When your teenager is diagnosed with a mental health condition, it can be upsetting and distressing for the whole family. While you may feel helpless seeing them go through it, there are things you can do to help your teen manage and recover from their condition. Here are some tips to help you decide what to do.
- Depression
Many teenagers go through periods of feeling down, often caused by the hormonal changes their body produces. However, if they have lost interest in their favorite activities, are struggling at school, or have other symptoms such as disturbed sleep, they may be suffering from clinical depression. They certainly won’t be the only ones out of their friends as around 20% of teenagers suffer from depression, and it can have many causes.
The best thing that a teenager’s loved ones can do is get them professional help, whether it’s encouraging them to see a school counselor, doctor or other specialists. They may prescribe anti-depressants or suggest talking therapies, and while they’re going through this, try to spend time with them and engage them in conversation whenever you can.
- Anxiety
Anxiety is another condition that’s becoming increasingly common in today’s teenagers. Whether it’s general anxiety, social anxiety, or certain situations that trigger these emotions, it’s important not to be dismissive of them and to try and gently encourage your teenager to deal with things that are making them anxious. Helping them set goals can help them learn to deal with anxious feelings.
If their anxiety is becoming more severe and affecting their quality of life, it may be time to look at options for treatment. Ignite Teen Treatment offer residential treatment for conditions such as anxiety, which means your teenager can get intensive treatment and learn coping techniques for everyday life.
- Eating Disorders
There is a lot of pressure on young people to look a certain way, which has led to a rise in eating disorders in teenagers. If you suspect your child has an eating disorder, you should:
- Talk to your child, even if they are angry or defensive. You need to talk to them to discover whether they potentially have a problem
- Find them professional help: seeing a doctor is the first step, and there are also a number of charities and organizations who can help you find treatment
- Learn about their condition: speak to the experts about ways to cope with mealtime and support your child during tough times
- Help them get involved in activities that can boost their self-esteem and distract them from dark thoughts
Eating disorders can be difficult to treat, but the good news is, early intervention leads to the best outcomes, and with professional help, teenagers can overcome anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder.
It is scary to think of your child going through a mental health crisis, so it’s important to get help for them as soon as you can and speak to them in an open, honest way, so you can support them as much as possible.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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