How to help a teenager with mental health issues

October 24, 2022

Whether you and your teen are getting along well or experiencing difficulties, it is critical to demonstrate that you love and support them, that you can help them navigate difficult situations, and that you are always available to them.

Here are four things to bear in mind while asking your teen, “How are you doing?”

showing them that you are always available to them.

Table of Contents

Encourage them to share their feelings

Remind them that you are always there for them and that you want to know how they are feeling and thinking. A few encouraging comments might make them feel more at ease discussing their emotions with you.
Find ways to communicate with your teen. Discuss their schedule and activities. It may be as easy as asking them to assist you with a task, like preparing dinner, so you can chat about their day. It is simple to notice the things your teen does that you do not approve of. However, try to observe and compliment them on anything they are doing well, even if it is as basic as cleaning up after themselves.
It is essential to recognize and comprehend whatever feelings they may be feeling, even if it is uncomfortable. When they open up to you, you may answer with phrases like “I understand,” “that seems like a terrible circumstance,” or “that makes sense.”

Work through conflict together

Never talk about an issue when you are upset. Take a step back, take a deep breath, and relax; you can discuss it with your adolescent later.
Listen to your teen’s opinions and attempt to resolve conflicts calmly. Remember that everyone has stress!
Be honest and open with your teen: you may let them know if you’re feeling stressed out as well. Showing them how you deal with your challenging feelings will reassure them that theirs are normal.
Power struggles should be avoided. Teens may be feeling out of control right now, with the world feeling unpredictable and alternatives appearing restricted. As difficult as it may be in the moment, sympathize with their desire to exert control in a frightening situation rather than fighting back or overpowering it.
When there is a disagreement, take some time to consider how you and your adolescent may overcome it. You can share your thoughts with your teen so they can see how you think.
Be honest and open with your teen: you may let them know if you’re feeling stressed out as well. Showing them how you deal with your challenging feelings will reassure them that theirs are normal.

Take the time to support them

Teenage years is synonymous with independence! Give your kid adequate time and space to be on their own. Needing space is a typical component of growing up.
Find a few strategies to encourage and support your teenager to take breaks from homework, chores, or other activities they are working on to do something they like. If your teen is dissatisfied, collaborate with them to come up with some problem-solving ideas. Avoid taking command and telling them what to do.
Work together to establish new habits and attainable daily goals. You might schedule household duties around schoolwork or establish a goal, such as doing homework before supper.

Don’t forget to care for yourself, to be able to deal with or help your teenager. Caregivers face several challenges. You also require self-care and assistance. Self-care is also a fantastic approach to modeling the practice for your teen.

Care for yourself

Schedule time for your interactions. Find a few people with whom you can discuss your thoughts and experiences. Set aside some time each day to check in with them and let them know how you’re doing.
Experiment with several positive coping tactics to see what works best for you. Exercising, talking with friends, making to-do lists or planning, sticking to routines and structures, meditating on what you are thankful for or proud of, and doing activities you like, such as music, painting, dancing, and keeping a diary, are some options.
Never be embarrassed to ask for assistance if you are feeling overwhelmed. It is natural and acceptable to feel this way. Find a family member or someone with whom you can speak.
Make some time in your day to do things that will help you cope with and manage stress. Whether your day is hectic or leisurely, we realize that taking care of oneself is critical to your overall well-being. Doing what you enjoy or taking a few minutes away from your day might help you feel rested and re-energized.

Adolescence girls is a difficult challenge for parents to keep their daughters psychologically and physically healthy and protect them from mental illness, addiction, pregnancy, and illegal abortion.

Adolescent mental health issues are a big concern, but they are also quite common and treatable. Adolescent obstetrician-gynecologists are more likely to see adolescents and young women with one or more mental health issues. Some of these illnesses may impair a patient’s capacity to comprehend or explain her health issues and adhere to suggested therapy.

Some illnesses or their treatments can disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, resulting in anovulatory cycles and other menstrual irregularities. Psychopharmacologic drugs that might cause menstruation disruption and galactorrhea may be used by adolescents with mental illnesses. Adolescents with mental illnesses are more likely to engage in acting-out behavior or drug abuse, which raises their risk of hazardous sexual conduct, which can lead to pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases.

Pregnant adolescents who use psychopharmacologic medications have a unique problem in balancing the risks of fetal injury with the dangers of poor therapy. The obstetrician-gynecologists have the opportunity to reduce morbidity and mortality from mental illnesses in teenagers through earlier detection, proper and timely referral, and care coordination, whether offering specialized obstetric or gynecologic care or preventative women’s health care.

Although mental health disorders should be managed by mental health professionals or appropriately trained primary care providers, obstetrician-gynecologists can help by managing the gynecologic side effects of psychiatric medications, providing effective contraception, and screening for sexually transmitted infections regularly. This Committee Opinion will present general information regarding prevalent teenage mental health issues, with an emphasis on the implications for gynecologic and obstetric treatment.

And also, boys in their teenage years are most likely to fall into drug addiction, smoking, and making illegal relationships with other teenage girls. Also being easily depressed, couldn’t express their feelings, feel anxiety most of the day, and are easily deceived by bad people to addict bad habits like them.

Most common mental health issues in teenage years:

Anxiety Disorders

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD):

Excessive stress and anxiety (apprehensive expectancy) over a variety of events or activities. The intensity, length, or frequency of anxiety and concern are out of proportion to the possibility or impact of the expected occurrence. The individual has difficulty controlling his or her anxiety and keeping worrying thoughts from interfering with attention to duties at hand. Somatic symptoms are usually linked.

Social Anxiety Disorder:

Fear of one or more social or performance circumstances that causes anxiety symptoms and significant suffering or avoidance of the scenario.

Panic Disorder:

Unexpected panic episodes occur frequently.

Panic Attack:

An abrupt surge of intense fear or intense discomfort that peaks within minutes and is accompanied by four or more of the following physical and cognitive symptoms: increased heart rate, pummeling heart, or increased heart rate; sweating; trembling or shaking; sensations of breathing difficulty or suffocating; feelings of strangling; chest soreness; nausea or abdominal distress; feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed, or faint; chills or heat sensations; paresthesia’s [n]

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsive symptoms persist for at least 6 months and are maladaptive and inconsistent with developmental level.

Disruptive Behavior Disorders

Conduct Disorder:

A repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior that violates others’ basic rights or age-appropriate cultural standards, such as aggressiveness toward people and animals, damage of property, deception or theft, or major rule violation (such as running away, truancy, curfew violations.)

Oppositional–Defiant Disorder:

Negative, hostile, and defiant behavior that includes four or more of the following characteristics: frequently losing temper, frequently arguing with adults, frequently refusing to follow rules, frequently annoying others, frequently blaming others, frequently angry or resentful, frequently spiteful or vindictive.

Anxiety, mood, attention, and behavior problems

are the most frequent mental diseases among teenagers. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders outlines and discusses the criteria for each diagnosis. This Committee Opinion contains general information concerning prevalent teenage mental health issues, with an emphasis on the consequences of gynecologic and obstetric treatment. The emphasis is on detection and referral rather than therapy details for each condition. Although drug abuse disorders and eating disorders are part of the mental disease continuum and may coexist with other illnesses, a thorough explanation is beyond the scope of this article.

Always consult a psychiatrist who is a professional medical care member

there are two main branches of treatments, where a psychiatrist can use one option or both.

option 1: medication.

option 2: talk therapy.