Parenting a teenager is fraught with myriad challenges and confusion. One word commonly used for teens is moody. But how does a parent know when it’s a “normal” mood swing or something far more severe? After all, at least 20 percent of all teenagers will suffer from depression, but many more cases go unrecognized and undiagnosed. 

As a parent, you can play an essential role in supporting your teen during this time period. A powerful step in that direction is to learn more about depression and its symptoms. From there, you are better situated to help your child recover and thrive again.

Common Signs of Depression in Teenagers

One of the first things to do is recognize that sudden changes could be a red flag. Sure, teens can be fickle, but we’re talking about drastic swings when it comes to:

• Sleeping or eating patterns
• Losing interest in activities that once excited them
• Academic and/or behavior issues at school
• Angry and aggressive outbursts
• Engaging in high-risk behaviors like unsafe sex, reckless driving, etc.

Other possible signs include:

• Persistent negativity:  The key is “persistent.” These aren’t casual mood swings. Your teen may be prone to crying, express a sense of hopelessness about their life or the world in general, and display low self-esteem.
• Phone addiction: They disappear into the online world to escape their emotions.
• Substance abuse: It’s a form of self-medication.
• Running away: They are metaphorically hoping to leave their pain behind.

How To Help Your Teen Deal With Depression

Communicate

Start conversations in non-confrontation ways. For example, you could say: “I’ve noticed that you’re sleeping less (or eating less or not spending time with your friends).” Make it clear that you care and that you will listen without judging. Give them your full attention, and stay aware of your body language as you listen.

Make This a Family Solution

If, for example, you see your teen not being as physically active, invite them to take a walk or hike as a family. Do things outdoors in the sun. Set up device-free times to be a family together. Create a family bedtime to encourage healthy sleep patterns.

Give Them Space When They Really Need It

Everyone—teenagers included—needs solo time and downtime. So, work hard to strike a healthy balance of both encouraging them and cutting them some slack. Also, depression can make it hard for them to focus and concentrate. Offer homework help and maybe give them a break for the occasional lapse.

Don’t Take It Personally

Teenagers will snap at their parents. Depressed teenagers will snap too, but they may behave in a way that can hurt their parents. They don’t mean it. They are struggling with a diagnosable mental health disorder. As hard as it sounds, do not take it personally. It’s not a personal attack, and it’s not a statement on your parenting skills.

Now, to be clear, you also don’t want to give them carte blanche to treat you or anyone in an abusive way. Even so, take a few breaths before sliding right into punishment mode. See if there’s a way to work this out together and turn it into a bonding moment.

Help Them Get the Support They Need

At the end of the day, no matter how much you want to help, you will need outside support. Depression is a disease, and it requires professional intervention. You can use this reality as an opportunity to guide them through the options. Do the research with them and, if warranted, go with them to appointments. Remember, if you think your teen might be depressed, it is imperative that you get more information from a trained therapist. Reach out to us for help with depression treatment soon.

If you are the parent of a teen, you already know how tricky it is to make suggestions. Try telling them to eat healthy meals or get enough sleep. Anything that sounds like advice can cause a conflict. Now imagine you are encouraging your teen to try counseling. This is a topic that even makes adults squirm.

The good news is that the stigma is fading. Also, more and more teens are open to therapy. Modern life has changed so quickly — not to mention the events of the pandemic. This had led some young adults to recognize the importance of asking for help.

7 Ways You Can Encourage Your Teen To Try Counseling

1. Normalize Therapy

How open are you to attending therapy? You can model self-loving behavior by making the commitment to counseling yourself. It sounds like a cliché but it’s true. Teenagers key in on actions more than words. If therapy is a normalized topic within your family, your children are far less likely to feel any stigma.

2. Talk to Them About Myths and Misperceptions

If therapy has come up in conversation, your child has probably consulted a search engine about it. They also may pay close attention when counseling is portrayed in pop culture. This can be helpful. It also can be fraught with inaccuracies. A situation like this is an ideal situation to work together with your child. Research together to see what you can learn.

It is crucial that your teen understand that therapy takes many forms. A counselor who works with teens takes certain approaches based on that demographic. Also, they are not just another parent or authority figure.

