Warning signs of troubled teens

Warning signs of troubled teens


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SALT LAKE CITY — Stories of seemingly nice teens committing horrible acts of violence have been in the news a lot lately. When they happen, people who knew the child often say they never knew the teen was capable of committing the crime. Are there any specific warning signs parents should be looking for?

Counselors say the signs of a potentially troubled teen are similar to symptoms of drug use. Adolescence to Adulthood Counseling clinical mental health counselor Ken Hull said these can look like sudden mood or behavior changes.

"Suddenly, they withdraw. They're not doing the things they used to do that are fun," he said.

If a teen has an angry outburst from time to time, Hull said that's normal. Even adults have these outbursts once in a while. But anger can come in many forms. Hull said it may be hard to spot in kids who are passive aggressive.

"That's the kid that doesn't say much but he's always kind of holding that grudge, looking for a chance to push a button or looking for a chance to get back or get even [with someone]," he explained.

Possible warning signs
  • Withdrawl
  • Sudden change in mood or behavior
  • Constantly looking for retaliation
  • Constant anger

If a teen's anger seems constant, Hull said it's a sign that they need counseling. He also said it's important to remember that anger is a secondary emotion.

"When somebody is angry, 99 times out of 100 it requires something else to happen first," he said.

So it's helpful to help the teen recognize what they're really feeling.

"Helping them to identify the feeling and putting a label on it can be the first step in helping them to be able to deal with the underlying feeling," he said.

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UtahFamily
Paul Nelson

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