Being a teen is difficult; they are confronted with drugs, peer pressure, sex, dating, bullying and more. The best way to help your troubled teen is to intervene as soon as you sense something is wrong. If your teen shows signs of depression or suicide, seek professional help immediately. Signs of depression include sadness, irritability, lack of sleep or too much sleep, loss or gain or weight and suicidal tendencies. If your teen says that he wishes he could die, wonders what it would like to be dead, is participating in high risk behaviors or is self-mutilating, he may be suicidal and need help immediately.
Step 1
Talk to your teen about what you're seeing and why you're concerned about her. More than likely she'll blow it off and say that you're worrying for nothing and she's fine. Most teenagers don't admit they need help to their parents.
Step 2
Ask your teenager's teachers and school staff for an update on your teen. If they are seeing the same behaviors that you are, it's sign that your teenager is in trouble. If they tell you her grades are slipping, she's skipping class or becoming aggressive, you should be concerned. This is also important information to gather if you're going to take your teen to therapy.
Step 3
Get the advice of a licensed mental health professional that specializes in teenagers. A therapist will try to connect with your teen, listen to her concerns, assess her for safety risks such as depression, abuse and suicide and work with you and your teen on bridging communication gaps.
Step 4
Tell your teenager that you're worried about his behavior and you're going to take him to talk to a professional. Don't ask your teenager if he wants to go to therapy, because he'll probably say no. Teens generally don't want to spend an hour with a stranger talking about the issues they are trying to hide.
Step 5
Consider boot camps, boarding schools and group homes for troubled teens. This option is usually unavailable to most parents, because it's expensive for a teen to attend one of these programs unless it's mandated by court. You can also try religious counseling, if applicable. If your teen is using drugs, you can also consider rehabilitation centers, which are usually covered by insurance.
Tips and Warnings
- If your teen is using drugs, he's probably not going to admit it. In fact, he'll probably try to hide it at all costs and make excuses to cover it up. If you want to know if your teen is using, drug test him. Drug-testing kits are available at most local drug stores; you also can take him to his primary care physician to get tested. Drug tests aren't always reliable, because teens have ways of messing with them such as putting water in the test instead of urine. What your teen and the therapist discuss is going to be confidential, which means the therapist will not be able to tell you anything your teen has told her. However, if your teen informs the therapist that she is in danger, then the therapist is mandated to let you know. For example, the therapist will tell you if your teen is being abused, is suicidal or is using dangerous amounts of drugs.
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