Supporting teen mental health - A parents guide

Being a parent comes with a whole host of challenges, and it can be hard to hear that your teen may be struggling with their mental health. Perhaps they’re experiencing exam stress or dealing with a condition. No matter the issue, you may even find you need support yourself.

We have lots of practical advice on how to support teen mental health as a parent, as well as ways you can seek support and access to resources.

What’s affecting teen and youth mental health?

There are many things that can affect teen and youth mental health. After all, these life stages are critical in shaping adult life.

One of many factors are the immediate environment a young person has grown up in. A young person experiencing various other negative things such as bullying (including cyberbullying), exposure to violence or a difficult life at home can all contribute to developing unhealthy coping mechanisms and overall poor mental health.

There are also outside factors such as climate change anxiety and the state of global conflict that may harbour anxieties as a young person starts to learn more about the world. You may also observe a young person experience other pressures such as:

• ‘Figuring out’ oneself

• Achieving good grades in school

• Needing to excel in an area of interest such as sport

• Discrimination based on (but not limited to): Sex, Gender, Race, Weight

• Living in poverty

Common teenage mental health issues

While mental health issues vary from one young person to the next, it’s worth knowing what the common conditions are so you can look for the signs. In 2023, it was recorded that 1 in 5 children and young people aged 8 to 25 years had a probable mental disorder. And globally - 1 in 7 10-19-year-olds experience a mental disorder.

Here are just some of the common teenage mental health issues young people face:

Depression

This is observed through persistent low mood, irritability and a loss of interest in activities. This has the potential to lead to other mood disorders such as anxiety

Anxiety disorders

These display as intense worries that are hard to control, which can affect a young person’s ability to follow through or even start activities

ADHD (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder)

Although symptoms present themselves differently from person to person, the most common symptoms are poor focus, impulsivity and engaging in risky behaviours

ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)

As the name suggests, there is a spectrum of symptoms a young person may experience such as difficulty engaging in social interaction, and repetitive behaviours or interests 

Eating disorders

A young person may obsess over their image or feel the need to control their food intake, which can lead to eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder.

What are the signs a teen is struggling with their mental health?

How mental health issues present themselves in teenagers can vary, especially if they already have a pre-existing condition. Some of the signs are more subtle than others. Here are just some of the things you may observe that are a sign of poor mental health in a young person:

• Sleeping more or less

• Losing interest in activities they’d usually enjoy

• Struggling academically

• Refusing to talk about what’s bothering them

• Signs of self-harm such as cuts and bruises – particularly if they’re trying to hide them

• Outbursts

• Self-isolation

• Poor appetite

• Substance use

• Persistent sadness or low mood

How to help your teen struggling with mental health issues

1. Create a safe space for them

Whether you’re trying to help a young person or a fully grown adult, creating a safe space is paramount in ensuring they can open up about their thoughts and feelings.

You don’t have to sit them down for a chat – as ultimately, this can feel quite pressuring for a teen. Look for small ways you can create a safe space, such as engaging in small talk about how their day is going, or asking if they could support you on a task around the house.

If you do notice your teen open up – even in small ways – use acknowledging and mirroring statements like “that sounds really difficult” or “I can see why you’re feeling the way you do”, and affirm that you’re always there for them no matter what.

2. Take care of your own mental health

To adequately care for another, you need to care for yours too. Make time in your day, even if it’s in small ways, to engage in relaxing self-care activities. It can be as simple as engaging in a relaxing hobby, opening up to a friend and maintaining routines that make you feel good.

3. Work with your teen, not against them

To help work through conflicts together, you need to ensure you’re approaching matters as calmly as possible. It’s best not to approach difficult situations when your emotions are already heightened. Kindly excuse yourself from difficult situations for a couple of minutes to calm down if you need to.

If it’s evident that your teen is struggling to resolve their issues or look after their mental health, the key is to reinforce that their feelings are completely normal, and to not force a solution on them. Instead, discuss various ways you can offer to help by asking what they need from you. You could even offer to build a plan together and encourage them to give some solutions a try to see what works for them.

4. Empower them to seek support

There may be times where you feel the help they require is beyond what you can offer. This is nothing to be ashamed off. After all, if they have a mental health condition, it’s actually best they work with a professional to deal with their issues.

Suggest to your teen that you can work together in finding the right support to help them with their problems. You can look at therapists together, online resources or even local support groups. Be sure to remind them of immediate support helplines – particularly if they’ve shared they’re having intrusive thoughts surrounding suicide.

5. Seek support from your teen’s school

It may help to keep your teen’s school abreast of the struggles they may be facing. This can ensure they have someone from their school your teen can speak to (such as a school counsellor), or a teacher they feel more comfortable speaking to.

How an Employee Assistance Programme can help

Helping your teen with their mental health struggles can be incredibly challenging as a parent or guardian. Your Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) can help by providing you with access to a counsellor and even crisis support. They can help you build the necessary tools to help with your own mental health, as well as provide solution-focused therapy that can allow you to effectively communicate with your teen.

Did you know your immediate family can receive our EAP counselling support too? If your child is aged between 16-24 and in full time education and living at the same address, they can seek the same benefits you can – which is great if they need 1-on-1 confidential support.

Conclusion

It can be incredibly distressing watching your child struggle with their mental health. With the right approach, patience and time, you can help them open up and guide them in getting the support your need. Naturally, the process may take a toll on your own mental health, so it’s vital you receive the help you need too, as healthy coping strategies can even help your teen gain those benefits too, as well as normalise their feelings.

Additional resources

Mind has a comprehensive resource list that can help teens and young people with a variety of mental health conditions, as well as immediate support. They’re segmented by the type of support that may be required, such as:

• General support

• Difficult feelings

• Support for different identities and communities

• Grief, trauma and abuse

• Legal rights

Besides our own solution-focused mental health services, you can visit the link below to help you and your teen with any mental health issues they may be having.

[Child and adolescent mental health services)(CAMHS)