As your teenager grows, they try to build an identity separate from the influence of parents. They also become more explorative and independent. Sometimes, these changes can make them behave in a troubling way. They may become disrespectful, rude, or engage in risky behavior. It can be heartbreaking for any parent to see their teen showing signs of negative and troubling behavior that you know is not quite right.
This article aims to help parents, guardians, and educators learn how they can help their troubled teens. It will explore the warning signs of a troubled teen, the types of therapy options available, and the benefits of seeking professional help. If you need immediate help, contact Nexus Teen Academy today, and we can walk you through what the treatment process may look like.
What is a Troubled Teen?
“Troubled teen” is a term used to describe teenagers who struggle with emotional regulation or mental health challenges that cause them to engage in negative behaviors. If these negative behaviors are left unaddressed, the problems will only get worse, causing long-term problems that can stay with them well throughout adulthood.
Although negative behaviors may just be a sign of adolescence, troubled teens exhibit behaviors that are beyond normal. Their behaviors can be caused by extraordinary life events such as mental health conditions, bullying, sexual and physical violence, and substance abuse. Negative behavioral patterns are often connected to environmental factors, but genetics also plays a big part in their development.
Do I Have a Troubled Teen?
How can you distinguish between normal teen behavior and troubled teen behavior? As teens enter adolescence, they are tasked with making more independent decisions. However, their prefrontal cortex is not yet fully developed. Teens rely on the amygdala, a part of the brain controlling emotions, to make decisions. This means that they tend to make rash and emotionally driven decisions. Hormonal imbalances can also amplify your teen’s recklessness and impulsiveness.
The main difference between troubled teen behavior and normal behavior is the extent or severity of negative behaviors. It is common for teens to be occasionally rebellious or reckless. However, if your teen has extremely negative behavior, it might indicate their problems are more severe.
Some warning signs of troubled teens include the following:
Academic decline
Extreme irritability or moodiness that does not fit the situation
Loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed
Extreme social withdrawal
Sudden change in friend groups
Secretive behavior
Rebelliousness or defiance
Failing to comply with rules
Skipping classes or truancy
Deliberate attempts to hurt others
Experimenting with drugs and substances
Too much alone time
Insomnia
Trouble eating or development of an eating disorder
Being aggressive towards parents, caregivers, or educators
Breaking curfews
Too much screen time
If your teen exhibits several of these behaviors, they may be troubled.
How to Get Help for Troubled Teens
Many parents find it difficult to understand why their teen is behaving negatively. They fall into a constant cycle of trial and error as they try to find what works for their teen. It can be difficult to see the perfect recipe to help your teen. However, you can do a few things to improve the difficult situation you find yourself in, including:
Give Unconditional Love
Even though your teen will test you and your boundaries, love them unconditionally. Your troubled teen does not behave negatively because they want to; it is because they struggle with emotional regulation and mental health conditions. Put the work in to ensure your child feels loved and supported. If your teen knows they have someone to lean on, their self-worth increases. Love and support can help improve your teen’s mental health.
Involve Your Teen in Rule-Making and Work as a Team
Teens become defiant to rules they do not understand. To effectively help your teen, you need to involve them in decision-making. Work as a team to ensure you are on the same page on how to handle a situation. Be flexible and understanding when setting rules and always ask for their point of view. Teens become less defiant and rebellious when they know their role in setting certain rules.
Pay Attention to Your Teen and Their Needs
Troubled teens struggle with different things. They may be experiencing bullying or other traumatic events. As a parent or guardian, you must pay close attention to your teen’s behavior and mannerisms. You may be able to pick up on some signs that your teen is struggling with something. Help them solve the situation as best as you can.
If your teen approaches you for advice, listen to them. Some parents often dismiss and diminish their teen’s problems. It is important that your teen feels supported and heard when they come to you with a problem.
Be A Role Model
As a parent or guardian, you need to be the perfect role model. It would be disingenuous to expect your teen to be a rule follower when you do not follow the rules. Teens mimic their parents and those around them, so it is important to model positive behavior in your teens by showing them how to behave positively. Reinforce their positive actions and address the negative ones.
