According to the statistics, one in every five teens suffers from at least one diagnosable mental health issue at the age of 13-18. The statistics further reveal that 49.5% of teenagers suffer from at least one mental health struggle at least once.
The numbers seem to grow over the years, and as a teen parent, understanding how to help your child is important.
Out of everyone, teenagers seem to be more rebellious, and the teenage phase can be difficult for parents, especially when you do not know how to help them when they are struggling.
Visit Tulsa Counseling to know more about what is going on and how to ensure they are okay.
Between schools and social media, our teenagers are struggling a lot, and they might often try to hide their emotions and struggles from you. If you see your kid struggling, know that you can always find a way.
Let’s talk about teen therapy, understand the concept, and know how you can use it to your kids’ advantage.
What Are The Signs That Indicates Your Teen Needs Help?
Your kid might be afraid or nervous to express their concerns with you. In such cases, notice the signs such as:
- They have started isolating themselves from friends and family
- Your kid is sleeping too late or little
- Sudden changes in their behavior and mood
- You see them sad too often
- They talk about feeling hopeless and worthless
- They often keep their room messy and are always grumpy
- Losing interest in things and activities they enjoyed
- A sudden drop in grades
If you notice these signs, it does not necessarily indicate that something is wrong. However, you need to pay close attention and monitor them. If possible, you can also be a hearing ear that could help them open up to you.
How Does Therapy Work For Teenagers?
Remember, teen therapy does not mean you need to “fix” your child. Therapy is never meant to “fix” something that is not even wrong. Just because your child is going through something or facing challenges does not mean something is wrong with them.
Instead, therapy provides them access to ways to deal with life’s challenges and overcome them without sinking into them.
Benefits of therapy for your teenager
Some of the benefits of therapy include:
- Develop skills to tackle challenges
- Gaining insights into their thoughts and behavior
- Your child can express their feelings without feeling judged
- Learn different ways to deal with stress and cope with different emotions
- Improve communication, which will eventually help them improve their relationship with everyone.
How Can You Support Them With Their Therapy?
As a parent, things can get complex, and it might be challenging to understand how to help them without making them feel bad. Some of the ways you can help them:
Initiate a conversation about therapy
Talking to your teenager about therapy can be difficult. Sometimes, they might react in a different way than what you expected. To make the conversation easy, you can:
- Talk when you both are calm
- Try to listen more than you talk
- Explain to them your genuine concern
Remember to be as polite as possible.
Finding The Right Therapist
Not every therapist will be right for your teenager. Help them in finding the right one by analyzing different therapists. You can look for a therapist who deals particularly with teens, uses methods that are comfortable for your kid, and is polite to talk to them.
Be supportive
Once the therapy starts, try to support them as much as you can. Make sure you respect their privacy and do not push them to tell you details about their therapy sessions. Additionally, keep an open mind and be patient with them.