Adolescence is a traumatic time. Young people are faced with mounting piles of schoolwork, decisions about their life paths and hormonal changes as they go through puberty. Add in decisions about their identity, sexual orientation and their standpoint in friendship groups and you have the recipe for a perfect storm.
Parents or carers may feel confused and frustrated in their interactions with their teenagers. Previous habits and interests may disappear, behaviours may change and teens are likely to push back in unexpected ways as they work out where their boundaries lie. Parents may disagree and argue about what should be done, losing credibility with their teens in the process. Sometimes parents may feel the need to seek help from mental health professionals – for their teens, for the whole family or for themselves.