Child and Adolescent Behavior Problems - Finding Help - Part 1 - How to Know When to Say "When"

Normal adolescence is all about upheaval. First and foremost, there is puberty to deal with, which is properly defined as "a complex biologic and physiological process involving sexual development, accelerated growth, and adrenal maturation".

That sounds like a lot, but what it all means is that there is "sexual development", i.e., your kids are changing sexually, there is "accelerated growth", i.e., your kids are growing really fast and last season's clothes probably don't fit, and, finally, there is "adrenal maturation", i.e., your kids' hormones are kicking in.

This is all new stuff to your kids, and even in the best of situations, these changes, all coming about so rapidly, can cause stress and exaggerated reactions to that stress. This is all normal.

For some-kids who have been abused or neglected or those who just seem to react poorly to their situations-you need to be aware of signs that point to your child having serious difficulties. Please take special note here: I have just said above, "kids who have been abused or neglected or those who just seem to react poorly to their situations". As parents, we like to think that we know everything terrible that may have taken place in our children's lives and that we would know early on if something traumatic had happened to our child.

That is just not true. You do not live your children's lives, and things happen every day to our children, even when they are very young, that we are not privy to.

So, if your child seems to be having trouble coping and you sense that your child's emotions or behaviors are just a little "off", seek help. While there is no tidy checklist of signs to determine whether or not your teen has a mental health issue, you should be aware that the following should be evaluated:

• Thinking or talking about suicide

• Threats of self-harm or harm to others

• Excessive anger, hostility, or violent behavior

• Abuse of animals

• Trouble coping with problems and daily activities

• Expressions of worthlessness or guilt

• Excessive anxiety

• Prolonged sadness or depression or apathy

• Marked changes in eating or sleeping patterns; excessive sleeping or sleeping too much; lethargy

• Little interest in activities once enjoyed

• Notable personality change

There are many other changes in behavior that you should be aware of, but if any of these are present, it's best to seek help from a mental health professional as soon as possible.