Many parents wonder when is the right time to enroll their troubled teen into a residential treatment center. Sending a troubled teen away to residential treatment is a large and expensive decision, so it is not a choice to make lightly. To help parents assess when is the right time to enroll their troubled teens, we have put together a clear list of common indicators that the teen’s troubled behavior needs intensive help to change.
Troubled Teen Repeatedly Breaks Rules
Even the best-behaved teens break the rules at times. However, what makes troubled teens different is repetition and amount. For instance, if your family has rules against school night parties and underage drinking then your teen breaks both of them repeatedly, you know you have a true problem on your hands. This becomes even more serious after a troubled teen breaks rules which were set so the teen could win back the parents’ trust.
Grades Do Not Improve Or Continue Decline
Many troubled teens struggle academically. It may nothing to do with intelligence and everything to do with their inability to care enough to improve their grades. So, if you have been watching your teen’s grades decline or not improve from a low average, then this can be a good indicator that your teen needs more help than is currently available.
Substance Abuse By Troubled Teen
Substance abuse in teenagers need to be taken seriously and dealt with quickly as it can set an unfortunate pattern for the rest of the teen’s life. If your teen has been committed to an in-patient substance abuse center, you may want to consider a residential treatment center as the next step in your teen’s recovery. The in-patient center acts more as a detox rather than dealing with the root cause of the substance abuse.
Teen Makes No Progress In Therapy
The old adage of “You can take a horse to water but you can’t make it drink” holds true with recalcitrant teens in therapy. If your teen is refusing to take their therapy seriously, then you may want to consider more immersive options. Part of why therapy at residential treatment centers work so well is because a troubled teen’s whole day is based on their therapeutic care plan and individual needs.
Family Emotional Resources Wearing Thin
Constantly dealing with and needing to police a troubled teen can wear on the best families. Many families are near the end of their emotional resources by the time they choose to send their troubled teen to a residential treatment center. This draining has driven some families to divorce, as they are unable to recover even after their teen is in residential treatment.
There is no need to wait until your family reaches that point. If your troubled teen’s behaviors meet most of the above indicators, this can be a clear message that it may be time to find a good residential treatment center which fits your teen’s needs.
Sundance Canyon Academy is a residential treatment center for troubled teen boys from 13-17. If you are wondering if your teenage son could benefit from our program, contact us today for more information.