Getting to the root of the instability
Because of the lack of strong faith in him/herself, a teenager can be unstable. This instability thwarts his/her everyday living. He/she may have slip ups from time to time but his/her good choices and actions may lose their greater meaning due to weak faith in one’s self. An impaired faith in the self may be the root of many teen problems and also a possible cause of weakened bond between child and parent. This impaired belief in the self may be the center and focus of a number of teen problems your adolescent may be experiencing and may battle with in the future. It is such an important part of his/her well-being that it can affect not only his/her actions at present but the totality of your child‘s security within himself as well. 

Active Living
It may reach a point for him/her where he/she is no longer making the actions, but just a third being, as if he/she were watching his/her every move from afar.  Try and think of it this way, it’s like you split apart and you are no longer yourself. There is someone just like you making all the choices. You see her stumble and fall, but its okay, its not you. You see her make all the wrong choices, but its okay, this makes the watch even more interesting.  Her actions are no longer your actions. You are untouchable, floating in an imaginary oblivion. It seems like you can't control her actions at all anymore, she does what she does, and you just stand back and enjoy the show.  The vital lesson that you must help your teenager understand is that-- When you become the viewer of the show called life, you are not living. You are dead. Life is to be lived, not viewed from afar.