Troubled Teens Resources

Bob sat at his sleeping teenage son’s bedside, the wind knocked out of him. He was staring at his sons arms and at the peculiar discoloration in the soft skin behind his elbow. When he bent over and peered closely he could discern small pin pricks in the muddied bruising.

Glancing around the room at all the sports posters, the baseball equipment - all evidence of who he thought his son was, Bob allowed himself the few tears that rolled slowly down his cheek. Could it be possible that his son was doing the unthinkable? Was this the reason that his teenager’s behavior had been so odd, so unlike the boy he thought he knew? Was his son shooting up? Was his at-risk teenager actually doing heroin?

He reviewed the past few months - the missing money, the hushed phone calls, the poor grades, the sallow complexion. It was all adding up and Bob’s heart sunk in despair.

Slowly he rose from his troubled teenager’s bedside and went into his office. He canceled that day’s flight out and all of the business meetings he had scheduled. Something more important had come up. The fate of his son depended on the decisions that he was about to make. He sat down at his computer and couldn’t believe what his fingers typed out on the search engine page; “what are the symptoms of heroin abuse?”

Heroin is a potent seductress. It pulls it’s user down a low and plummeting circle into hell and longing and pain. Though most middle class parents think they might have to deal with or be wary that their at-risk teen will abuse drugs, few parents expect to confront the specter of heroin addiction.

This site will assist parents understand the nature of heroin abuse by covering the following topics:

What does a heroin user feel?
Heroin addiction: physical dependence and tolerance development
Risks of using heroin
To stop using heroin is hard
Treatment of heroin addicts/abusers
Treatment of heroin addiction under an anesthetic
Naltrexone (Revia, Trexan) medicine for the treatment heroin addiction
Dealing with a heroin user
Addictions and Drugs: Signs, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment of Addiction Related to Narcotics, Shopping, Sex, Gambling, Substance Abuse

It would be funny if it were not such an apt example of the degree of frustration that can visit a parent or teacher in the face of the behavioral problems of teens with AD/HD.
Obviously this teacher’s solution is the wrong way to handle it.

“A substitute teacher who taped a student’s mouth shut and bound four others to their seats at Pleasant Grove Elementary School was banned from working in Jefferson County schools one day after the incident.”

Unfortunately,right on the heels of AD/HD can come calling a laundry list of other problems with an at-risk teenager; low-self esteem, poor grades,rage, hostility and drug abuse. When trying to raise a teenager who’s behavior embodies all of these contributors, the parent is forced to consider alternative educational options. Though most public schools have excellent programs for the AD/HD inflicted teen, they are not adequately equipped to deal with AD/HD compounded by other behavioral disorders.

A key characteristic of the AD/HD afflicted teenager is the need for structure. Military schools with teen therapy programs, brat schools and teen wilderness programs will provide the troubled teen with exactly the amount of discipline, authority and structure they need.

A school counselor or the teenager’s therapist will be able to provide the parent of the troubled teen with guidance in selecting the appropriate boarding school environment.

Here are some coping skills that will assist your AD/HD teenager until an apprpriate program can be found.

• Sit in the front of class to limit distractions.
• Turn off email, instant messaging, and your phone when doing homework or other tasks that require focused attention. This will help protect you against being distracted.
• Talk openly with your teacher about your condition and work together to be sure you’re learning in a way that works for you. For example, some schools will allow people with ADHD more time for taking tests. Some teens may benefit from smaller class sizes and tutorial help.
• Use tools that help you stay organized. Keep a homework notebook to keep track of assignments, including a list of books and readings you’ll need to bring home to do them. Write down classes, extracurricular activities, and other appointments in a daily planner so you don’t forget. Keeping a daily agenda can also help you avoid making unplanned, impulsive decisions: If you’re scheduled to start homework at 4:30, you’ll know it’s not a good idea to go with your friend to watch her 4:00 soccer practice. The organization skills you develop now will serve you well in the future, too. Even people who don’t have ADHD all find they need to develop these skills when they head off to the workplace — so you’ll be ahead of the curve!
• Get plenty of exercise. Studies are starting to show that exercise can help people who have ADHD. If you feel hyper during school, talk to a teacher about taking activity breaks so you can stay focused and concentrate better when in class. Take frequent activity breaks while studying or doing homework.
• Practice relaxation and meditation techniques to relax and focus. Try this breathing exercise for starters.
• Let friends know what’s going on. Sometimes with our friends, we blurt things out and regret it later or we do silly, impulsive things. If this happens to you, let your friends know that sometimes you just say things without thinking all the way through, apologize if you have hurt someone’s feelings, and try to be extra careful in new situations.
• Take pride in the things you do well. Having ADHD is just a different way of being, and people with ADHD have their own abilities and talents.