Is My Teenager Ok?

Book excerpt: Teenagers today are faced with a far wider range of media influences, subcultures, and social choices than ever before. And for parents, it can be hard to determine when adolescents have crossed a line between asserting their individuality and true eating disorders, drug or drinking problems, depression or acting out beyond the "norm" for their age group. Dr. Henry A. Paul's comprehensive look at today's teens is organized in an easy-access, "look it up" style that allows concerned parents to cross-reference moods, behaviors, and symptoms easily -- and provides reassuring words about when not to worry, as well as suggestions about what action to take if you believe your teen's behavior warrants intervention. Covering everything from sexual identity to tattoos and piercings, from stress and withdrawal to possible suicide, from street drugs and raves to steroids, as well as dozens of school-related issues, this caring and compassionate guide, written by an expert in the field of adolescent psychiatry, is a must-have for every concerned parent. Book jacket.