While almost anyone can benefit from working with a trained therapist, you might be surprised by the idea that your teen could be having a tough time. However, a therapist who specializes in the unique needs of teens and adolescents can help a young person with their mental and behavioral health. Here are some questions to ask yourself about your teen’s behavior to determine if they need counseling.
1. Is Your Child Having Trouble in School?
School can be unappealing for a teen who struggles to fit in socially or keep up academically. As a result, your son or daughter might start skipping classes or pretending to be sick so they can stay home from school, causing their grades to suffer. In this case, it’s helpful if you already have good relationships with his teachers, principal, and school guidance counselor. You can talk to these professionals about patterns and behavioral issues they’ve noticed.
2. Has Your Teen Been Unusually Secretive or Withdrawn?
Teens have a reputation for being moody, which is why it can be challenging to tell the difference between typical adolescent angst and a mental health issue. In addition, a teenager attempting to assert his independence might lie to you about where they’re going and who they are spending time with.
Use your parental instincts to spot signs of deception or secrecy – these could be warning you that your teen is trying to hide a substance abuse problem. You can also look for red flags indicating they’re not keeping up with essential self-care, or has lost interest in formerly enjoyable hobbies and activities.
3. Is Your Teen Irritable?
Disorders like depression and anxiety don’t always manifest in predictable ways. While you might expect a depressed or anxious adolescent to spend all of their time hiding in their room, that may not be the case for teenager. Irritability is a hallmark of both of these conditions, especially in adolescents. If your teen is having unpredictable mood swings or frequently lashes out for no apparent reason, you could improve their quality of life by seeking counseling.
4. Have Their Eating Habits Changed?
Eating too much or too little could indicate that your teen is living with an issue like depression. Dramatic weight fluctuations, binge-purge cycles, or a refusal to eat specific foods can also alert you to a potential eating disorder.
Notice if your young adult tends to make negative comments about their body or has started to wear shapeless, baggy clothes to hide their appearance. Adolescents who develop eating disorders can also fixate on weightlifting or insist on a grueling workout regimen.
Blending Mental Health Counseling With Academic Support
When parents decide to seek treatment for their teenager, they often worry about whether that means they’ll have to put their child’s education on hold. At ARCH Academy, we’ve developed programming that allows your teen to continue growing academically while he works on gaining the life skills necessary to recover from a substance use disorder. Every teenager who enrolls in our program receives educational support tailored to their grade level, including credit transfers and tutoring.
To learn more about our accredited Tennessee facility for the needs of teens, contact us today.
