If your kids are psycho, call a local shrink (and go to therapy with them),
IF the kid lets it slip to the shrink, that they might be thinking of harming themselves, they will earn a one way ticket to the locked psychiatric unit, do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars.
Not true. If it seems very likely that someone will kill themselves, then the psychiatrist will be required to have them sent to a mental health facility. A mental health professional is not required to send someone over just because they are merely considering or thinking about suicide or self-harm.
Psychiatrists specialize in on thing, in my experience, and that is putting you on as many psych medications as they can. In my opinion, I don't think that is a very effective strategy for dealing with a troubled teen. I'm sure a lot of people think drugging your kid into a stupor is a fine solution, but it's not a long term solution, it doesn't change the reason they behaved in a negative way. It only covers up the problems, then the kid will have to deal with them when they are an adult, on their own. They will also have to deal with the messy process of coming off the very strong medications psychiatrist prescribe like it's candy, on their own.
There are crappy psychiatrists and wonderful ones, as with any profession sadly. Medication is supposed to be an aid, not a solution, and hopefully, all sides would recognise that. Besides that, no one is forcing pills down anyone's throat. People are welcome to get second opinions etc.
I take medication, and a very low dose at that, and it has helped me tremendously.
Have you been or seen what goes on in an adolescent psychiatric unit? All of the things people complain about here happening in programs that harm children, they happen also in hospitals. IN fact the most negative experiences I had in treatment were hospitals like these, I wouldn't go so far to call it abuse, but it was harsh and restrictive and controlling, way more so than the program ever was. Not to mention the added fact, that they will pump you so full of medications you don't know up from sideways.
Specific examples please.
Usually therapy for teens, they go by themselves and talk to a therapist. I think family group therapy can work, but if a teen is troubled usually the communication broke down prior to that within a family.
In other words, family group therapy only works when there isn't a problem. Good philosophy.