1. Depressed – Your teenager is acting depressed. He/she doesn’t want to do anything, lacks motivation, has lost interest in things he likes to do, and has a decreased attention span or effectiveness when doing things.
2. Anxious – Your teenager is feeling some anxiety. He or she cannot relax, is not sleeping well, having nightmares, and is restless.
3. Isolates – Your teenager isolates from family and friends. For a teenager, friends mean the world. So if you notice that your child likes the company of himself more than anyone else, check out why. Also look for signs of self harm (i.e. cutting).
4. School Problems – If your child’s grades are dropping or she/he may not even want to attend school to begin with, then this may be a signal of things going amiss. Getting into fights at school or disputes with teachers is another obvious sign.
5. Poor Body Image – Your teenager is either overeating or under eating. A distorted body image and wieght loss/gain not only makes an emotional issue that must be addressed apparent, but it is a vital health issue as well.
6. Irregular Sleep Patterns – Is your teenager suffering from insomnia, or is he/she oversleeping–unmotivated to to get out of bed?
7. Impulsive – Is your teenager giving in to impulsive behavior and showing signs of emotional instability, and more argumentative that usual?
8. Using Drugs and Alcohol – Trying out drugs or alcohol may be a part of many teenagers’ lives, but when this becomes habitual or goes together with school troubles, then be warned.
9. Lying/Secretive – When it seems your child is hiding things from you (events that concern her/his well-being,) be concerned. Is he/she habitually late or not at the right place at the designated time?
10. Excessive Computer, Cell Phone, Video Gaming – Is your child spending more time on the computer or playing a video game than hanging out with his friends? Does your child exhibit an unusual preoccupation with a fame or computer or cell phone when he is away from it?
The above signs are provided by Pacific Quest: www.pacificquest.org
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