Encourage Exercise, Social Interactions, and A Healthy Lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle can do wonders for your teen’s mental state. If your teen is socially withdrawn or spends too much time alone, you should encourage them to exercise and connect with others. Teens, like every human, crave positive interpersonal relationships. If your teen socializes with others, their mental health might improve.
Exercise and a healthy lifestyle can also help your teen become better. Exercise releases endorphins into the bloodstream, which improves mood. Healthy eating can also improve your teen’s mental state.
Do Not Be an Enabler
Many parents enable their teen’s negative behavior. As a responsible parent, you should avoid enabling bad behavior. Address the behavior as early as possible and make it clear that such behavior will not be tolerated. Setting clear and firm boundaries can help your teen control their behavior.
Create a Safe and Supportive Environment
A safe space at home can help troubled teens feel safe, loved, and supported. Do not make your home hostile for your teen. Use non-judgmental tones and be open with your teen about the situation. Be a supportive parent and encourage your teen as they are treated.
Seek Professional Help
Being a parent of a troubled teen can be challenging. Sometimes, you need that extra help from qualified personnel. As a parent, do not hesitate to reach out to professionals who are better suited to dealing with mental health and substance abuse issues. Therapists and counselors play an important role in mental health treatment. It is better for both you and your teen if you seek professional help for your troubled teen from a teen mental health treatment center.
What to Expect at a Residential Program for Troubled Teens
Residential treatment is a form of inpatient treatment where your teen will receive round-the-clock supervision in a non-hospital setup. Most residential treatment programs are structured to ensure your teen receives distraction-free treatment.
Some things you can expect in a residential treatment center include the following:
Therapy
RTCs offer various therapy options. Depending on your teen’s needs, they may receive individual, group, and family therapy to ensure they recover from mental health or substance abuse issues. These therapies help your teen address the underlying causes of their psychological challenges.
Individual therapy allows teens to unpack difficult situations face-to-face with a therapist who can help them solve their issues. Group therapy, on the other hand, allows teens to share their problems with their peers in a facilitated setting while learning from others.
Medication Management
If your teen requires pharmacological interventions, RTCs offer good medical management. Medical management of mental health and substance abuse issues prevents relapses and further deterioration of your teen’s mental health.
Benefits of Residential Treatment
Some benefits of enrolling your teen in an RTC include the following:
A safe and secure environment free from distractions
Round-the-clock care and supervision
Educational support to ensure your teen does not fall behind in school
Peer support through shared activities and group therapy
Comprehensive therapy as teens receive the full range of treatment modalities
Medical support in case of emergencies
Life skill training
Troubled Teen Programs at Nexus Teen Academy
Nexus Teen Academy is a premier teen mental health treatment facility. We offer high-quality treatment for teens struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues. If you are the parent of a troubled teen in Arizona, Nexus Teen Academy may be able to help. Our staff is highly experienced with teenagers and offers tailored treatment that meets your teen’s individual needs.
We offer several treatment modalities, including evidence-based and holistic therapies and residential treatment for troubled teens. Our approach is to ensure every teen has a sustainable recovery and is equipped with the necessary skills to navigate life’s challenges.
If you enroll your teen in Nexus, they will be treated using the following modalities:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT helps teens understand how negative emotions and behaviors are linked. It is based on three core principles. First, psychological problems arise from negative thoughts. Second, psychological problems are learned patterns of behavior. Third, people with healthy coping mechanisms can relieve symptoms of psychological issues. These principles help troubled teens unlearn negative thinking patterns and replace negative thoughts with positive ones. CBT has been demonstrated to be effective in treating several mental health conditions as well as substance abuse issues.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT was developed to help teens with emotional regulation issues. Troubled teens struggle to control their emotions and make emotionally driven decisions. This can lead your teen to engage in risky or other troubling behaviors.
DBT helps teens stop denying their mental health challenges and work to change negative behaviors. Your teen will learn to regulate their emotions through activities like mindfulness, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.
Holistic Therapy
Nexus provides holistic approaches, such as yoga and art therapy, to complement psychotherapy. These therapies help teens develop healthy coping mechanisms that are useful in school or at home.
