Troubled Teens Resources

Teen boarding schools have often proven to be the right environment for the depressed teen who is also emotionally alienated from their family. Such a teen has often erected defenses that even the most loving parents cannot permeate.

Often a teen can better come to grips with their depression away from the family . Enrolling a teen in a specialty school or troubled teen boarding school allows the teen to gain perspective and view their family from a safer place emotionally.

If you suspect that your teen son or daughter is suffering from depression, you will want to become familiar with some of the symptoms. The links following this abbreviated list will give you some guidance.

• Myth: It is normal for teenagers to be moody, because teens do not suffer from real depression.
• Fact: Depression can affect people at any age or of any race, ethnic, or economic group, so each mood change should be monitored.
• Myth: Teens who claim to be depressed are weak and just need to pull themselves together, so there is nothing anyone else can do to help.
• Fact: Depression is not a weakness, but a serious health disorder, and both young people and adults who are depressed need professional treatment. A trained therapist or counselor can help them learn more positive ways to think about themselves, change behavior, and cope with problems. The physician can prescribe medications to help relieve the symptoms of depression, because for many people, a combination of psychotherapy and medication is beneficial.

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