Oppositional Defiant Disorder In Teens: Parents, Get Your Questions Answered
If oppositional defiant disorder has taken your once happy, friendly, kind and considerate teen and turned them into an angry, aggressive, negative and increasingly isolated young person, residential treatment could be the answer.
If you are worried your teen may be living with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), the truth is, this common but challenging condition still remains little known and understood in comparison to more common mental health disorders.
Thankfully, mental health experts like are committed to demystifying and destigmatizing the condition and can help you make sense of the main signs of ODD, understand the best symptom behavior treatments and get general parent support tips.
What Is ODD?
All parents know that all teens can get angry and defiant, and that adolescence is typically an emotionally tumultuous period.
However, ODD is something much more severe than this, and it can leave your teen unable to manage their emotions, prone to violent or aggressive outbursts and creating hostile relationships with you, their parents, teachers and any authority figures in a way that can significantly interfere with their daily life.
What Are The Main Signs?
Alongside defiance, anger, aggression and hostility, some of the strongest signs of ODD include irritability, constant negativity, general uncooperativeness, and antagonistic and vengeful behaviors.
A helpful benchmark for distinguishing typical teenage angst from ODD is the frequency and impact of the behaviors. Typically, teens with ODD who are not receiving treatment will begin to experience peer rejection, poor school performance, other mental health difficulties like depression or anxiety, and compromised relationships, including with their parents and family members.
If this describes your teen, keep reading.
How To Get Help
If you suspect your teen has ODD, or if they have recently been diagnosed, consider residential care. This care model will provide the best base for your teen to learn strategies to manage and overcome their ODD and to set a course to a mentally happier and healthier future.
Mission Prep explained, “Residential treatment is ideal for many teens with ODD, as it offers a structured, stable environment with a consistent routine and clear expectations. Residential programs also offer intensive therapy, giving teens with ODD constant access to highly trained therapists, allowing them to get the support whenever they need.”
They added, “Plus, as we know, the environment can play a big role in a teen’s life, impacting their ODD in many ways. Residential treatment removes teens from these potential triggers, giving them space from stressors that could worsen their symptoms.”
Many residential programs integrate an array of proven therapy forms, including behavioral modification therapy, CBT, family therapy, anger management training, peer group therapy and social skills training.
