The teen years can be tough for both parent and child. Adolescents are under stress to be liked, do well in school, get along with their family and make important life decisions. Most of these pressures are unavoidable and worrying about them is natural. But if your teen is feeling extremely sad, hopeless or worthless, these could be warning signs of a mental health problem.
Mental health problems are real, painful and can be severe. They can lead to school failure, loss of friends, or family conflict. Some of the signs that may point to a possible problem are listed below. If you are a parent or other caregiver of a teenager, pay attention if your teen:
- Feels very angry most of the time, cries a lot or overreacts to things
- Feels worthless or guilty a lot
- Feels anxious or worried a lot more than other young people
- Grieves for a long time after a loss or death
- Is extremely fearful, has unexplained fears or more fears than most kids
- Is constantly concerned about physical problems or appearance
- Feels frightened that his or her mind is controlled or is out of control
Additionally, pay attention if your teen:
- Does much worse in school
- Loses interest in things usually enjoyed
- Has unexplained changes in sleeping or eating habits
- Avoids friends or family and wants to be alone all the time
- Daydreams too much and can't get things done
- Feels life is too hard to handle or talks about suicide
- Hears voices that cannot be explained.
Other red flags include feeling limited by:
- Poor concentration
- The inability to sit still or focus attention
- Worry about being harmed, hurting others, or about doing something "bad"
- The need to wash, clean things, or perform certain routines dozens of times a day
- Thoughts that race almost too fast to follow
- Persistent nightmares
Behavior to watch includes:
- Using alcohol or other drugs
- Eating large amounts of food and then forcing vomiting, abusing laxatives, or taking enemas to avoid weight-gain
- Continuing to diet or exercise obsessively although bone-thin
- Hurting other people, destroying property, or breaking the law
- Doing things that can be life threatening
To find help, discuss your concerns with your teen's teacher, school counselor or others such as a health care provider, psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, religious counselor or nurse.
Source: National Mental Health Information Center
