What To Do If Your Teen Is Struggling
Although teens don’t usually have to worry about paying bills and pursuing a career, they can and often do experience age-related stress, which is of course quite different than the stress their parents might face. We must remember that peer pressure, school-related issues, even bullying and can become very overwhelming at times. The reality is, that without support, some teens can spiral down into a loop of mental health problems, which can affect the essence and quality of their lives. Parents of teens must be aware of their child’s general mental health, and they need to look out for essential warning signs, in addition to learning how to help their teens.
If you detect your teen is having challenges, you must first of all express your support and love without any judgement whatsoever, in order to open the channel of communication to help them steer through whatever is bothering them. As a parent and the primary caregiver, you will want to support them in order to help them!
Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg, as you can well imagine there are many different things that you can do to help your teen to deal with mental health issues. Lets learn about some of them.
Encourage Them to Talk About it
You can start with small talk. Believe it or not, small talk is an effective way to tell your teen that you are there for them if they need someone to talk to. There are subtle yet effective ways to encourage your teen to share their feelings.
For instance, you can ask them about how their day has been. You might want to check into their room from time to time in a friendly way to see what they are doing, or to offer them something to eat or drink. You could also ask them to join you in simple tasks, such as doing dishes or preparing a meal.
Sometimes, teens need nothing more than a few simple words of encouragement to feel comfortable enough that they can come to you and talk about their problems and share their feelings. As a parent, you might get a tad bit uncomfortable when it comes to emotions, but do try to understand and acknowledge how they feel, in a positive way. Respond with encouraging words, such as “I understand” or “this makes sense.” As a parent, we unfortunately tend to focus on things that we don’t like in our teens, however, it is important to understand that we need to put these thoughts aside as there are many more things that teens are doing well. A few words of praise can work wonders – try it today!
Make Time For Your Teen
As the primary caregiver, you need to assess your relationship with your teen and figure out whether you are giving them appropriate time. When we say that you need to make time for your teen, we mean that you should make the time to spend with them exclusively as well as giving them space and alone time. In other words, eens are about to step into adulthood and need the space to simply be on their own. Set aside time to engage with your teen and set up daily goals towards a functioning parent-child relationship.
With remote work and distance learning as the new norm, you might also want to encourage your teen to take breaks and participate in other activities, such as volunteering for an organization or even volunteering for something that interests them, like an animal shelter or soup kitchen. If you detect that your teen is overwhelmed and frustrated at things, you can sit down with them and brainstorm ideas and potential solutions to their problems.
Remain patient and overcome the urge to take over. Instead, listen to your child, encourage them, and allow them to decide what they want to do.
Work as a Team!
You don’t have to be an adult to feel pressured and stressed out. Everyone gets depressed, including teens. As a parent, you might feel angry at times. If you want to help a teen overcome their mental illness, refrain from having any discussions while angry.
It is okay to be angry; however, you should know when to walk away, cool off, breathe, sip some water, and calm down. Whatever the issue is, you can talk about it later with your teen instead of getting trapped in a power struggle.
The world situation is unpredictable, and everyone is suffering from pandemic blues, including your teen. Teens are struggling as much as elders in this crazy unpredictable time. Instead of taking offense and asserting parental control during such scary times, we recommend empathizing with your teen and empowering them.
