Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

According to the National Institute of Mental health, as many as 5% of troubled teens have ADHD. Children and Troubled Teens with attention deficit disorder, ADD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, typically exhibit behaviors such as a poor or short attention span, impulsive behaviors, disruptive or hyperactive behavior, and difficulty focusing on a task through completion. Parents often feel frustrated, believing the troubled teen is just Lazy or Defiant rather than suffering from a behavioral issue.

If your troubled teen continues to perform below his or her abilities in school, if the teacher complains that your child cannot or will not pay attention and is disruptive in class, and if your child has a tendency to do things "without thinking", he or she may have ADD or ADHD. Troubled Teens with ADD or ADHD also often have a low tolerance level and can become irritable or belligerent when pressed to complete a task.

Sometimes it is hard for a parent to recognize the difference between an active, high energy troubled teen and one who has ADD or ADHD. When these "High Energy" behaviors begin to interfere with your troubled teen's academic and social skills, that is when it is time to seek professional advice.

One risk of late diagnosis of ADD/ADHD is that a child can fall behind in academics, which leads to decline in healthy levels of self-esteem. Troubled Teens who have not been properly diagnosed may be more prone to high risk behaviors such as fast, risky driving and drug experimentation. Some troubled teens may even self-medicate with alcohol, marijuana, or other mood altering substances. They may not be consciously aware of it, but what they are doing is making the troubled teen seemingly feel better, or more "normal". Some Troubled Teens might even say, "It takes the edge off".

ADD and ADHD are seen more often in boys than girls, and the disorder often runs in families. A parent might feel frustrated with an ADD troubled teen because he or she "sees" themselves in the child and doesn’t want them to experience the same problems and struggle the parent experienced as a child.

Self Destructive behaviors can develop into serious problems if ADD and ADHD are left untreated. Troubled Teens who have long suffered from ADD or ADHD without intervention generally perform below ability in school, have more negative interactions with authority figures or law enforcement, are more likely to drop out of school, are more likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol, and are more likely to become injured in accidents due to risk taking behaviors.