If you’re the parent of a child or teenager, you may be worried about their mental health. After all, being a teen is difficult! So many changes are happening at once, and it’s easy for young people — and their parents — to feel overwhelmed.
You might also be unsure of whether your child is going through typical teenage rebellion and mood swings or if there’s a deeper problem. With one in seven children between the ages of 10 and 19 years experiencing a mental disorder, parents need to know what signs to look out for and how they can help their kids. This post will act as a mental health guide for parents so they can achieve this.
3 Common Signs of Mental Health Issues in Kids and Teens
The mental health spectrum is broad, and kids are affected by mental health issues differently. However, there are some warning signs to keep an eye out for.
1. Changes in Appetite
A severe change in appetite is often an indicator of deeper mental health issues, and it’s no different with young people. If you notice that your teen’s appetite has suddenly and drastically changed, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they have mental health troubles, but it is something to pay attention to. Are they eating much more than usual or restricting what they eat?
Nearly 29 million Americans suffer from an eating disorder, and changes in your teen’s eating habits could be the first red flag of a mental health issue. Changes in appetite can also indicate other mental health struggles.
2. Emotional Outbursts
Even as adults, our emotions sometimes get the best of us, and we react in unhealthy ways. Some people cry, others get angry and some people withdraw into themselves. These reactions are more severe and common in kids and teens. Children don’t always have the words to articulate their feelings, so outbursts are often their way of coping with big emotions.
Teenagers, on the other hand, are experiencing physical and emotional changes that affect their hormones, which in turn affect their mood. So, it’s natural for them to seemingly overreact to small things. However, if your child continuously has emotional outbursts that seem out of proportion, a deeper issue may be at play.
3. Other Changes in Regular Behavior
People change constantly, especially in their late childhood and early teens, when they’re still figuring out who they are. Changes in behavior are normal, and it’s not something you should automatically be concerned about.
However, you know your children best. If you find any of their behavior concerning, trust your instincts. Are they sleeping much more or less than usual? Again, this alone isn’t cause for concern — most teenagers don’t get enough sleep — but if it’s out of the norm for your child, you may want to talk to them and find out if anything is bothering them. The same goes for any other new or changed behaviors that seem strange for your kid.
How Parents Can Support Their Children’s Mental Health and Well-Being
Parents must balance giving their children room to grow and figure things out independently while offering support and guidance. If your child or teen is struggling with their mental health, it’s your responsibility to help them. Whether they come to you or you initiate the discussion, you need to know the next steps.
1. Implement Effective Communication Strategies
You can’t help your child if you don’t know their struggles, so the first step is to talk to them. Ensure a safe, distraction-free environment when approaching this conversation. Talking to teenagers and children can be difficult, and when you’re broaching a sensitive subject like mental health, you need to follow some practical communication tips:
- Don’t attack them: If your child has been acting out, it can be easy to go straight into disciplining them. Reprimanding your teen for bad behavior has its time and place, but if you think that their actions are due to something serious like mental health problems, you should approach the conversation to help them, not punish them.
- Create a judgment-free environment: Your child may use this opportunity to share some vulnerable emotions with you. In some cases, they may even reveal shocking or upsetting truths. While this may affect you, your job in this situation is to help them, so don’t let your emotions or judgments affect how you handle the situation.
- Actively listen: Avoid continuous interruptions and questions. Give them time and space to get their thoughts and feelings off their chest. You must actively listen, which means putting your assumptions aside and looking at things from their perspective.
- Be firm: While you should prioritize supporting your child, you must also remember that you are the adult in the situation, which means you may need to make some difficult decisions. Some children may resist getting professional help, but if you are worried about their health and safety and think they need to see a specialist, you must be firm in your decision.
2. Try Mindful Parenting
The mindful parenting movement encourages parents to be conscious and present in every parenting moment so that they are in charge of their emotions, not vice versa. If you do this, you can model good emotional stability for your children so they know how to cope with their feelings. It’s an alternative to harsher parenting methods like yelling, which can have negative psychological effects.
With mindful parenting, you are parenting for emotional health, which allows you to offer your children the support they need. Rather than acting impulsively, you can take a step back and assess your child’s needs.
3. Consider Professional Help
As much as you want to do everything for your child, they may have struggles you aren’t equipped to deal with. In those cases, getting them professional help is the best thing that you can do for them.
Many children and teens will face struggles in their formative years, and they often learn their own coping mechanisms as they mature. However, more serious mental health issues like teenage depression may require additional assistance. There’s no shame in getting professional help. You should ensure your child knows this. Their struggles may impact your mental health as well, so don’t hesitate to seek professional help for yourself, too.
Get Your Child the Help They Need With Taylor Counseling Group
If your child is going through a rough patch or you suspect that they have mental health issues, counseling is an excellent step toward getting them the professional assistance and support they need.
Individual counseling is an effective method of learning how to cope with obstacles. Alternatively, if your teenager has been struggling because of changes in your family, you can look into affordable family counseling so that your whole family can improve their mental health. We serve a variety of locations throughout Texas.
If you’re ready to take the next step toward helping your child, contact us to make an appointment.
