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Teenage years can present a lot of challenges for parents. However, dealing with behavioral issues can be more challenging, especially if parents are not sure what's going on with their teen and how they can best help them.
To get you acquainted with the types of behavioral problems in troubled teens, here are the most common of them:
ADHD/ADD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder can be an underlying cause of many teen issues, especially when left undiagnosed and untreated. Teens that have ADHD can be hyperactive and impulsive and have trouble keeping their attenton to one thing at a time. This hyperactivity and impulsivity can translate to dangerous behavior, unwise risk taking, and disruptiveness inside and outside the house.
Many teens that have ADHD/ADD find it easier to "take the edge off" when they drink, do drugs, or engage in dangerous activities. It's also very common for these teens to experiment with sex, and do things that would make them more acceptable to some people. It's a lot easier for ADHD/ADD teens to become attracted to bad company, especially because they're often misunderstood by people. Because of their inability to manage their attention span or keep things organized, they are often labeled as lazy or stupid.
ODD
Oppositional Defant Disorder can also be quite difficult to diagnose in teens. Most of the symptoms closely resemble other disorders, and qualifying it to be true ODD will need diagnosis by professionals. ODD can co-exist with other conditions such as ADHD, and can be managed by psychotherapy and medication. Teens who have ODD are very argumentative of adults. They can't seem to help themselves when they annoy people deliberately, but are easily angered by others. They cannot admit that they are wrong, and instead blame other people for their mistakes or misbehavior. Teens with ODD are resentful, vengeful, and spiteful. They can be very difficult to deal with; more than what is normal for children their age.
While teens naturally become more argumentative as they start to find their identity and assert their independence, teens with ODD are different in that they obviously cause a lot of problems at home and in school. The severity is more intense, and the length of time that ODD teens display such oppositional behavior is more prolonged.
Bullying
Parents often overlook the tell-tale signs that their teens are bullying other teens. At times the signs that bullies show at home can be overlooked because they may be taken as just signs that a teen is going through a difficult phase. Bullies often resort to frequent name-calling at home. They may call younger siblings as "wimps" or something similar. They may often talk big or exagerrate the truth. They may throw a fit when they get their way. Their circle of friends may be made up of smaller teens, or younger ones.
It's important to understand that teens who bully are often battling underlying issues as well. Bullies need as much help as the children that they are bullying.
Sexually acting out
Sexually acting out is also one of the behavioral issues that are most difficult for parents to detect. Most of the time, parents become aware that their children are sexually acting out until they have contracted sexually transmitted diseases or, for young women, when they get pregnant. Sexual conduct also isn't something that young people are likely to be vocal about with their siblings and parents.
There are many other behavioral issues that troubled teens can struggle with like lying, stealing, laziness, and others. What's important is that parents don't just look at the symptoms but more importantly, the underlying causes that lead to bad behavior.
It takes time and effort to do this, and sometimes parents are not fully equipped to determine what their teens' problems are. In such cases, seeking professional help through therapy and counseling will do a lot of good.
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