Help

Children during the teen years shape their identity by the influences around them. This can include their friends, media, and social platforms. As a Christian, you want to have a strong influence on them so that they have Jesus Christ as the foundation and find their identity in Him.

But often, they turn to these other influences. What is alarming is when your teen turns from their typical friend group and behaviors and adopts new friends, and suddenly exhibits uncharacteristic behaviors. This behavior could be a sign that they are troubled teens.

The following are common signs of troubled teens.

Sudden Changes in Friends

Teens are often connected to the hip with their friends. Whether they meet face to face, virtually, by phone calls, social media, or texts, teens rely on their friend groups to find their role and acceptance.

Not all friend groups are beneficial, and some troubled teens adapt their own personalities and appearance based on being accepted by whomever they are around. If your child has a sudden change in friend groups, ask them why.

Isolating From Others

Specific mental health conditions can leave teens feeling alone. They can suffer fatigue, socially withdraw from friends, and lose interest in activities they once enjoyed. This isolation can also expand into their home life. They may spend more time in their room or with headphones on. Everyone needs space, and some children require a little more to recharge after being around people, but take note of excessive isolation.

Mood Swings

Hormones can bring about irritability and mood swings. Your teen may seem fine one minute, only to cycle through anxiousness, sadness, anger, or weepiness by the end of the day. Hormones can elevate emotions and make everything seem more serious or urgent than it is. However, extreme mood swings or violence are signs that your child may need help.

Academic Decline

If your child’s grades or academic progress begin to slip in a class, it may be that they are having trouble understanding the subject. However, if grades and progress are declining across the board, then there might be a more troubling reason behind the drop. Ask your child first if they need help or if the current format does not work for their educational needs. Speak to a counselor if you suspect a mental condition, substance abuse, or bullying.

Trouble in School

If your child is suddenly getting into trouble at school, there could be a mental health issue behind the behavior. Teens can be disrespectful at times, but this should not be the norm. Defying teachers and administrators, being deceitful, breaking rules, and committing violent acts toward others are concerning signs.

Impulsive Behavior

The prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain that regulates behavior, is still underdeveloped in children and teens and does not fully develop until the mid-twenties. This means that teens are more likely to engage in impulsive behavior.

These behaviors could include risk-taking actions, such as hitting others, stealing, lying, driving too fast, unprotected sex, or property damage. A counselor can introduce your teen to therapies that assist in identifying negative thoughts and impulses and changing the outcomes.

Substance Abuse

No one wants to believe that their teen is abusing drugs or alcohol. But according to studies, more than one million teens, ages 12 to 17, have used drugs. Substance abuse includes illicit drugs, prescription drugs, and alcohol. Teens who become addicted to these substances are more likely to develop anxiety and depression.

Self-Harm

Self-harm and suicidal ideation are causes for concern. Typically, a teen who is at the point of mutilating themselves or talking about suicide desperately needs help. These behaviors could be due to hormones or due to more serious causes, such as trauma or abuse. If your teen is self-harming (like cutting themselves) or talking about suicide or death, seek help immediately. Troubled teens need professional mental health care.

How Christian Counseling Can Help Troubled Teens

Christian counseling for troubled teens addresses the whole person. Children are just as complex as adults. They need treatment that addresses the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of their lives. Christian counseling integrates faith with evidence-based methods to address challenging issues. Contact our office to get started.