The View on Troubled Teens

As and Licensed Addiction Counselor and Director of Mountain Meadow Youth Ranch, I have worked with many parents, grandparents, aunts/uncles, and guardians with their "troubled" teenage boy. There are many different reasons that people "think" teens struggle.

1. Poor parenting-Of course parenting plays a part in their teens struggle. This does not mean that it is the parents "fault." Many people joke that there is no "handbook/instruction manual" for parents and while this is funny it is also correct. Every parent that I have ever worked with has wanted what is best for their son and is willing to do whatever is necessary to "help" them.

2. Social group-Almost everyone has that 1-friend that gets them into trouble. While they can contribute to the "trouble," It takes 2 to tango!

3. School-Much like their social group, their seems to always be that one person in the school that made a negative impact with "troubled" teens. Much like the social group, there may be that 1-teacher that is a negative impact, but there is also the other side of the coin. The 1-teacher that can have a positive impact.

4. Addiction- This is usually secondary and can be tied into #1,2,3 above. Although, with some there is a genetic factor.

5. PTSD, ADD,ADHD,GAD,RAD, MDD, etc... diagnoses can play a role in why there are struggles.

6. Adoption-This is a very complex topic and troubles can result from the above list, age of adoption, context of adoption, and an almost unlimited variety of factors.

This is not an all-encompassing list of "why" my son struggles, but details many of the areas that I have noticed, observed, and worked within. I would like to address some simple changes that have helped many parents in the past in my next blog.