Being a teen is hard enough. If you add mental health struggles to that, makes life for some unbearable. In this world of social media, peer pressures can be amplified. Anxiety and Depression are the most common issues dealt with.
Depression and Anxiety should not be taken lightly. Teen suicides have increased dramatically since 2019.
What can you do to help?
*Be watchful of behavioral changes in your teen. Are they isolating themselves more? Have they lost interest in things that used to bring them joy? Is your teen sleeping more or have a change in their eating habits?
*Listen without judgement. So often, people will keep the signs of Anxiety and Depression hidden for fear of being judged. The feeling of shame is strong among those that suffer because of the stigma attached.
*Talk to your teen. Be willing to start the conversation. We, as parents, don’t always know what to do, so we hope they will “grow out of it”, or that it’s “just a phase” they are going through. Because your teen is keeping things to themselves, you will often need to make the first move to start the conversation about what they are struggling with.
*Reach out. Seek help in dealing with your teen’s struggles. If you don’t know where to start, often your family doctor can help steer you in the right direction for resources in your area.
*Educate yourself. Being aware of the issues and their symptoms can be a huge help. There are many helpful websites for this. This is a good place to start: https://988lifeline.org/
The Suicide Prevention Hotline Phone # is 988.
You don’t need to be experiencing a crisis to contact a crisis hotline. At most of these hotlines, the volunteers and counselors who answer calls, texts and chat messages are trained to help someone in crisis. But you can also reach out if you’re feeling sad, anxious or stressed and don’t know where to turn.
These hotlines also serve friends, family members and loved ones of someone who is experiencing a mental health crisis, domestic violence, abuse, addiction and many other issues.
Even if someone at a crisis hotline cannot help you with your specific needs, they can point you to the right resources that can. No one will ever make you feel bad for trying to get help, and no concern is too trivial or small. If it feels hard for you to manage, it’s worth reaching out.
For more information and other helpful resources and articles, please visit my Mental Health Help Page HERE.
Copyright (C) 2023 Penny Wilson
Penny Wilson Writes 
Thank you, once again, for shining the light and for providing information. I am grateful.
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Thank you, as always, for your kindness and support, Audrey. ❤
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Hi Penny, thanks for sharing. I am currently traveling the journey to what now will be an Unashamed & Burden Free Heart. The junk from our younger self we carry with us thru adulthood is a heavy burden. The Holy Spirit is setting me free! hugs
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Bless you, Joni. Yes, our younger selves can cause us to feel burdened. I know that it’s harder to forgive and shrug off the shame for ourselves than for others. I’m so glad that you are feeling better! Big hugs! ❤ ❤ ❤
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Thank you for sharing this informative and important post today, Penny. When I was a very troubled teenager, there was no awareness of teens’ mental health issues. Everything was swept under the carpet (in my house, at least). Needless to say, I still have mental health issues even now, although I’m an awful lot better than I was a couple of months ago. I’m very grateful for that, too.
This post is very timely for me, as only yesterday, my daughter phoned me and told me that my nearly seventeen-year-old granddaughter, who has been struggling with her mental health for some time now, has been diagnosed with something called Purely Obsessional OCD. I’d never heard of that before; neither had my daughter. I spent a couple of hours researching and reading more about it online. We think she’s had it for quite a while, but we just didn’t have a ‘label’ for it. She’s now waiting for some therapy of some sort, but of course, there is a long, long wait for anything like this. My daughter and son-in-law don’t have the money to go privately, and I only wish I could help them financially, but I can’t. All I can do is be here for my daughter when she needs to talk. My granddaughter doesn’t want to talk to anyone other than her mum, although she is open to the idea of therapy. We just have to sit and wait now. X 💓
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I’m so sorry about your granddaughter, Ellie. It may not feel like much, but you ‘being there’ and being accepting and open to communication Does help. She is blessed to have you. One avenue you might check out, is local churches or activity centers (here it would be the YMCA) that might possibly offer support groups. Support groups can be very effective, making one feel less alone. Hang in there, Ellie. Sending hugs! ❤ ❤ ❤
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Thanks so much for your kind and helpful words, Penny. A support group would be good, but she’s snowed under with her music college work and drumming, which takes her a couple of hours every day. She studying drumming at sixth grade level at the moment, which means an awful lot of practice. I just hope something suitable comes up within the mental health system before too long. Sending hugs to you, also Xx 💓🌹💕
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🙂
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I wish I had this support when I was a teen.
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I wish you did too, Mike. There are so many that need it. Thanks for visiting. ❤ ❤
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