Count yourself lucky if your teen doesn't exhibit any of these symptoms, but on the other hand if your teen does, it does not necessarily mean s/he needs professional help.

You can see why it is hard to know when to seek professional help when behaviors at any other time in life would be cause for alarm but during this period are relatively normal and expectable.

With all of the above qualifiers in mind I suggest the following guidelines. Any disturbing behavior, such as alcohol and drug abuse, chronic and unremitting decline in academics, frequent truancy repeated (over a long period of time), total isolation from peers(over a long period of time), very bad self-esteem(over a long period of time), repeated outright defiance of rules and limits that you set, and any other disturbing behavior that persists over a long period of time . . .may be cause for alarm.

If any of the above seems to characterize your adolescent, it might not hurt to consult a mental health professional. I would go to see the professional first at least one time to seek advice before perhaps unnecessarily involving your teen. In other words the professional may be able to reassure you that things sound okay.

You can get help from social workers, counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychoanalysts. Fees from $75 to $150 per hour session are all within normal range (even higher fees may be within normal range, depending on the professional's discipline and years of training; psychiatrists often charge fees of $200/hour or more).

This site offers a Directory of mental health professionals qualified to treat adolescents and families, organized by location.

Good not-for-profit family service agencies and mental health agencies like the one I formerly directed generally operate on an adjustable fee scale so that your fee will be assessed according to your income and other pertinent facts of your life situation.

Links for school safety and violence prevention Links for Parents Protecting Children From Abuse Links for helping young people with emotional and behavioral problems Links For And About Teenagers Runaways Aggression:Teen Aggression Directly Related to Popularity. A.D.D: Dealing With Attention Disorders Broken Homes: Divorce And Successful Parenting, Effects Of Divorce Of Education, Effects Of Parental Fights On Teens, Separation and Divorce, Step parenting An Out Of Control Teen, Step parenting Successfully Cursing Or Mood Swings: Foul Language Of Teens Defiance And Anger: Adolescent Behavior Problem, Teen Anger Delinquency: Some Proposed Reasons For Teen Delinquency Depression: Dealing With Teen Depression, More About Teen Depression,Teen Depression Emotional Problems: Understanding Emotional Changes Failing In School: Parental Involvement In Teen Education Feelings Of Despair: Adolescent Anxiety Help For Teens: About Wilderness Camps, Behavior Modification, Convincing Teens To Get Help, Counseling For Your Teen, Helping Teens Hit The Target, Programs Give 2nd Chance To Youth, Solutions For Teens In Trouble, Therapy For Your Teen Lack Of Discipline: Adolescents and Decision Making, Chores Foster Responsibility, Discipline: Love and Limits, Punishment vs. Discipline,What Is Discipline Lack Of Motivation: How To Motivate Your Teen Lack Of Respect: Respect Concerning Different Subjects Lack Of Self-Control:Dating And Sexual Activity, High Risk Behavior, What The Bible Says On Self Control Minor Legal Problems: Teen Crime Prevention Negative Group Of Friends:Adolescence And Peer Pressure, Dealing With Teen Peer Pressure, Handling Teen Peer Groups Peer Pressure Oppositional Defiant Disorder:Oppositional Defiant Disorder Parenting Tips And General Help: 7 Steps For Coping With A Negative Child, 7 Tips For Parenting Teens,10 Secrets Teens Want You To Know, Hard Times For Girls, more... Rebellious Behavior And Violence: Teen Fashion, Piercings, and Tattoos, Teen Gang Prevention Refusing To Follow Rules:About Making Rules, About Parent-Teen Contracts, Effective Problemsolving With Teens, Negotiating Rules And Contracts, Setting Limits Running Away: Teen Runaway Prevention,Teen Runaways Substance Abuse Issues:Drug Use and Teens, Teen Drug Prevention, Teens And Smoking,Ways To Prevent Drug And Alcohol Use Suicidal Tendencies: Teen Suicide Prevention Teen In Crisis: Factors Of Troubled Teens,Helping Teens With Stress, Teens And Recent Tragic Events