Navigating the teenage years can be a rollercoaster for both teens and their parents. As adolescents explore new interests and social circles, they may begin to exhibit new behaviors. One day they may be excited and on top of the world. The next day—moody, defiant, and slamming doors.
While some fluctuations in mood and behavior are typical during this developmental stage, certain signs may indicate something deeper is going on. Recognizing when your teen’s behavior shifts from the norm to something more serious is important, as these changes could signal underlying mental health issues that need support and intervention.
What You’ll Learn
- What’s normal vs. abnormal teen behavior?
- How can I help my teenager?
- When should I get treatment professionals involved?
- What are signs of mental health issues in teens?
Quick Read
In this article, we discuss the challenges parents face in recognizing and addressing mental health issues in their teenagers. It’s important for parents to understand the difference between typical adolescent behavior and concerning signs that may indicate a mental health problem, such as persistent anger, withdrawal, or drastic mood changes. Parents are encouraged to actively listen, stay calm, and collaborate with their teens on a path to recovery, while also knowing when to seek professional help.
Signs that a teen may need serious intervention include threats of violence, suicidal thoughts, extreme irritability, and isolation. The article emphasizes the importance of consulting treatment professionals if these behaviors persist, as they can assess underlying issues and create a tailored treatment plan. Support from parents is crucial in helping teens navigate their mental health challenges and find effective coping strategies.
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What’s Normal vs. Abnormal Teen Behavior?
How do you know what’s normal behavior for a teen and what isn’t? Maybe your teen is experiencing some changes in behavior, attitude, or demeanor that are concerning to you. They don’t have their usual spark. Or maybe they seem to be exploding, obsessing, or devolving into tears and tantrums more than usual. Is this “just a phase,” or is there something under the surface that needs to be addressed?
You may be worried about your teen if they:
- Seem angry all the time
- Are depressed and withdrawn
- Won’t get out of bed
- Refuse to go to school
- Suffer from panic attacks
- Begin avoiding certain people or places
- Act extremely sad or hopeless
- Become extremely worried and/or anxious
- Take part in negative self-talk
For experiences that last a day or two—or seem to be related to a specific circumstance, such as a problem with friends, a breakup, or a disappointment at home or school—you may not have much cause to worry.
But if your teen seems to be behaving this way more frequently or for a prolonged period of time (especially two weeks or more), it’s worth taking a deeper look into what might be affecting them.
How Can I Help My Teenager?
How do you get a teenager to talk about their feelings? How do you connect with a teenager when it feels like they’re shutting down—and shutting you out? If you’re worried about your teen’s disposition or behavior, here are some ways you can help:
Practice active listening.
Teens aren’t always forthcoming about their emotions. They need to know that you’re listening before they feel safe sharing. Research indicates that the way parents begin discussions with their teens can significantly influence the outcome. For example, using “I-language” instead of “you-language” can help reduce defensiveness and hostility. Try saying “I feel upset when this happens” rather than “You always make me upset.”
Active listening involves being present, attentive, and fully engaged in the conversation. It may help to be physically next to your teen, not opposite of them, to minimize feelings of confrontation. For example, open the conversation while fishing, gardening, riding in the car, or taking a nature walk. Here are some additional tips for active listening.
Stay calm.
The more you’re worried about your teen, the more you may get upset or be reactive about their behavior and its repercussions. However, your hypersensitivity may not be helpful; you may inadvertently cause situations to escalate.
Your teen may resort to personal attacks, but you must not take the bait. Your job is to understand the big picture and find resources that can help. The more anxious you are, the more anxious your teenager might become. You can be concerned while still being confident in a solution, and your confidence may be contagious.
Encourage, don’t enable.
You can support your teen without ignoring their behavior or shielding them from the consequences. Lying and covering up for their poor choices will not help them get better.
Instead, encourage your teen by reinforcing that you are on their team and want them to live a healthy, happy life in adulthood. That means you’re not going to disengage. You’re not going to ignore the problems in their life. You’re going to get help and empower them to heal and thrive.
Collaborate on a path forward.
If your teen is willing, work with them to create a plan for their mental health and recovery. Ask what they need. Be present. Maybe your teen is spiraling because they are overwhelmed, and they just need a helping hand. Or, you may find it’s necessary to talk to your teen about treatment and how a residential or outpatient program can provide support beyond your capability.
You don’t have to hover over your teenager to stay involved in their life. You can support their autonomy by having them take responsibility for their choices, rewarding their responsibility with privileges, and taking them aside if they need coaching, correction, or encouragement.
When to Get Treatment Professionals Involved
If your teen is expressing changes in mood, appetite, sleep patterns, and behavior that are prolonged, frequent, or extreme, there’s no harm in connecting with a treatment professional to find ways to support your teen. In fact, it’s far better to start the conversation with a therapist and try to get your teen involved than to ignore the signs and have the situation escalate into a crisis.
Signs of Mental Health Issues in Teens
Here are some signs that your teen may need a more serious intervention:
- Threats of violence against you, themselves, or others
- Talk or plans of suicide
- An inability to do chores, schoolwork, work, or maintain relationships
- Extreme irritability or fits of rage
- Manic behavior and/or rapid speech
- Excessive sadness that doesn’t change with circumstances
- Isolation and cutting off relationships
- Fatigue, insomnia, or severe sleep problems
- Substance use
- An increase in risk-taking behaviors
If your teen is exhibiting these behaviors, get in touch with their primary care doctor and treatment professionals. Testing and assessments can help determine if mental health symptoms are being caused by medication or a medical condition.
A range of factors influence the development of mental health conditions, such as genetics, physiology, background, family history, personality, experiences, and more. The physical and hormonal changes that adolescents go through can also mask or complicate potential mental health issues.
Treatment professionals can look at all these factors, consider your teen’s symptoms, and create a treatment approach and path forward that can help your teen heal and thrive again. Your support can be critical in the process of helping your teen recover from conditions or medications can cause mental health symptoms. But if there’s no physical cause for their symptoms, they may benefit from talking with a therapist.
READ: How to Talk to Your Teen About Starting Treatment
Mental Health Treatment for Adolescents
If your teenager is dealing with life-disrupting mental health symptoms, our treatment professionals are ready to help. At Newport Academy, we provide a safe haven for teenagers ages 12–18 to heal from mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, OCD, and co-occurring substance use. Our expert team utilizes research-backed treatment approaches that meet their individual needs and equips them with positive coping skills to carry with them after treatment.
Our multidisciplinary team work to address the root causes of what your teen is dealing with so that they have the best chance of staying healthy in the long term. If you’re worried about your teen’s frequent mood swings, isolation, or extreme behavior, get in touch with us today to learn more about our program.
