Cancer scares all of us. And most of us ‘get it’ that early detection is critical for long-term survival. In like manner, when we consider the teenage years, early detection of problems is critical to save a boatload of problems.
Most parents after telling the story of years of turmoil with their teen can look back and say there were definite signs they did not recognize, or they rationalized them as just being a teen. Adolescence is a time of transition involving dramatic physical, emotional, intellectual and social changes. Most teenagers navigate this time of their lives without undue stress, but some engage in at-risk behaviors that have huge negative psychological, social and health consequences.