Does Your Teen Have ODD?

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), is one of those conditions that is difficult to diagnose as it is similar to a lot of teenage behavior and may be linked to an undiagnosed bipolar disorder in teenagers. Most teenagers defy their parents at some stage, but it is usually very specific, lasts for a short period of time and is resolved through conversation and maybe some help from the school counselor. A certain amount of conflict between parents and their teenagers is natural, the two have differing views and the teenager is trying to define their place in the world.

When does defiance become ODD? For a teenager to be diagnosed as having any type of behavioral disorder, the behavior needs to be persistent, recurring and cause identifiable disruption at home and school. The spell of bad trouble your teenager gets into with a bad group of friends is not ODD.

The teenager with ODD believes that everyone is to blame for their problems. The behavior lasts for at least six months and is present in all situations, there is no specific group of people the teenager has problems with, and they are defiant with everybody! The behavior is characterized by extreme negativity, hostility and antagonism towards a range of people. The teenager can be cruel and vindictive but usually verbally, rather than physically, they tend not to be directly cruel to animals for example, but could be very spiteful towards their younger siblings.

Those with ODD frequently lose their tempers and argue with adults. They will defy adult rules, and disobey instructions. They are very touchy and easily annoyed, at the same time, they love winding up other people and will be deliberately rude and antagonistic towards others to get a reaction. Parents of teenagers with ODD may find themselves tiptoeing around the teenager, scared of setting them off and then having to deal with their anger and resentment.

If you suspect your teenager of having Oppositional Defiant Disorder, you need to take them to a therapist for initial diagnosis. The teenager may well need to go on a behavioral modification program; this can be managed at home but is tough on the family. The behavior may have become so extreme that the only solution is to remove the teen from their home environment and send them to a teen camp that specializes in behavior modification. The family will also need some support at home to enable them to manage the teen on return and to help them come to terms with the effects of the teens' behavior.