Why Your Teen May Act Out During Particular Times of the Year

Parents expect a certain amount of acting out from their teenagers. However, if your teen starts to develop a pattern to their outburst, coinciding with a certain time of year, there may be deeper issues at work. In many cases, if these deeper emotional issues aren’t addressed through therapy, teens can struggle more to cope appropriately and instead to other poor behaviors. If you aren’t sure if the best boarding school for troubled teens is what your child needs right now, here are some of the reasons why your teen may be acting out and be in need of therapeutic intervention.

Seasonal Affective Disorder May Impact Your Teen

Potentially, the easiest issue to resolve that may be affecting your teen is seasonal affective disorder (SAD). For those who struggle with SAD, in the fall and winter, as things cool down and there is less sunlight, depression may impact them. This form of depression can be as impactful as non-SAD depression, so it shouldn’t be dismissed. Instead, teens who struggle with SAD can do a number of things to help appropriately cope with their feelings of depression, such as engaging in regular exercise, eat healthily, take vitamin D supplements, and use a sun lamp. However, this issue can become more serious if SAD is combined with other issues.

High-Pressure Holidays Can Cause Stress And Poor Coping

While plenty of holidays carry just the expectation of fun for most teens, there are some high-pressure holidays that can cause a significant deal of stress. These higher levels of stress can lead to poor coping on the part of your teen. For example, say your teenage son has a girlfriend, and Valentine’s Day is coming up. While most adults know that the “wrong” gift won’t destroy a healthy relationship, your son may agonize over what to do, what presents to buy, and how to pull out all the stops for their girlfriend. And, some adolescent relationships do end over these kinds of holiday pressures, which you can bet your teen knows. To purchase the “right” gifts and finance Valentine’s Day for their girlfriend, your son may be tempted to steal money from you or engage in other poor behaviors. Around these high-pressure holidays, be sure to keep an eye on your teen. That way, if you notice a change in your teenager’s behavior, you can step in and talk to them.

Anniversary Of Traumatic Events May Cause Poor Behavior

The anniversary of a traumatic event can lead your teen to act out as the date of the event approaches. Your teen may not be actively aware that the anniversary is approaching or that it is the cause of them to act poorly. Instead, your teen may just feel frustrated, unhappy, anxious, and other negative emotions. Without proper recognition, your teen may lash out at others—family, friends, teachers, and classmates—as the unknown stressor triggers their emotions. In these cases, working with a therapist can make a significant difference, as the therapist can help guide your teen into recognizing the traumatic anniversary, which is the catalyst for bad behavior. Along with acknowledging the behavior, immersive therapy at a therapeutic boarding school can help your teen learn effective coping methods, rather than continue to act out.

Triggers Can Set Off Your Teen, Leading Them To Act Out

Along with the anniversary of traumatic events, your teen may have triggers that cause them to act out. Triggers can be associated with any of the senses—sight, smell, touch, taste, and sound—which trigger the memory or feelings attached to a traumatic event. Understanding what their triggers are and how to appropriately manage their response isn’t something teens will easily accomplish. Frankly, many adults have a hard time recognizing and defusing their triggers. With the mental health treatment teens receive in therapeutic boarding school, the therapeutic work will help teenage students identify the triggers and find healthy ways to cope with triggers.

Sensitivity To Parental Emotions And Actions

Teenagers can surprise their parents in how perceptive they are, especially when it comes to sensing their parents’ mental and emotional states. If you are feeling particularly stressed, anxious, depressed, or other difficult emotions, your teen can pick up on how you are feeling without you saying anything. However, just because your teen can sense the issue doesn’t mean they know what to do with the information. If anything, your emotional turmoil can lead your teen to act out, allowing them to alleviate some of the invisible pressure that your teenager is sensing. While you shouldn’t overburden your teen with your emotional needs, if you notice that your teen is acting out when you are also struggling, you should talk to them about what’s going on. A therapist can be an invaluable asset to this kind of conversation, as a trained counselor can help guide the conversation along healthy and productive lines.

Troubled Teens Can Receive Therapeutic Help

For some teens, their poor behavior at certain points of the year can trigger ongoing acting out beyond that certain time. To help break the cycle of acting out, discipline, reparations, then acting out again, attending a therapeutic boarding school can help. At a therapeutic boarding school, your teen can receive immersive therapeutic care as they learn to manage their emotional breaking points. There are a number of therapeutic boarding schools to choose from, so it is essential that you find the right one to help with your teen’s emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual needs. That way, your teen won’t be trapped in a destructive cycle of acting out due to trauma, being punished for acting out, leading to more poor behavior. Both your teen and the rest of the family deserves better.