Teen Mental Health: Signs Your Teen May Need Therapy

Key takeaways

• Four Signs Your Teen May Need Therapy

Four Signs Your Teen May Need Therapy

From hormones and puberty to surviving high school, teenage years can be hard for everyone. While mood swings and the occasional fight with your teen can often be attributed to these general growing pains, there are some cases where there may be more at play than the typical teen experience. But is therapy right for your teen? Read on as we discuss some of the benefits of talking to a professional for your teen.

Mood Swings Has your teen become more irritable or quicker to anger in a way that is impacting their life or are they experiencing ongoing, uncontrollable worry? Almost every teen parent has experienced teenage mood swings , but when those swings are happening in excess, it may be time to seek help.

Struggling in School High school and middle school can be challenging for everyone, but if you’re seeing a sudden change in your teen’s school performance or if they’re under significantly more stress than usual, there could be mental health issues at play.

What to Do Next? If your teen is experiencing any of these symptoms, talk with them. If they don’t seem like they’re able to manage the feelings on their own, that’s okay. Know that these things may not get better on their own, but there is help available. Ask your teen if they think talking to someone will help — even knowing that therapy is an option can make a world of difference.

Practical next steps

For many people, teen mental health therapy is easier to address when the next step is small and specific. Start by naming what has changed, noticing what helps even a little, and choosing one supportive action you can repeat this week.

Helpful steps may include writing down symptoms or patterns, talking with a trusted person, adjusting sleep or daily routines, reducing avoidable stressors, and scheduling therapy when concerns keep returning or start interfering with daily life.

When to reach out

If symptoms are affecting relationships, work, school, sleep, or daily routines, professional support can help you sort through what is happening and choose a realistic next step.

MHCS provides therapy and mental health support for individuals, couples, families, teens, and adults.