Residential Treatment Center
Nexus Teen Academy’s residential treatment center offers high-quality treatment for teens with extreme or complex mental health conditions. It offers a comfortable living space in the scenic Arizona desert. It provides safety and structure to help teens focus on healing and treatment. Our residential treatment facility helps teens build strong and meaningful bonds with their peers as they receive treatment.
If you are looking for help, contact Nexus Teen Academy today. We can provide expert insight on your situation and give you advice on a path forward.
Troubled Teen Programs: How to Help Your Child
Published By nexus_admin
Published On December 9, 2024
Table of Contents
As your teenager grows, they try to build an identity separate from the influence of parents. They also become more explorative and independent. Sometimes, these changes can make them behave in a troubling way. They may become disrespectful, rude, or engage in risky behavior. It can be heartbreaking for any parent to see their teen showing signs of negative and troubling behavior that you know is not quite right.
This article aims to help parents, guardians, and educators learn how they can help their troubled teens. It will explore the warning signs of a troubled teen, the types of therapy options available, and the benefits of seeking professional help. If you need immediate help, contact Nexus Teen Academy today, and we can walk you through what the treatment process may look like.
What is a Troubled Teen?
“Troubled teen” is a term used to describe teenagers who struggle with emotional regulation or mental health challenges that cause them to engage in negative behaviors. If these negative behaviors are left unaddressed, the problems will only get worse, causing long-term problems that can stay with them well throughout adulthood.
Although negative behaviors may just be a sign of adolescence, troubled teens exhibit behaviors that are beyond normal. Their behaviors can be caused by extraordinary life events such as mental health conditions, bullying, sexual and physical violence, and substance abuse. Negative behavioral patterns are often connected to environmental factors, but genetics also plays a big part in their development.
Do I Have a Troubled Teen?
How can you distinguish between normal teen behavior and troubled teen behavior? As teens enter adolescence, they are tasked with making more independent decisions. However, their prefrontal cortex is not yet fully developed. Teens rely on the amygdala, a part of the brain controlling emotions, to make decisions. This means that they tend to make rash and emotionally driven decisions. Hormonal imbalances can also amplify your teen’s recklessness and impulsiveness.
The main difference between troubled teen behavior and normal behavior is the extent or severity of negative behaviors. It is common for teens to be occasionally rebellious or reckless. However, if your teen has extremely negative behavior, it might indicate their problems are more severe.
Some warning signs of troubled teens include the following:
If your teen exhibits several of these behaviors, they may be troubled.
How to Get Help for Troubled Teens
Many parents find it difficult to understand why their teen is behaving negatively. They fall into a constant cycle of trial and error as they try to find what works for their teen. It can be difficult to see the perfect recipe to help your teen. However, you can do a few things to improve the difficult situation you find yourself in, including:
Give Unconditional Love
Even though your teen will test you and your boundaries, love them unconditionally. Your troubled teen does not behave negatively because they want to; it is because they struggle with emotional regulation and mental health conditions. Put the work in to ensure your child feels loved and supported. If your teen knows they have someone to lean on, their self-worth increases. Love and support can help improve your teen’s mental health.
Involve Your Teen in Rule-Making and Work as a Team
Teens become defiant to rules they do not understand. To effectively help your teen, you need to involve them in decision-making. Work as a team to ensure you are on the same page on how to handle a situation. Be flexible and understanding when setting rules and always ask for their point of view. Teens become less defiant and rebellious when they know their role in setting certain rules.
Pay Attention to Your Teen and Their Needs
Troubled teens struggle with different things. They may be experiencing bullying or other traumatic events. As a parent or guardian, you must pay close attention to your teen’s behavior and mannerisms. You may be able to pick up on some signs that your teen is struggling with something. Help them solve the situation as best as you can.
If your teen approaches you for advice, listen to them. Some parents often dismiss and diminish their teen’s problems. It is important that your teen feels supported and heard when they come to you with a problem.
Be A Role Model
As a parent or guardian, you need to be the perfect role model. It would be disingenuous to expect your teen to be a rule follower when you do not follow the rules. Teens mimic their parents and those around them, so it is important to model positive behavior in your teens by showing them how to behave positively. Reinforce their positive actions and address the negative ones.
