Theories Behavioral Psychology The Truth About Troubled Teens By Amy Morin, LCSW facebook twitter linkedin instagram Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. She's also a psychotherapist, the author of the bestselling book "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," and the host of the Mentally Strong People podcast. Learn about our editorial process Amy Morin, LCSW Updated on March 26, 2020 Print Todor Tsvetkov / E+ / Getty Images Although no parent wants to think about tough topics, like teen suicide, teen pregnancy, and teen violence, those issues are real among many of today's teenagers. It's important for parents to be informed about the issues many teenagers are facing. Even if your teen never experiences any serious problems first-hand, they'll likely have friends and classmates who do. In the next 24 hours in the United States: 1,439 teens will attempt suicide.2,795 teenage girls will become pregnant.15,006 teens will use drugs for the first time.3,506 teens will run away.2 teens will be murdered. Youth and Crime In 2013, the United States handled 1.1 million juvenile delinquency cases.More than a quarter of crimes committed by juveniles are committed by females. Almost 22,000 crimes involved weapons. Every 4 minutes a youth is arrested for an alcohol-related crime.Every 7 minutes a youth is arrested for a drug crime. Teen Suicide Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 and 24. More teens and young adults die from suicide than from heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, pneumonia, influenza, cancer, and lung disease combined.Four out of five teens who attempt suicide give warning signs. But often, those signs are missed or ignored. Teen Pregnancy In 2014, there were 249,078 babies born to women between the ages of 15 and 19. Although teen births are on the decline in the United States, the rate is still higher than in other western industrialized nations.Teen pregnancy costs taxpayers an estimated $9.4 billion annually. Costs consist of increased health care, foster care, increased incarceration rates among teen parents, and lost tax revenue to pregnant teens being more likely to drop out of school. Teen Mental Health 20% of adolescents live with a mental health condition. 50% of all mental illness begins by age 14 and 75% begins by age 24.The average delay between the onset of symptoms and intervention is between 8 and 10 years. 70% of teens who commit crimes have a mental illness. Almost half of all students with a mental illness drop out of high school. 90% of teens who kill themselves have an underlying mental illness. Understanding the Risks Arming yourself with the facts can be the first step in reducing your teen's risks. When you understand the challenges many teens are facing, you can take steps to prevent problems before they start. And if you do see signs of a problem, take immediate action. Whether you suspect your teen is abusing drugs, or you see some early warning signs of depression, talk to your teen's pediatrician. Ignoring the problem won't make it go away. In fact, your teen's problems may get worse. Early intervention is the key to helping your teen. How to Talk to Your Teen Even if you think your teen would never try drugs or isn't sexually active, it's important to talk about it. Here are some ways to make the conversations most effective: Ask about other people. Instead of saying like, "Has anyone ever offered you drugs?" which may cause your teen to feel like they're being interrogated, ease your way into the conversation by asking about other people. Say, "Do you think drugs are a big problem in your school?" Then listen to what your teen has to say.Ask for your teen's opinion. Rather than lecture your teen about the dangers of alcohol, ask questions like, "What do you think about the drinking age?" This could spark an interesting discussion about why it's illegal for kids to drink.Strike up conversations when you're doing something. Sitting down for a "heart to heart" can be anxiety-provoking for everyone. So make it a more casual conversation that you bring up while you're playing pass. Talking while driving in the car can be easier too as you won't be facing one another directly.Hold ongoing conversations. A single conversation about teen pregnancy or the risks of underage drinking won't be enough. Hold ongoing conversations about some of the risks teens face to ensure that your teen is really hearing your message. If you or your child are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Ever wonder what your personality type means? Sign up to find out more in our Healthy Mind newsletter. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reproductive health: Teen pregnancy. Updated March 1, 2019. National Alliance on Mental Illness. Mental health by the numbers. Updated September 2019.