The teenage years can be a turbulent time for many of us. All those hormones can affect the way we think, plus some of us end up facing challenges like bullying, academic struggles, family issues or peer pressure from toxic friend groups.
If you’re a parent with a teenager, it’s important to check in on your child to make sure that they are not developing mental health problems. Such mental health issues come in many different forms. Below are 4 of the most common mental health conditions experienced by teenagers.
Depression
Depression is an intense feeling of sadness and hopelessness. It’s possible that your teen may have depression if they have started losing interest in passions and hobbies or are socially isolating themselves. If they seem constantly irritable, exhausted and unhappy, it may also be a sign that they are depressed.
If you think your teen is depressed, try to be there for them by encouraging communication (without being pushy) and by trying to create a calm and supportive home environment. If your child is self-harming or expressing suicidal thoughts, don’t be afraid to get a doctor or therapist involved. While it can be very worrying as a parent, it’s important to remember that depression can be overcome with the right support.
Anxiety disorder
Does your teen have an intense fear of things that shouldn’t be scary? They could have anxiety disorder. This can come in many forms from generalized anxiety to social anxiety to OCD. Excessive worries, insomnia, refusal to go to school and panic attacks could all be signs of anxiety disorder.
To help them overcome this disorder, try to listen to and understand their fears. Try to teach them coping mechanisms if you can before things get too serious such as breathing exercises or rituals to help them feel prepared (if they have the start of OCD, you may want to work at trying to break down these rituals). Therapy may be necessary for more severe anxiety.
Eating disorders
A lot of teens develop eating disorders such as binge eating, anorexia or bulimia. An unhealthy relationship with food may stem from poor self esteem and anxiety, or it could be a form of self-comfort. Pay attention to what your child is eating and take note of any extreme weight changes.
Looking into eating disorder treatment is recommended if you think your teen has a disorder. Eating disorders can be complex and it may require a therapist to try to get to the root of the problem and find the best treatment strategy.
Substance abuse
A lot of kids start to experiment with alcohol and drugs in their teenage years. You may not always know that they are drinking or taking drugs, but once you do start noting that they are regularly getting drunk or high, it could be time to show concern.
Tackling substance abuse before it becomes an addiction can help to prevent other knock-on problems such as crime, injuries or risk of overdose. Try to restrict exposure to substances and know when to consider therapy or rehab. This guide offers more tips for helping a teen with substance abuse problems.
