Teen Girls With ADHD Or Asperger’s Syndrome Can Frustrate Parents And Siblings

The young person finds herself unable to concentrate on studies and cannot sit still. She may need to eat constantly or she may not eat at all. She may experience depression, no self-confidence and complete detachment from family and friends.

There are many reasons for the ADHD problem that frustrate parents and siblings. The young person is trying to find herself, often a difficult task during teenage years when her body is changing very fast. She may be subject to pressure and bullying from other teens.

This Is NOT What A Life With Asperger's Is Like

For someone who has Asperger’s Syndrome, adolescence can bring extra complications and struggles to an already tempestuous and confusing time. It is not uncommon for teens with AS to develop depression, requiring treatment in order for that teen to make sense of this new mental landscape and continue to accomplish their goals in life. Unfortunately, recognizing and navigating depression in teen girls with Asperger’s Syndrome can be difficult.

Asperger’s Syndrome And Depression In Teen Girls

One of the unique traits of Asperger’s Syndrome is that the individual will often have a singular and highly focused interest. This interest becomes a core part of that individual’s identity, and for a teen with AS, depression frequently results in disinterest of what is otherwise a calming and enjoyable. This can result in feelings of frustration, anger, and confusion, as they may not be disgusted with or bored by the interest though part of them still longs for the familiarity and pleasure it once brought.

It’s important to recognize that this behavior is atypical for a teen with Asperger’s Syndrome as they may likely not be able to articulate what is wrong. Teens with Asperger’s Syndrome tend to have rather analytical minds, preferring to deal with facts rather than fiction and emotions. This can make dealing with these newfound emotions especially difficult as the teen not only doesn’t have the words for what they’re feeling, but they also lack the knowledge of how to cope with these emotions.

However, therapeutic treatment can help to put words to these emotions and help teen girls to transition from living in a world of hard facts and theories to one where emotions more strongly impact them. In doing so, adolescent girls with Asperger’s Syndrome also develop a greater understanding of our emotionally driven society -contributing to greater success in their adult life. This is all on top of learning how to cope and navigate their emotions in healthy ways.

Treatment for Teen Girls With ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome and Depression

Treatment for every girl should be designed to support their successful reintegration to society and to support healthy relationships from the moment they step through our doors. When Girls engage in a variety of therapies, based on their individual plans, that are designed to discover the best approaches for them individually and then to implement them within a variety of therapies.

Based upon the unique struggles that each teen is experiencing, their time at an RTC will be spent in small groups with other girls dealing with similar issues. In this way, each girl benefits from the shared experience of others and is also less likely to adopt maladaptive behaviors with which other residents may be struggling.