Anyone who has a teen in their life knows that some teen moodiness and irritability is unavoidable. With so many physical, psychological, and hormonal changes underway, not to mention adolescent stress, teens tend to be easily irritated. Or they can be happy and excited in the morning, and just hours later, full of sadness and ennui—a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction.
For most teenagers, irritability and mood swings are part of the normal ups and downs of growing up. But for others, it can point to underlying mental health issues that require attention. Read on to learn why teens are so moody, and how to tell the difference between moodiness and a mental health concern.
Key Takeaways
- Increased brain development and the surge in sex hormones are two of the common reasons teens experience moodiness.
- If severe moodiness and irritability last more than a couple of weeks and interfere with multiple areas of a teen’s life, a mental health issue could be the reason.
- Depressed teenage boys are more likely to show symptoms of irritability, frustration, and aggression than depressed teenage girls.
- Parents should focus on opening up communication with grumpy teenagers and helping them find healthy coping skills.
Causes of Teenage Mood Swings
A simple explanation for teenage moodiness and irritability is that adolescence is a time to test limits and seek independence, causing understandable rifts between parents and teens. However, other reasons for teen mood swings include
Hormonal Shifts
Puberty and the surge in sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone play a large role in mood swings, as well. Responsible for more than teenagers’ physical development, they figure strongly in emotional regulation.
In fact, according to one study, a hormone that typically produces a calming effect in adults triggers the opposite in teens. Researchers found that the hormone THP (or allopregnanolone), which is released during times of stress, amplifies anxiety during puberty.
Changes in the Brain
The substantial brain growth adolescents experience is another source of teen mood swings and irritability. Brain development begins in the back of the brain (in the limbic system, or emotional center) and moves slowly forward to the front of the brain, the location of the prefrontal cortex (the reasoning center of the brain).
Teens have difficulty regulating emotions like frustration and anger. That’s because important links between the prefrontal cortex and limbic system are incomplete. Interestingly, the amygdala, which functions as the threat center of the human brain, is larger in boys than in girls. This may help explain why boys can become volatile quickly.
Typical Irritability vs. Mental Health Issues
Parents of moody teenagers often wonder if their teen’s emotions can be chalked up to adolescent irritability, or if they signal a possible mental health issue. Scope, severity, and duration are the measuring sticks. If a specific issue is causing bad pre-teen and teenage moods, if the moodiness doesn’t interfere with daily functioning, and if it only lasts a couple of days, it’s likely typical irritability.
But if a teen’s irritability, moodiness, and unpredictable behavior last for two weeks or longer and interfere with their ability to function in daily life, mental health problems may be the culprit. Moody adolescents may be suffering from teen depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, autism, or Tourette’s syndrome.
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Don’t Wait to Seek Help for a Moody Teenager
It’s important not to dismiss tween or teen mood swings, especially when they’re significant. One study found that 12-year-olds who demonstrated elevated irritability were at increased risk of depression, anxiety, disruptive behavior disorder, impaired interpersonal functioning, and suicidal ideation at age 18.
Teens with mental health issues often have other symptoms in addition to irritability and mood swings. These include:
- Fatigue
- Sleep disturbances
- Weight changes
- Hygiene issues
- Difficulty concentrating
- Withdrawing from family and friends
- Diminished interest in activities they once enjoyed
- Physical aches and pains
- Talking about suicide
What’s Going on with Teen Boys?
Teen moodiness and irritability can be more intense in teenage boys. That’s because boys are conditioned to hide sadness and fear. Believing they’ll be ridiculed for appearing vulnerable, they often resort to anger because it’s more socially acceptable. Yelling, getting into a fight, driving fast—even self-harm—feel safer than expressing embarrassment, loneliness, sadness, or grief. Consequently, their explosive outbursts and mood swings can damage relationships.
Furthermore, it’s easier to overlook depression in teenage boys because they’re less likely to show it outwardly. While girls are more apt to express sadness, depressed boys tend to have symptoms like frustration and aggression. Or they may become more argumentative and impulsive, and engage in risk-taking behaviors, such as substance use or driving under the influence.
One study of 191 adolescents compared depressed symptoms in teenage boys and girls. Researchers noted that depressed girls more often felt sadness, self-blame, guilt, and worthlessness. Depressed boys, on the other hand, more often experienced irritability, disturbed sleep, fatigue, a loss of pleasure in everyday activities, and suicidal thoughts.
Tips for Parents of Moody Teens
Here’s how to support your grumpy teenager.
Set Clear Boundaries
If your teen is in middle of an irritable episode or extreme mood swing and is verbally abusing or physically attacking you, that’s not acceptable. Tell them so, remove yourself from the situation, and allow your teen to cool down. Don’t scream at them or shame them—that’ll only make things worse.
Let Them Vent
If a teen is irritable about something else (not you), try these tactics:
- Allow your teen to express their frustration
- Calmly listen
- Don’t interrupt with solutions
- Let them know that it’s normal to feel emotional ups and downs during the teenage years
- Tell them you care, empathize, and want to help in any way you can
Try to Get to the Root of the Issue
If your teen isn’t in the middle of an emotional outburst, try to find out how they’ve been feeling deeper down. Remember to:
- Speak calmly
- Don’t use sarcasm, ridicule, or threats
- Listen carefully and patiently
- Don’t assume you have all the answers
- Affirm the validity of their feelings
- Remind them you’re in their corner
Help Them Find Healthy Coping Strategies
Without demanding a particular outcome, see if you can work together to come up with coping strategies, like healthy sleep habits, good nutrition, deep breathing, meditation, listening to music, spending time with a close friend, and physical activity.
If your teen’s moodiness and irritability persist or increase, consult a mental health professional. Your moody teen may need a level of support beyond what you’re able to provide.
Teen Mental Health Treatment at Newport Academy
At Newport Academy, we’re well-equipped to work with moody teens struggling with mental health issues. We understand the tenderness and vulnerability of the teenage years. Additionally, we understand teenage brain development, the range of mental health issues from which adolescents can suffer, and the best ways to address them.
Our team of psychiatrists, therapists, and counselors helps teens manage irritability and anger by uncovering the root cause of their feelings. Newport’s clinical model teaches healthy coping skills, strengthens emotional regulation, and helps to heal childhood trauma.
Each Teen’s Schedule Treatment Schedule
Our expert clinical teams create specialized treatment plans tailored to meet each teen’s individual needs. Each teen’s schedule may include:
- Psychiatric care and medication management
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy using CBT, DBT, and other evidence-based modalities
- EMDR
- Attachment-Based Family Therapy to help teens and parents work through conflict and repair ruptures caused by teens’ angry or unpredictable behavior
- Experiential modalities like Adventure Therapy and Mixed Martial Arts help teens diffuse their aggression in safe and healthy ways
- Academic teaching and tutoring using an accredited curriculum
- Life skills training to build executive functioning and emotional regulation
Contact us today to start making a positive difference in your teen’s mental health and your family’s well-being.
Frequently Asked Questions
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