Everyone has probably heard of or knows of a teen or young adult who has been in trouble with the law or expelled from school or maybe even threatened someone at school, sometimes with a gun. People know that these teens have problems, but they may not know that these behaviors may be symptoms of a very real psychiatric illness that affects an estimated 9 percent of all boys and 2 percent of all girls under the age of 18. years in the United States.
Rebellion: is open opposition to authority or tradition. Usually the word rebellion implies disobedience when there should be obedience. The old French word for rebel is ‘rebelde’, which means “to make war again”. ~ Webster’s Dictionary
These symptoms describe what is commonly called “conduct disorder” or “oppositional defiant disorder,” which is a problem behavior characterized by uncontrolled anger, rebellion, resistance to discipline, and a pattern of violating the rights of others and the laws established by society. . Behavioral disorders like ODD are becoming more common these days for both girls and men, so learning about these kinds of disruptive behaviors could save the life of a teen in her life.
This is because these behaviors, when left untreated, do not get better on their own, in fact they get much worse and in some cases even life threatening. The more you understand about what is driving these behaviors, the more you can proactively react to help a young person move from self-destructive behavior to spending their energy on more productive activities, leading them to become self-disciplined and more responsible.
Psychologists and psychiatrists generally separate disruptive disorders into two main categories: oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder. The term “Oppositional Defiant Disorder,” or ODD for short, is used to describe a young person whose symptoms include uncontrolled anger, resistance to discipline, and open defiance; the adolescent with a conduct disorder also shows these symptoms, but also behaves in a way that often violates the rights of others.
If a teen has exhibited the following behaviors, particularly illegal activities, an evaluation with a licensed professional psychologist may be the first step in bringing hope and healing into the life of a youth who is out of control at home. If you’re ready to take steps to turn life at home from a war zone to a peaceful home environment, then honestly consider the following warning signs and symptoms.
How to recognize dangerous or aggressive adolescent disorders
– Frequently loses his temper or shows fits of rage.
– Manipulates others for his own selfish pleasure
– Constantly break the rules and ignore the consequences
– Stays up late or has large blocks of unaccounted for time
– Gets into frequent verbal or physical fights.
– Skips classes, gets in trouble with teachers, or has been suspended or expelled
– Lies, cheats or steals without respect for authority
– Has broken into a home, damaged or vandalized property
– Ignore authority figures or published rules and regulations
– Has threatened another person with a weapon
– Has injured or killed an animal
– Sets fire or shows unusual concern about setting fire
– Use cutting as a coping skill to deal with hurt, pain, or loss.
– Abuses drugs, alcohol or tobacco
– Engages in aggressive, self-destructive, or indiscriminate sexual activity
– Has argued or attempted suicide
dangerous downward spiral
Teens with this problem may never seem to fit in with society. They have more and more difficulties in school and making friends. Their frustrations and sense of isolation are often expressed as anger, first directed at parents and family, and then at peers, teachers, or anyone who gets in their way. They may turn to drugs to “get high” or as an escape, but substance abuse only creates more problems, at home, at school, and in the community. They are literally out of control towards complete self-destruction.
Unravel the causes…and more importantly, discover solutions
The analysis of an adolescent with a disruptive disorder of rage or rebelliousness begins with a complete evaluation by a professional therapist, psychiatrist or psychologist. As part of identifying a diagnosis, a qualified professional will determine if any underlying conditions may have contributed to the adolescent’s abnormal behaviors. These include being bullied by peers or psychiatric conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, or in extreme cases there may even be traits of medical conditions such as epilepsy, Tourette’s syndrome, mental retardation, schizophrenia. or other brain damage from head trauma.
Environmental factors can also contribute to the development of a conduct disorder. A traumatic event such as death, illness, divorce, or abuse, or ongoing stress such as family conflict, physical or sexual abuse, or a parent with a substance abuse problem, can also make a teen more susceptible to behavioral problems. In recent years, we have tracked a pattern showing that those who have been bullied by others may develop overly aggressive behavior as a negative coping response, which also leads to other problems.
Rules without Relationships creates Resentment and Rebellion. ~Josh McDowell
Individual, family, or group counseling can help stabilize this out-of-control behavior and help the teen better understand and take responsibility for their behavior, learn new coping skills to manage anger, or gain insight into how their aggressive behavior hurts others. other people in your environment. life to use as a catalyst for positive change. ODD or behavioral disorders don’t have to destroy your child’s young adult years, but left untreated, they will steal much of the joy and satisfaction from your life and yours as a parent in seeing someone you love. loves to grow out of control. options
Tracking Characteristics of Adolescent Rebellion
___Aggressive ___Complaining ___Unbelieving ___Greedy
___Resilient ___Defensive ___Distrustful ___Independent
___Unbelieving ___Defiant ___Hostility or resentment toward authority
Once you’ve identified the warning signs and symptoms of unruly behavior, you’ll be empowered to take positive steps to change.
No matter how bad things seem right now between you and your teen, there is hope. I believe that God never designed parents to go it alone in trying to raise their children to be strong, healthy young adults. If you or someone you love is struggling with rebellion or a more serious conduct disorder, know that you have options to help your child move from self-destruction to self-discipline, however it is important to educate yourself with the best tools and techniques necessary to achieve greater results and experience a better quality of life. If you get stuck helping your son or daughter overcome a relationship bump, remember that there are tremendous counseling resources to help you on parenting websites like About.com, Family.org, NewLife.com or eCounseling.com
Rebellious children can become strong leaders, for better or worse. Strategically knowing what to do will help the young person in your life overcome stress to spend their energy building a life of early success, which is what we always believe is best for both you and your child.