Parents with teenagers need to be aware of the many mental health challenges teens are facing today. Teenagers have always had a lot of pressure on them, but only just recently have we started to remove the stigma around asking for help. 

Many teenagers would benefit from getting therapy, even if they don’t necessarily have any mental health concerns as of right now. In this article, we will be discussing how parents can know if their teenager needs therapy and how they can support them and their mental health. 

Mental Health Pressures Teens Face 

It is easy for adults to underestimate the strain that teenagers are under every single day. Even though they do not have to hold down a job and support a family, this doesn’t mean that teens don’t face certain challenges that can become overwhelming for them.  

For parents, having empathy is the first step, as you need to understand that your child’s emotions are valid. 

Here are just some of the most common mental health pressures teens face. 

Pressure to Excel 

Teenagers have a significant amount of pressure when it comes to needing to excel, especially academically. They have to maintain certain grade point averages, especially when it comes to their future academic goals, such as getting into elite colleges or universities. 

Teens who are trying to excel in school as well as do extracurricular activities may feel very overwhelmed and burnt out. Maintaining good grades can also be challenging for teens who may have learning difficulties or disabilities that haven’t been treated. 

Appearance Standards 

Being a teenager can be a very challenging time, especially when it comes to interacting with other teenagers. Teens may be subject to bullying at school, and now, with so much of their world being online, they may be bullied digitally as well. 

Even teenagers who aren’t bullied about their appearance may become very self-conscious and fixated on how they look. Teenage girls are especially susceptible to this as they are developing. 

Peer Pressure 

Aside from feeling pressure about looking attractive, there is general peer pressure as well. Teenagers may feel pressure to act a certain way to fit in or to stand out in the crowd so that they can get friends. 

Especially in public schools that are overcrowded with students, peer pressure can be very overwhelming and devastating for a teenager’s mental health. 

Fear of the Future 

Parents often underestimate how much teenagers understand and the types of concerns they have. Many teenagers are exposed to the news and may fear the future, whether that be worrying about climate change, politics, or global issues. 

Teens may also feel lost regarding what their life is going to look like in the future. Even though these concerns may seem unimportant to adults, it could be very difficult for teenagers to work through them on their own. 

Common Mental Health Disorders in Teenagers 

Because teens face a significant amount of pressure in and outside of the home, it isn’t uncommon for them to develop mental health disorders. It’s also important to understand that there are many different factors that impact this, and it isn’t just due to environmental factors.  

For instance, mental health issues can run in families, making your children genetically more likely to have problems. Also, some mental health issues can lead to co-occurring disorders, making your child’s mental health more complex. 

With that being said, here are some of the most common mental health disorders found in teenagers: 

• Depression: Teenagers will experience a degree of moodiness since they are going through many mental and physical changes during their teenage years. However, some teenagers cross over the line and start to experience legitimate depression, which should always be taken seriously. 

• Anxiety: Just like adults, teenagers have a high likelihood of developing anxiety. This can be due to environmental factors, such as feeling pressured to excel in school or feeling overwhelmed at home. However, some teens are more susceptible to feeling anxiety, such as those who are already shy. 

• ADHD: A significant percentage of teenagers are diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. This can often result in other mental health issues, especially if your child isn’t properly diagnosed. 

• Eating disorders: Not surprisingly, teens are very susceptible to developing eating disorders. Teens often feel very self-conscious and may be feeling peer pressure or being bullied for how they look. 

Mental Health Symptoms That You Shouldn’t Ignore 

Now that you know the common mental health disorders teenagers can develop, how do you know when they need help? Therapy is a great option for teens facing any type of mental health problem, but you have to first acknowledge that there is an issue. This can be especially difficult for parents since teenagers are notorious for keeping things to themselves. 

But there are a few signs you can look out for that could indicate that your teen would benefit from speaking to a mental health professional: 

• Sudden or unusual changes in behavior or mood. 

• Significant weight loss or weight gain in a short amount of time. 

• Excessive fatigue and sleep changes. 

• Withdrawing from friends and family to self-isolate. 

• Academic issues that come on suddenly or become more significant in a short amount of time. 

• Signs of drug, alcohol, or substance use. 

• Signs of self-harm or suicidal thoughts. 

• Losing interest in activities they normally enjoy. 

Supporting Your Teenager  

If you believe your teen needs mental health help, you need to take action. Most teenagers will not ask for help themselves as they may feel embarrassed, ashamed, or as though they will be judged. 

Here are a few steps you can take to support your teen and create a safe discussion around mental health. 

Encourage Communication 

The first step to help your teenager is to encourage open communication about how they are feeling. Start a conversation with them, allowing them to open up and elaborate on what they have been going through if they feel comfortable to do so. Sometimes just starting the conversation is enough to let your child know that you won’t judge them and are simply there to help. 

If you find that your teenager is quite reserved and still doesn’t want to open up to you, try talking about your own mental health struggles. This can help to remove some of the fear they may feel, helping them to understand that mental health is something everybody experiences. 

Enable Healthy Boundaries 

Teenagers desperately need boundaries in all areas of their lives as they are developing and becoming more independent. As a parent, you need to allow them to have healthy boundaries with everyone in their lives, including you. 

Having boundaries can help them create more balance in their lives by limiting distractions, bad influences, and stressors. 

Provide Access to Therapy 

The most important thing you should do if your child is experiencing mental health issues is to provide access to therapy. Most teens would benefit from therapy, as this is already a very confusing stage of life. Even if they aren’t showing any signs of having mental health issues, this is a great preventative measure to take. 

Unfortunately, many teenagers are not able to get the therapy they need simply because they don’t have access to it. As the parent, it is your responsibility to care for their mental health, just as you are caring for their physical health. 

There are many mental health program options available, including adolescent mental health programs and telehealth options that provide flexibility and teen-specific treatment. 

At Harmony Bay, we believe it’s never too late to begin your healing journey, so reach out to us today to get started!