Every time you ask your teen to do chores or homework, they may conveniently respond with how they "just forgot" to carry out your instructions. As they exhibit these signs of forgetfulness, life can become especially chaotic with the disorganization which ensues. Teens often have many responsibilities to juggle with their school work, extracurricular activities, chores, and of course, their social life. Details to consider is that your teen may not be intentionally forgetting - they could actually have physiological reasons or need a marijuana abuse program at an adolescent treatment center in Mississippi.

Hormones

With the surge of brand-new hormones, the brain gets overstimulated with emotions that are often difficult to control. As the brain continues to grow throughout adolescence, this development will affect functionality in different parts of the brain, including the prefrontal cortex. Focus, planning, memory, and the control of social behaviors can become hit or miss due to the growth happening in the brain. Forgetfulness becomes inevitable with the ongoing evolution which the brain experiences during adolescence.

Sleep Patterns

The bottom line is that teens need sleep. Eight to ten hours a night is the suggested recommendation of sleep that teens need during these crucial years of their development. Putting other activities at higher importance over sleep can make concentration and the ability to remember difficult to achieve. A rested teenager has a better chance of remembering than one who is sleep deprived.

Multi-tasking

Teens should stick to one task at a time because they can overload their brain with too much information and get stuck not doing anything at all. Too many instructions and too many activities in one day can overwhelm a teenager to the point that they forget what needs to be done altogether.

Health Conditions

Your teen may be suffering from a condition that affects their brain such as dyslexia, ADHD, depression, substance use disorder or problems with their thyroid. If you think that your teen is forgetting more than what's normal of what you think they should, take them to their pediatrician and let the doctor know your concerns. By ignoring any issues your teen may be dealing with, they may not get the help they need to stop forgetting or remaining distracted.

Forgetfulness is a normal aspect in a teen's life, but if you do your part to make sure your teen is thriving, you are also making sure they are exhibiting normal mental growth. Observe to see if your teen falls into any of these categories and help them to resolve their issues as necessary. This will be instrumental in limiting their forgetfulness and expanding their memory capabilities.  

Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center employs a well-trained clinical and medical staff qualified to manage the impacts of anxiety, depression, substance use and other mental health disorders. We also offer on-site detoxification to help keep our clients as comfortable as possible.

Call us today to start living your recovery: 662.373.2830