How Do I Know If My Teen Needs Counselling?
Do you remember your teen years? You know, that time when you were trying to learn who you were despite all the confusion? Well, it is no secret that the teen years are some of the most difficult years of our lives. Many teens struggle with their mental health for so many reasons. Some struggle with self-esteem, while others struggle with severe depression or anxiety. As parents, the best thing we can do is be attentive and empathetic. We want to understand what our teen is going through so that we can help them overcome their issues. In this article, you’ll learn why the teen years are so challenging and the 3 signs that your teen may need some counselling.
Challenges of the Teen Years
As teens, we are exposed to new thoughts, environments, and social situations every day that we have not been exposed to in our younger years. During this time, we create new meaningful relationships with others and with ourselves. As we start to question the world around us, we question who we are and what we want to do. We go through all this while going to school every day, engaging in hobbies, and maintaining meaningful relationships with our family and friends. There is no doubt that at times, this can be extremely difficult.
There is a lot of pressure that comes with being a teenager. When we are teenagers, we are in similar environments as when we were kids. Every day we wake up, go to school, do extracurricular activities, and then go home and spend time with family. But at the same time, little sneak peeks of our adult years emerge. We begin to form romantic relationships with others and oftentimes go through feelings of heartbreak, anxiety, and depression. Later in high school, we start to think about university and what we want to do with our lives, which can be a major cause for anxiety and confusion. On top of all that, we are going through puberty and our bodies are changing every day! At this point, many teens start to feel self-conscious and insecure, causing self-esteem issues. It is hard to deal with so many things at once.
3 Signs your Teen may need Counselling
1. Your teen is isolating themselves
One of the most common signs that your teen may need some counselling is they are isolating themselves. Maybe they are not going out with friends as much as they used to. Maybe as soon as they come home, they go straight to their room and don’t come out. Another sign is that they don’t express any interest in extracurricular activities. These are signals that your teen may be struggling with something mentally. Although it is totally normal to want to be alone when dealing with something, doing so to an excessive degree is definitely concerning. Self-isolation is a symptom of various mental conditions such as depression and anxiety.
2. Disruption to numerous areas of life
When someone is struggling with their mental health, it is common to see consequences in other areas of life too. Let’s consider this example. Timmy has been bullied throughout middle school and now has low self-esteem and social anxiety. Over time, Timmy stops participating in class because he doesn’t want to draw attention to himself. His social anxiety is so bad that some days he can’t bring himself to go to school because he is so anxious. Because of this, his grades are dropping and he is no longer a straight-A student. He also doesn’t go to school parties like he used to, because he gets anxious around large crowds. As you can see, Timmy’s anxiety has impacted his school and social lives. If you notice that multiple areas of your teen’s life are changing for the worse, they might be struggling with their mental health and it could be time for some counselling.
3. Changes in Sleep and Appetite
Our mental health not only impacts the way we think and behave, but also our biological functions. Think about a time in your life when you were feeling very strong negative emotions. Maybe a close relative passed away, or maybe you were going through a breakup. Did you notice any changes in your sleep or appetite? Perhaps your appetite significantly increased or decreased? Perhaps you had a hard time falling asleep? Maybe you were sleeping too much or taking multiple naps during the day? When I was a teen and I struggled with severe OCD and anxiety, it was nearly impossible for me to eat because my body had suppressed my appetite. When we are not doing so well mentally, it is bound to affect our physical health because there is a strong link between mental and physical health. If you are noticing big changes in your teen’s appetite or sleep schedule, this could be a major sign that something is wrong.
Teen counselling can be an excellent way for your teen to get help. It provides your teen with a judgement-free environment where they can express their thoughts to a licensed professional. A licensed therapist can help your teen use healthy coping strategies that will allow your teen to live a better life.
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Edited by Dr. Silvina Galperin, C. Psych.
