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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Troubled teenagers appear to have a common complaint. Parents are often surprised to learn that their teens would do a lot to get their attention. Psychologists will say that in some instances, teen age drug abuse is a cry for recognition.

Where are the parents? What are they doing?

The answer will throw you. School counselor Susan Karney explains over at Suite 101.

“I am always astounded by the number of kids who tell me that their parents don’t have time to hang out with them. Not to eat dinner, not to play a hand of cards, not to sit and talk about how their day was. What are the parents doing that is taking up all of their time? The answers vary: talking to their friends on the phone, playing video games, hanging out in chat rooms, watching TV, hanging out at bars. Kids are starving for our attention, and we have to find time in our lives to give it to them. It has to be a priority.”

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Playing video games? Hanging out in chat rooms? Parents?
Sorry, but that borders on the inexcusable. Parents who work more than one job or whose careers demand constant travel at least have a valid reason for “having no time”. It would be a tough task to maintain respect for a parents who “hang out” online.

Teens at risk long for inspiration and leadership. Parents can provide both by creating family activities that demonstrate how to extract the best out of life, both in work and at play.

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)has been debated for the last twenty years with many parents still feeling confused when their teen is diagnosed.

What we do know for sure is that teenagers who display the noted traits of ADD are vulnerable to more at-risk behaviors, if for no other reason than that their inability to pay attention and tendency to cause distractions sets them up to be viewed as a trouble maker.

One parent pulled her son from the public school he attended and placed him in a troubled teen boarding school. Not because she disagreed with the diagnosis but because the public school’s method of dealing with ADD was so counter productive. When speaking with the public school counselor about her concerns that one of Ritalin’s long term affects might be a shortened life span, the counselor blithely responded that even if that was the truth, better a short “quality” life than a long life as he was.

If they had no more vision for her son than that, she would place him in the hands of those professionals who could teach him the coping skills that have proven effective in teaching teens to mitigate and control the effects of ADD. She found that the training he received at boarding school taught him to use his ADD as an asset by employing methods to utilize it instead of be ruined by it.

The poor behavior that he had begun to exhibit was soon replaced by self-discipline, conscientiousnes and a strong sense of responsibility. Instead of heading down an ever spiralling self-destructive path, he is now preparing for college.