Troubled Teens Resources

Teen crisis intervention that directs attention to the increasing menace of teenage suicide and depression has been the mission of many in the field of mental health for years. Unfortunately, many parents fail to recognize the basic signs that can manifest during a teen’s bout with depression, thinking it is just moodiness or typical teen angst.

Some troubled teens are able to mask their depression and will do so if they have anxiety over causing stress for their parents or family. Some teens will become obsessed with sports or video games, trying to exorcise their demons by becoming so busy that they can ignore their sadness and fears. Unfortunately, some teens are swept away with the powerful emotions that accompany depression, unable to recognize that their view of the world is being greatly distorted.

Yet, even with all of the ways teens disguise depression, the following symptoms will inevitably become apparent.

• Sad or irritable mood
• Loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyable
• Large changes in appetite or weight
• Difficulty sleeping, or oversleeping
• Slow or agitated movement
• Loss of energy
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Difficulty concentrating
• Frequent thoughts of death or suicide3
• Frequent headaches, muscle aches, stomach aches or tiredness, without a medical cause
• Frequent absences from school or poor performance in school
• Talk of or efforts to run away from home
• Boredom, sulking
• Lack of interest in spending time with friends or family
• Alcohol or substance abuse
• Social isolation, poor communication
• Fear of death
• Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure
• Increased irritability, anger, hostility, or crying
• Reckless behavior
• Neglect of clothing and appearance
• Difficulty with relationships
• Changes in mood

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Teen age drug abuse sometimes seems to come as quite a surprise to many parents. And indeed, the troubled teen is very skilled at keeping it that way. I have talked to former drug users who were amazed that when they came home high that their parents failed to see anything off or odd about their behavior.

“You’d think they’d at least notice that I started wearing cologne. I kept waiting for them to demand to see if my eyes were dilated or at least search my room. I know it’s not true but at the time I figured they knew and didn’t care.”

Jeff speaks for many teens. Even if you trust your kids, do not trust to fate. One bad quarter at school, one broken romance and your teen can become vulnerable to the ever present temptation to smoke a joint and forget it all.

Do you know what to look for? Here is a list of 34 signs that your teen might be abusing drugs. Care enough to look.

1. Neglected appearance/hygiene
2. Poor self image
3. Grades dropping
4. Violent outbursts at home
5. Frequent use of Eye Wash
6. Unexplained weight drop
7. Drug Paraphernalia
8. Slurred speech
9. Curfew violations
10. Running away
11. Skin abrasions
12. Hostility towards family members
13. Chemical breath
14. Glassy eyes
15. Red eyes
16. Valuables Missing
17. Possessing unexplained valuables
18. Stealing/borrowing money
19. Change in friends
20. Depression
21. Withdrawal
22. Apathy
23. Reckless Behavior
24. No Concern about future
25. Defiles Family Values
26. Disrespectful to parents
27. Lying/Deception
28. Sneaky behavior
29. Disregards Consequences
30. Loss of Interest in healthy activities
31. Verbally abusive
32. Manipulative/Self-Centered
33. Lack of Motivation
34. Truancy

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