The teenage years are a time of significant, intense change, and as teens navigate their transition into adulthood, mood swings, social upheaval, and independence-seeking behaviors are all part of the process. That’s what makes distinguishing between normal teen behavior and potential mental health concerns in teens can be challenging for parents. At what point do things like defiance, moodiness, or social withdrawal indicate something serious, and when is it just a case of a teenager being a teenager?
OHCAW can answer questions about mental health concerns in teens and help you discover what’s developmentally appropriate vs warning signs of a more significant issue. Identifying red flags in teenage behavior can be what allows parents to take the necessary steps to help their children heal and avoid certain escalations in behavior that could haunt their teen for years to come. When it comes to mental health, early intervention is always better. Let us help.
Normal Teenage Behavior vs. Concerning Mental Health Signs
If you’ve been a teenager, you know that it’s a time full of emotional ups and downs. It’s only when parents start seeing behavior change become extreme that they may need to be concerned. This could mean behaviors you’ve never seen before that persist or interfere with your child’s school day, or family life. Below is a guide to help you determine whether what’s happening at home is simply common adolescent behavior or a mental health red flag:
Normal Teen Behavior
- Sporadic mood swings or irritability
- Boundary testing or being defiant every now and then
- A desire for their own time away from family/independence
- Increased stress around important school projects or tests and in social scenarios
- Sleep fluctuations
- Occasional academic difficulties
Potential Mental Health Concerns
- Consistently sad, angry, or numb
- Sudden aggression or heightened outbursts
- Reckless actions
- Panic attacks
- Persistent inability to sleep
- Steep decline in academic performance
While the “moody teenager” label that you’re likely familiar with exists for a reason, there may be deeper reasons that your teen is experiencing challenges. If you’re witnessing them have persistent emotional instability, engage or talk about self-harm, or isolate socially, do not ignore or downplay these signs. Get the help they need by reaching out to a mental health provider like OHCAW.
Get Your Teen the Help They Need
Prolonged emotional distress, even for a teenager, may point to a significant mental health concern, like clinical depression or an anxiety disorder. Contrary to adults, teens’ depression symptoms look like irritability and anger as opposed to sadness.
Things like chronic stress, school pressure, and tense social dynamics can make symptoms of anxiety or depression worse. The main differentiator between mostly harmless stress and a true mental health concern is the level of impact on someone’s daily life. If a teen’s life is being significantly impacted by their mood, stress, or anxiety, it’s likely time to seek professional, compassionate support for them.
How OHCAW Can Help
We specialize in treating teens struggling with mental health concerns through evidence-based therapies and structured outpatient programs that make them feel comfortable, seen, and validated. Bring your son or daughter in for an evaluation and let us help give them the care-free life every teenager deserves.
Our Treatment Programs:
We have a variety of treatment plans built to accommodate a variety of structure and scheduling needs for your teen, including:
- Partial hospitalization program (PHP): This is a level of structure made to support teens who require intensive support without admission to a hospital setting.
- Intensive outpatient program (IOP): An Ideal program for adolescents who need therapy, but are also looking to maintain their typical school schedule.
- A variety of therapeutic techniques: We help teens heal by offering a host of evidence-based therapies, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), family therapy, group therapy, and mindfulness-based therapy & meditative therapy
Contact Us Today for Teen Support
If you suspect your teen may be experiencing a mental health concern, don’t wait. Get the help they need at OHCAW. We’ll support you and your family every step of the way and equip your teen with all the tools they need to feel like themselves again. Call [Direct] today or submit our online contact form.
We can help them excel in this challenging season of life.
