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Troubled Teens
All
troubled teens experience sadness. Frustrations, disillusionment, the first heart break and hormones running amok are bound to sadden the gladdest of hearts on occasion. However, some
troubled teens experience a sadness that goes deeper, lasts longer and weighs heavier. This deeper, darker sadness is depression.
Depression is one of the most common disorders among
troubled teens and it's symptoms manifest themselves in many ways. Several studies have shown that
troubled teens suffering from depression show increased aggressive tendencies. These studies show that many
troubled teens incarcerated in juvenile detention facilities have depressive disorders and that there is a high correlation between depressive disorders and the conduct disorders which often find
troubled teens at odds with the legal system.
Troubled teens suffering from depression may also abuse alcohol or drugs, and are at higher risk of STD's and pregnancy.
Warning Signs of Troubled Teens Depression Include:
Frequent sadness and/or hopelessness which the troubled teen may express through dark poetry, dark or depressing music, black clothing or tears. The troubled teen may show little or no care toward their appearance or hygiene. They may express their belief that their plight will never change and they may feel their future holds no bright promise.
These feelings can cause troubled teens to lose interest in favorite activities such as sports, clubs, reading, art, etc. While it is normal for teens to outgrow some activities, the troubled teen will not replace these activities with new interests. Sometimes these deeply sad and hopeless feelings lead to thoughts of death, suicide or self-mutilation. These are signs of serious depression and must never be ignored as a passing phase.
Depression causes decreased energy and social isolation. Troubled teens may have difficulty with motivation. You're saying "Don't they all??", aren't you? But the troubled teen will have difficulty summoning the energy to perform the activities they enjoy, as well as the activities the parent assigns as chores. They may, for instance, not "feel like" going to the mall with their friends, not "feel like" going to the rock concert, etc. The troubled teen may feel tired all the time because sleep disturbances are also a sign of depression. Troubled teens may be unable to get to sleep and watch TV to all hours, he/she may wake in the middle of the night and be unable to go back to sleep, or may feel the need to sleep too much.
Because depression can cause low self-esteem, troubled teens may be overly sensitive to what they perceive as rejection or failure. Troubled teens may feel as if they are insignificant and become irritable, taking out their misery on family members via verbal, emotional or physical abuse. This rage may be their way of gaining control of the life which they perceive is spiraling out of their grasp.
Troubled teens may present a variety of physical symptoms such as sudden weight gain or loss, nausea, aches and pains, headache, dizziness, stomachache, exhaustion, etc. As a result they may avoid social contacts, miss school, withdraw into their rooms, and have difficulty concentrating on any task. These symptoms will invariably be noticed in poor academic functioning.Again, everyone experiences the occasional bout of sadness and may react to that emotion in any of the ways described above. However, people who suffer from depressive disorders will experience 5 or more of these symptoms together for periods lasting two or more weeks at a stretch. Some research suggests that
troubled teens can be particularly intense and as the rate of youth suicide increases there is no doubt as to the seriousness of the disorder nor to the need for early intervention and treatment.
These organizations and Web sites offer more information on
Troubled Teens :
troubled teens, help for troubled teens, schools for troubled teens, programs for troubled teens
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