How can you, as a parent, tell when your teenager is displaying
normal adolescent behavior or actions of a defiant teen? If your child
is 12-18 years old and has shown signs of one or more of the following
behaviors in the past year, he/she may be a troubled teenager:
- Uncontrollable lying
- Physical abuse to animals or other people
- Frequent episodes of running from home
- Vandalism
- Displays suicidal tendencies
- Owns weapons
- Cutting classes repetitively
- Caught shoplifting or other forms of stealing
- Harassing others or displaying violent behavior
- Disobedience and failure to comply with house rules
- Gross lack of respect for the adults/parents at home
- Misbehavior of a sexual nature (for example: rape)
But these are not the only signs of a troubled teenager. Other distinguishing characteristics may also be the following:
• Displaying immaturity in not taking responsibility
for one’s actions while simultaneously pointing the finger at others
for their own mistakes.
• Displaying immaturity through impulsive decision-making and in the abrupt loss of one’s temper.
• Engaging one’s self in illegal acts/crimes and substance abuse (drugs or alcohol).
• Experiencing problems with keeping a job and creating healthy social relations with co-workers.
• Displaying a rough exterior as an outer facade when in actuality he/she feels vulnerable within.
• The emergence of characteristics of antisocial
personality disorder as he/she reaches 18 years old. Characteristics
include: apathy, indifference towards the plight of others, problems
with long-term relationships, and even causing others harm without
being bothered.
Speaking in terms of mental disorders, adolescents who display these
traits may oftentimes be considered to be suffering from Oppositional
Defiant Disorder or Conduct Disorder (DSMV-IV). But the difficulty with
these diagnoses is that your teen may view his behavior as
unaccountable to him and even not his own responsibility because of a
mental disorder. In cases such as this, it would be best not to focus
on the label of the traits/characteristics your child is displaying, in
order for him to realize full responsibility of his actions.
But there are also conditions which require proper recognition such as
Schizophrenia. In order to avail of education suited for your child’s
special needs, you may also need to properly recognize a diagnosis to
avail of insurance coverage.
Remember that some of these characteristics and traits of problem teens
are normal to some extent if they occur in an isolated context. Teens
do go through their stages of disobedience and ‘experimentation’ with
some substances. But as soon as these behaviors are exhibited on a
frequent basis through a 6-12 months time period, then the parent must
be alert of the troubled teenage behavior displayed.
For more information about determining whether or not your teenage is troubled, please find out more about how to read the signs of a troubled youth.
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