Troubled adolescents are young boys and girls who are leading negative or self harming lifestyles. Adolescence is the stage in the life of children when hormonal changes take place that help them adjust to the demands of adulthood. Rebellious uncontrollable youth are regarded as at-risk teen. When the actions of teens reach a stage that they need parental or psychological intervention they have become troubled teens.

The typical signs of a teen becoming a troubled teen are when they become aggressive, arrogant and rebellious. Troubled teens do not show progress in academics and their grades show a steady downward trend. They play truant and do not attend school regularly. They abuse alcohol, tobacco and drugs. They show rebellious sexual behavior. Some teens are caught for petty crimes. Troubled teens can be psychologically troubled with low self esteem, bouts of depression, anxiety and mood swings. Some troubled teens find it difficult to interact with their peers or society at large. They become withdrawn and avoid social contact. Some troubled teens are obsessed with their body image and develop life threatening eating disorders.

Parents should be aware of the identifying factors that show that the teen is troubled. Some teens are withdrawn and have no friends. They also withdraw from the company of family. Their behavior pattern changes and they become argumentative and defiant. Parental discipline is suddenly looked upon as dictatorial. Parents cease to be the role models they were when the teen was younger. Some have friends that parents have never met and the teen refuses to introduce these friends to his or her parents. Troubled adolescents do no communicate openly with parents and hide things from their parents. The grades of the teen suddenly show a downward slide. Violent behavior, excess consciousness of their body image, anger and mood swings are factors that indicate that intervention is required. Some teenagers show suicidal tendencies and parents need to seek immediate professional help when suicidal tendencies are detected.

Experts attribute many reasons for adolescent misbehavior. Hormonal imbalances can cause emotional disorders in teenagers. These imbalances can be treated by a simple diagnoses and prescription by the family physician to correct the hormonal balance in the teenager. Psychological problems are treated with the help of specially trained therapists. Like children teenagers need attention. Parents need to be there for teenagers as much as for young children. Parental neglect often results in teens becoming destructive and negative.

Parents need to change their attitudes and rules when a child becomes an adolescent. A at-risk teen will no longer tolerate being treated as a child. Parents need to treat adolescents as adults and make them understand the need to be disciplined and positive at all times. Teens need to develop positive skills, self esteem and a healthy interaction with their peers to move into adulthood without problems.

Many adolescents sail from adolescence to adulthood without any emotional upheavals. However, the few who are troubled by behavioral problems can get help from family or trained professionals and enter adulthood in a healthy manner after overcoming their troubles.