Teenagers can often struggle with their mental health, whether it’s stress, depression or anxiety. As a parent you’ll want to do all that you can to support your child. Here are a few tips to help you on your way.
1 . Talk about emotions
Talking about how we feel is incredibly healthy, it can help us to address our worries, release tension, get support, and problem solve. Not all teenagers feel comfortable talking about their emotions, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t encourage them. Be patient, they may not open up right away. The main thing is that you try to create a safe space, where your teen feels comfortable to express their feelings.
- Encourage exercise
Mental health and physical health are intrinsically linked, and so you should ensure that your teen gets enough regular exercise. Some teens get into bad habits, whether it’s playing video games 24/7, or binge-watching TV series! While there’s nothing wrong with video games and TV, it’s all about moderation. There are many ways that you can help your teen to be healthy, including:
- Suggest family activities such as hiking or bike rides.
- Encourage your teen to join a sports team.
- Suggest that they try a new fitness class.
- Talk to them about any extra curricular sports activities at school.
- Provide self-care apps
To improve your teens mental health, purchase them a subscription to a self-care app. Not all apps are paid, in fact there are lots of self-care apps that offer a free version. A few examples of self-care apps include Sanvello and Inner Hour, these apps help users to work through feelings of depression and anxiety. There’s plenty of self-care content to work through, from quizzes and games to articles and digital journals. Using a self-care app your teen can express their feelings privately. For teenagers who are shy about opening up, this is a great option.
- Know the red flags
If you’re teenager is struggling with depression or anxiety, you may notice a few of these key signs:
- Your teenager appears sad much of the time.
- They have lots of fears or worries.
- They seem to have less of an appetite than usual.
- You notice that they are struggling at school.
- Your teenager is experiencing trouble sleeping.
- They are displaying disobedient or aggressive behavior.
- They appear to have issues coping, or general changes in behavior.
To learn more about the signs that your teenager is struggling, take a look at information from the Eva Carlston Academy. Once you understand the red flags, you can start helping your child.
- Model a healthy routine
If you’d like to support your teen with their mental health you should model a healthy routine. Let your teenager see that you lead a healthy lifestyle, from your dietary choices to your sleep patterns, and your self-care. Your teen may seem pretty grown up, but teens still learn by example.
With the help of these five steps, you’ll help your teenager to improve their mental health. Common mental health problems take many forms, and so it’s important to understand the warning signs. From self-care apps to understanding the warning signs, there are lots of ways that you can offer support.
