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Causes of Antisocial Behavior in Teens

Picture of Stonewater Recovery By   ·  2 minute read
You may have heard of teenagers being antisocial and that it is just a phase that they are going through. Then when you see your teen being antisocial, you start to get afraid that something is really wrong although you may not know what being antisocial really means. The words antisocial behavior may lend its name to mean that someone would isolate from the world and keep from being social, which are symptoms, but there is much more to this type of behavior. What antisocial behavior really entails is a teenager who is angry, aggressive, and intolerant. Verbal abuse, bullying, and covert conduct including lying, sneaking around, incompliance, and destruction of property is what antisocial is defined as and can start as early as the toddler years. As the person grows into adolescence and into their teens, high-risk activities also start to occur such as drug and alcohol abuse, unprotected sex, and theft. Antisocial behavior can manifest in a few different ways. First and foremost, the temperament of the child and their level of irritability could start the ball rolling with antisocial behaviors along with other developmental issues such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, anxiety, impulse control, and learning disabilities.
The environmental factors that a teen is exposed to can also be the cause of antisocial behavior to materialize.
 
  • Parents who are addicted to drugs and alcohol.
  • Parents who exhibit antisocial behaviors themselves.
  • Parents who suffer from depression.
  • Parents who provide an unstable home life.
  • Erratic relationships which become problematic in the home and at school.
  • Economic distress to deal with at an early age.
  These are all circumstances that can affect the way that an adolescent behaves and acts out. You may need to seek professional help if you notice that your teens is repeatedly lying, see of pattern noncompliant behaviors, or any disruptive behaviors that have caused you some concern. Ignoring these symptoms of antisocial behavior will not make them go away but instead make them get progressively worse. Antisocial behavior could lead them to get into trouble with law enforcement and make them at a higher risk to get involved with drugs and alcohol. Getting a diagnostic assessment for you teen will hopefully improve the situation. Health professional can lead your teen and the whole family to find an therapeutic approach to gain knowledge on how to combat antisocial behaviors. There is nothing wrong with the teen per se, they just need to find new coping mechanisms other than their antisocial behaviors to deal with their issues. While this may seem intimidating at first, the whole family has the ability to heal and grow moving forward.

If you or an adolescent you know needs to get help for drug or alcohol abuse, Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center can give you the guidance that you deserve. Establishing a strong network of family and community can reinforce practices for living substance free.

Call us today to start living in your recovery: 662-598-4214