Troubled Teens a Common Problem

In today's high-pressure world, seeing troubled teens is an all too familiar occurrence. Teens receive pressure from parents, school, peers, advertising and the amount of information that is thrown at them daily. It's no wonder that the term "troubled teens" is so well known.

What makes this state of affairs so much worse is the fact that teens go through tremendous physical changes, not to mention emotional and psychological growth during these years of their lives. They are forming their identity during this time, yet too many become troubled, unable to grow strong and secure due to the pressures and stress of life.

There are the young adults who gleefully try drugs or alcohol, push every boundary they come across, seemingly without a conscience. Then there are teens who seem to try their hardest to be good kids, keep their grades up, participate in school activities and act with respect for those around them. Yet it's possible to find troubled teens in both disparate groups. Why?

There is research suggesting that the frontal parts of teens' brains have not developed sufficiently to allow them to differentiate between risky behavior and good behavior. Due to this process of development, young adults sometimes cannot follow a string of directions, cannot recognize that drinking and driving are bad for them (it doesn't matter how many times they're told it is), and do not have the ability to control their emotions. If this research is accurate, biology itself creates ideal conditions for the development of troubled teens.

Others have proposed the idea that teens are not emotionally developed enough to handle the responsibilities they're accumulating. This reasoning would seem to be behind the decision to raise the drinking age to twenty-one, and to have age-tiered driving licenses. The thought is that troubled teens will grow out of their problems.

Still others believe that troubled teens have been created by our society. At no other point in the world's history have teenagers had so much free time, or such ability to focus on themselves. Less than sixty years ago, it wasn't unheard of for a teen to get a job as soon as she or he could, to help supplement the family income and care for younger siblings. While this still does happen, it's much more likely that a teenager getting a job now is doing so to purchase a pricey pair of sneakers or the latest CD.

These are only three of the many theories about what causes kids to turn into troubled teens. The most likely of all ideas is that there is no one reason - it's a combination of reasons. These reasons are probably as varied as the kids experiencing problems. It's necessary to figure out what these reasons are so that troubled teens receive the individualized help they need.

Only by pinpointing the cause of each teen's problems and then creating mutual effort between parents, school personnel, possible medical treatment, and the young adults themselves can troubled teens overcome difficulties and realize their full potential.

If you know a troubled teen check online for help at Troubled Teen Resources or other informational sites and seek help. They will eventually - when they've reached the other side of their problems - thank you.

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