Whether you’re a parent, guardian, teacher, coach, or another individual who has teenagers that you care about, you know that mental health issues are extremely prevalent. As a parent, it’s important to note that according to the National Institute of Mental Health, 49.5% of teenagers experience some sort of mental health disorder or illness throughout their lives. When you’re in charge of their health and well-being, you want to know what to do if this happens to your family. Find out how to help your teens open up about their mental health.
What is Teen Mental Health?
Before you can help your teenager open up about their mental health, you need to understand what it is fully. Mental health challenges can vary, but the most common include social media influence, anxiety, depression, stress, and identity issues. Watch for signs that your teenager might be struggling by looking for withdrawal from their normal social activities, unusual sleeping patterns, and mood or school performance changes.
Create a Supportive Environment
If you suspect your teen is suffering from mental health issues and you want them to open up to you, you need to create a place where they feel comfortable doing so. Build trust through being reliable and consistent, and show your child you will be there for them no matter what. Next, don’t be judgemental about what they do tell you.
Communicate without fear of being judged or punished. Listen to them more and talk at them less. Lastly, make conversations about mental health normal. Even if they aren’t suffering now, you can still open the lines of communication if it ever occurs in the future.
Provide Resources and Support
If you can’t get through to your teenager, or if they’ve closed themselves off, you may need to seek professional help. Sometimes, it’s easier for a child to talk to a stranger about these situations than someone they’re close to. If you do need to seek therapy or counseling, don’t think of it as being defeated. Instead, consider it a step in the right direction to get them the help they need.
Make educational materials available to them as well. These could be websites, apps, or books about mental health. Teenagers who feel they are knowledgeable about the subject of mental health will be more able to cope and feel more comfortable opening up about what they might be dealing with.
Finally, consider signing them up for peer support groups. When a teenager can relate to someone who’s dealing with the same problems, they’ll feel less alone and more likely to open up to you about their feelings and experiences. In addition, it keeps them from isolating themselves, which can make their mental health conditions much worse.
Don’t panic if your child is dealing with mental health issues. It’s a common problem that many adolescents face at some point in their lives. Instead, create a comfortable environment, give them the support they need, and make sure the lines of communication are open early. That way, your teenager will feel more comfortable opening up to you about any of the challenges they may be facing, and together, you can find a solution.
Published by: Holy Minoza
