Troubled Teens: How Parents Can Cope Day to Day

Trying to navigate life with a troubled teen, on top of your day-to-day responsibilities to work and family can be exceptionally challenging. Many of us struggle with our daily lives without a troubled teen's added stress and worry.

Whether your teen is struggling with anxiety or depression, aggression, drug or alcohol abuse, or something else entirely, you must be able to find healthy ways to cope.

Many of your teen's struggles may be rooted in his inability to cope with a range of concerns he’s facing. Some of which you may not have any knowledge of. You need to do the same as he learns to cope better and expands his coping skills.

If you don’t have healthy coping mechanisms in place, you will likely continue to struggle.

What do healthy coping mechanisms look like?

There’s no doubt that you’re aware of what an unhealthy coping mechanism can look like. There are chances you’re seeing some of them in your teen and in other family members. With a focus on establishing those healthy coping mechanisms, there are good odds that you can help to avoid developing some of those negative coping skills. Here are a few things for you to consider:

• Asking for help. This is one of the best things that you can do for yourself when you feel like you’re getting overwhelmed and overly anxious about the struggles your teen is facing.
• Create and maintain healthy boundaries where you need to, whether at home or work.
• Learn and know your limits. Much like when you realize that you need help from another person, understanding your boundaries will help you figure out when you should perhaps walk away from situations without resolution.
• Keep a journal of your feelings and the triggers that lead to difficult emotions.
• Set goals and stick to them. Whether that’s the goal of speaking with your therapist twice a week or helping your teen in one way or another.
• Eating healthy and moving your body. It may sound cliché, but your body responds to the foods you put into it. Indeed, no one would blame you for indulging here and there. But maintaining a healthy lifestyle that includes good nutrition and plenty of body moving can help to calm a stressed mind.

If you find that you’re starting to lean into bad habits and strategies for coping with your stress, it may be time to seek further help.

The importance of self-care

While social media would have you believe that self-care looks like a bubble bath after a long day, there is more to it. Certainly, these types of things can be part of a healthy routine of self-care. There’s nothing quite like that quiet time to reflect on your day while floating in a steaming bath. However, self-care should ensure you take good care of your physical and mental health.

You know that you need to eat those lean proteins with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. You also understand that it’s essential to go for a walk, a bike ride, a hike, or a run to keep your body healthy. But it’s just as important that you focus on your mental wellness. Work with a therapist who can help you to understand your own struggles and help you to develop those healthy coping strategies.

Sometimes self-care is getting a manicure or doing a bit of retail therapy for a new lawn mower. But more often than not, self-care is ensuring that you’re taking care of each of your body and mind's needs.

Getting help for your whole family

Therapy is one of the first things you should turn to when it comes to helping yourself and each family member. There are several options for you to consider, including the following:

• Individual therapy
• Family therapy
• Group therapy, which will often include peer groups

Sometimes the therapeutic solutions for teens may not work well for their parents. For example, some teens respond well to equine therapy or play therapy. It’s a good idea to consider several therapeutic treatments if your teen continues to struggle after individual and family therapy sessions.

It’s important that every person in your family can get the treatment they need when they need it. At Liahona Academy, we offer treatment programs adapted to meet the needs of the individual.

Not only will your troubled teen get the valuable help he needs to heal and recover, but every family member will have the opportunity to find a way to work together and communicate better. Sometimes the best way to cope is to help your teen get the treatment he needs so that you can focus on building or rebuilding your coping tools.