Teen Mental Health and Wellness: Serving the Future

Mental health issues in teens are on the rise – according to the CDC, 42% of adolescents reported feelings of sadness and hopelessness in 2021, up from 28% in 2011. Spreading mental health awareness, destigmatizing teen mental health, and providing the resources they need for mental wellness are all important ways to ensure a better future for our teens.

Common Mental Health Challenges for Teens

Teens face many challenges that can have a significant effect on their mental health, such as the pressure to determine their future goals and achieve good grades, exhausting schedules filled with studying and extracurricular activities, and social anxiety caused by bullying or conflict with their friends at school. Teens are often less resilient or emotionally equipped to withstand stress or emotional challenges, and they are still learning to use coping mechanisms to deal with their anxiety and other mental health problems.

Some common mental health disorders teens face include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
• Eating disorders

While most teens will deal with sadness, irritability, or mood swings on occasion, symptoms that persist or affect daily life may require intervention.

Some common signs your teen is dealing with a mental health issue include:

• Changes in sleep patterns or eating habits
• Withdrawal from friends and family
• Loss of interest in the things they usually enjoy
• Struggling with school or declining grades or attendance
• Refusing to talk to you about what's bothering them
• Signs of drug or alcohol use
• Signs of self-harm

Online Teen Mental Health Resources

There are many helpful online mental health resources and apps for teens available to educate them with research-based information and help them learn valuable coping skills when they are struggling.

• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): NAMI features educational resources, such as webinars, articles, and podcasts, as well as lists of local support groups to help teens living with mental health issues and their families.
• Mindfulness for Teens: The Mindfulness for Teens website features videos, lists of books and resources, and guided meditations to help teens cope with stress, anxiety, and other mental health struggles.
• Teens Health: Teens Health is a helpful resource that features articles, videos, and tips to keep teens informed about their mental health and provide informative guidance on how to cope with common struggles.

• HappiMe: HappiMe is an app that uses the power of positive thinking to help teens focus on increasing their self-esteem and overall happiness.
• Mindshift: TheMindshift app offers cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) tools to help teens reduce worry, anxiety, and stress, including journal writing, goal setting, and mindfulness techniques.

Teen Mental Health Treatment

If your teen is struggling severely with mental health issues that are affecting their daily life, they may need more intensive treatment from a professional. An assessment from a psychiatrist can determine what type of mental health issue your teen is facing so that they can develop a personalized course of treatment to effectively address their symptoms.

A mental health treatment plan for your teen may include:

• Counseling: One-on-one counseling with a trained therapist can help teens verbalize their emotions and learn effective coping methods, define their goals, and build self-confidence to improve their symptoms in a nurturing and compassionate setting.
• Telehealth counseling: If your teen is struggling with anxiety or depression, it may be difficult to get them out of the house to talk to someone. Telehealth counseling helps your teen get the mental health support they need from the comfort of home.
• Group therapy: Group therapy can help teens feel supported and less alone by encouraging them to share their experiences with others and gain the perspective of peers who are experiencing similar struggles.
• Medication: A mental health professional may recommend medication to help your teen’s symptoms, often in combination with talk therapy.

Mental Health Counseling for Teens at LiveWell

At LiveWell Counseling, we provide compassionate, nonjudgmental teen mental health treatment in a welcoming environment in Bergen County. Our expert team of mental health professionals has extensive experience helping teens and adolescents and provides both in-person and telehealth treatment options. Our priority is ensuring your teen feels safe and supported so that we can guide them back to mental wellness.

To learn more about how LiveWell Counseling can help your teen in their mental health recovery, please call (201) 848-5800 or visit ChristianHealthNJ.info/LiveWellCounseling.