3. Explain Why You Think Counseling is a Good Idea

Be sensitive and patient. Suggesting something like therapy requires a sincere, detailed explanation. Do your homework in advance. Be ready for a slew of questions. Most importantly, keep the focus on the fact that you want to help. Give them clear examples of what you’ve noticed and why you may feel concerned.

4. Set Up Some Free Consultation Calls

Even if your teen is interested in counseling, it’s not that simple. They need to find a good match. Setting up your child with some free consultation calls has many benefits:

• Gives the teen a sense of agency
• Offers a glimpse into what the process is like
• Gets plenty of questions answered

5. Explain Therapy Boundaries

It can be a game-changer for a teen to learn that they will have privacy with their counselor. A major obstacle to a young adult starting therapy is a fear of parental interference. They want a space where they can talk openly and freely. Let them know they will be respected during this process.

If your child wants to share with you about therapy, fine. If they prefer to keep things confidential, assure them that you will fin with that, too.

6. Try Family Therapy

There is a possibility that the issues at hand are collective. They might be best addressed as a group. In such an instance you can suggest your teen join you (and perhaps your spouse) in family therapy. The onus won’t be on one person. Also, as discussed in #1 above, you are demonstrating your willingness to participate in what you are suggesting for your children.

7. Start Slowly

Ask your teenager to commit on a week-by-week basis. Such an approach leaves things to the therapist to be the one to explain, educate, and reassure.

As mentioned above, confidential consultation calls are available. Read more about teen counseling and I’d love to connect with you — and your teen — to further discuss this process and its powerful potential.

Adolescence is a wonderful, terrifying time of life, where situations and feelings can change in an instant. Likewise, parenting is a fulfilling, amazing experience, at the same time that it is overwhelming and unpredictable. As teenagers struggle to handle the ever-increasing social and emotional pressures in life, they often act out. Parents then become overwhelmed and frustrated, wanting to help but unsure how. Therapy can provide critical support to help young people work through those issues.

Is Your Teen Struggling?

As a parent, you probably know if your teen is struggling. However, it can be really hard to know whether what your child is going through is “normal” or if they need extra help and support.

All teens go through a process of development and change that can wreak some havoc in a family. It’s their job to start figuring out who they are separate from parents. As a result, they may act out in different ways. As a parent, you may wonder if they’re going through regular growing pains, passing through a phase, or if they need additional help.

In your gut, you probably know the answer. You can see if your teen is struggling with social and emotional issues. But it’s okay if you’re not sure. Therapy for teens can help children and adolescents coping with a wide range of issues including those that are just a regular part of growing up.

Therapy Options for Teens

Teen therapy can help your child and your family get through the tough times and on to a better place. You may explore family therapy as one option. Or you may find that your teen would best benefit from their own individual therapeutic work.

One of the things teens need most at this age is a safe, non-judgmental space where they can express themselves completely and receive only respect and support. Teens simply don’t have that in most areas of their lives. They feel that they must present a certain image with peers. They have a confusing power dynamic with teachers and other authority figures.

As a parent, you may try your best to provide this for your child but the very nature of your changing relationship as they age complicates things. Their “job” as they grow is to separate from you. Yet, they still need you. This is confusing. A therapist provides that safe space for your teenager to understand and recognize this.

Growing Up is Hard. We Can Help.

Adolescents really do have a lot on their plates these days. Teen social anxiety is at an all-time high. Teens struggle to fit in with their peers. At the same time, they’re trying to figure out their own identities. They may be struggling to come to terms with issues related to education, religion, gender identity, sexuality, and more.

Teenagers over the generations have all dealt with these issues. They’re all heightened today, though, because of the internet and social media. Cyberbullying is one aspect of that. Teens feel pressure to engage in constant image management. They are faced with persistent pinging of alerts letting them know if their peers “like” them. It’s a lot to manage. It exacerbates the regular stress of growing up to a degree that no previous generation has faced.

We want to help. We can provide your teen with that safe, quiet, respectful space to learn about themselves, express their confusion, and find solutions. Contact us today to get them started.