Encourage Exercise, Social Interactions, and A Healthy Lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle can do wonders for your teen’s mental state. If your teen is socially withdrawn or spends too much time alone, you should encourage them to exercise and connect with others. Teens, like every human, crave positive interpersonal relationships. If your teen socializes with others, their mental health might improve.
Exercise and a healthy lifestyle can also help your teen become better. Exercise releases endorphins into the bloodstream, which improves mood. Healthy eating can also improve your teen’s mental state.
Do Not Be an Enabler
Many parents enable their teen’s negative behavior. As a responsible parent, you should avoid enabling bad behavior. Address the behavior as early as possible and make it clear that such behavior will not be tolerated. Setting clear and firm boundaries can help your teen control their behavior.
Create a Safe and Supportive Environment
A safe space at home can help troubled teens feel safe, loved, and supported. Do not make your home hostile for your teen. Use non-judgmental tones and be open with your teen about the situation. Be a supportive parent and encourage your teen as they are treated.
Seek Professional Help
Being a parent of a troubled teen can be challenging. Sometimes, you need that extra help from qualified personnel. As a parent, do not hesitate to reach out to professionals who are better suited to dealing with mental health and substance abuse issues. Therapists and counselors play an important role in mental health treatment. It is better for both you and your teen if you seek professional help for your troubled teen from a teen mental health treatment center.
What to Expect at a Residential Program for Troubled Teens
Residential treatment is a form of inpatient treatment where your teen will receive round-the-clock supervision in a non-hospital setup. Most residential treatment programs are structured to ensure your teen receives distraction-free treatment.
Some things you can expect in a residential treatment center include the following:
Therapy
RTCs offer various therapy options. Depending on your teen’s needs, they may receive individual, group, and family therapy to ensure they recover from mental health or substance abuse issues. These therapies help your teen address the underlying causes of their psychological challenges.
Individual therapy allows teens to unpack difficult situations face-to-face with a therapist who can help them solve their issues. Group therapy, on the other hand, allows teens to share their problems with their peers in a facilitated setting while learning from others.
Medication Management
If your teen requires pharmacological interventions, RTCs offer good medical management. Medical management of mental health and substance abuse issues prevents relapses and further deterioration of your teen’s mental health.
Benefits of Residential Treatment
Some benefits of enrolling your teen in an RTC include the following:
Troubled Teen Programs at Nexus Teen Academy
Nexus Teen Academy is a premier teen mental health treatment facility. We offer high-quality treatment for teens struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues. If you are the parent of a troubled teen in Arizona, Nexus Teen Academy may be able to help. Our staff is highly experienced with teenagers and offers tailored treatment that meets your teen’s individual needs.
We offer several treatment modalities, including evidence-based and holistic therapies and residential treatment for troubled teens. Our approach is to ensure every teen has a sustainable recovery and is equipped with the necessary skills to navigate life’s challenges.
If you enroll your teen in Nexus, they will be treated using the following modalities:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT helps teens understand how negative emotions and behaviors are linked. It is based on three core principles. First, psychological problems arise from negative thoughts. Second, psychological problems are learned patterns of behavior. Third, people with healthy coping mechanisms can relieve symptoms of psychological issues. These principles help troubled teens unlearn negative thinking patterns and replace negative thoughts with positive ones. CBT has been demonstrated to be effective in treating several mental health conditions as well as substance abuse issues.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT was developed to help teens with emotional regulation issues. Troubled teens struggle to control their emotions and make emotionally driven decisions. This can lead your teen to engage in risky or other troubling behaviors.
DBT helps teens stop denying their mental health challenges and work to change negative behaviors. Your teen will learn to regulate their emotions through activities like mindfulness, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.
Holistic Therapy
Nexus provides holistic approaches, such as yoga and art therapy, to complement psychotherapy. These therapies help teens develop healthy coping mechanisms that are useful in school or at home.
Residential Treatment Center
Nexus Teen Academy’s residential treatment center offers high-quality treatment for teens with extreme or complex mental health conditions. It offers a comfortable living space in the scenic Arizona desert. It provides safety and structure to help teens focus on healing and treatment. Our residential treatment facility helps teens build strong and meaningful bonds with their peers as they receive treatment.
If you are looking for help, contact Nexus Teen Academy today. We can provide expert insight on your situation and give you advice on a path forward.