Troubled Teens Resources

Schools for troubled teens are a tremendous boon and have been a strong factor in the recovery of drug addicted teens and teens with behavioral problems. However, they are often unfairly portrayed by the media as if they were prison camps. When parents are considering enrolling their teen in a troubled teen boarding school or a summer brat camp, it is advisable not to depict the school as punishment, but as a means of ultimately helping the troubled teenagers reach their dreams.

“I know that is why Brooke ran away, sobbed her best friend Diane, ” and if she ever finds out that I told you where she was thinking of going,well, she won’t ever forgive me”

What Brooke doesn’t realize is that she probably saved her friend’s life. What ever reason a troubled teenager may have for running away, they often put their “best friends ” in a terrible position when confiding in them. Brooke finally went to Dianne’s mother who described the school Dianne was to attend, convincing Brooke that punishment was not the goal, but that attending would help Dianne who had been depressed and suicidal. Convinced, Brooke told them where Dianne went.

“Talk with your friend about what’s bothering him or her and put your heads together to find better — and more constructive — solutions. At the same time, speak with an adult you trust as soon as possible, and tell him or her that your friend is talking seriously about running away. If you don’t feel comfortable telling your parents, there are other adults in your life who may be able to help out: another relative, a teacher, a coach, a school counselor, your family doctor, or a religious leader, for example.

A trusted adult may be able to help your friend understand that there are better alternatives to running away.”

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“What can Tara learn at a troubled teen boarding school that she can’t learn here?”,the mother asked.

“Apparently something other than running away,” retorted the husband.

Jan sighed. Arguments raged in their house 24/7 over her older sister Tara. It was always about Tara. But Jan just called Tara a drama queen. A brat. She felt Tara was manipulating the whole family, milking her drug addiction for all it was worth.

More than once Jan wondered what good did it do her to get good grades and act responsibly when the screw-up got all the love.

The voice of an untroubled teen, sibling of a troubled teen. It’s a thankless task to be the “good kid” if the bad kid gets it all.

Parent have a great deal to juggle when dealing with a troubled teen. The care and attention to other siblings often suffer, as do marriages themselves.

Jan and Tara’s parents argued constantly about sending Tara through a teen behavioral program or enrolling her in a boarding school but Jan’s mother thought that sending her daughter for help would be admitting that she couldn’t help her herself.

It is so very important that parents of drug addicted teens do not make their troubled teens problems about themselves. By the time a teen is addicted and acting out, it’s a bit irrelevant to assign blame and extremely destructive to be in denial.

Removing a troubled teen from a home with younger siblings can often be the best strategy a family can employ in order to ultimately be healed. Enrolling your out-of-control teen in a teen boarding school places them in the care of qualified and trained professionals. Parents sometimes forget that being a parent doesn’t qualify them to be a therapist.