As a parent, knowing how to deal with your teen’s changing behavior can be perplexing. You probably know you shouldn’t ignore underlying mental health struggles. On the other hand, hormonal and developmental shifts lead to higher levels of moodiness and behavioral changes in teens. How can you tell if your child is experiencing normal teenage changes, identity crisis, or serious mental health concerns?
At Liz Morrison Therapy, we understand how confusing it can be for parents to know whether and when to seek help. We specialize in therapy for teens and family therapy to support teens and their families address and healing from mental health challenges. Understanding the difference between typical teenage behavioral changes and signs of mental health concerns is an important first step in healing for your family.
“Normal” vs “Abnormal” Teen Mental Health Behaviors
There’s no real normal when it comes to adolescence. Some teens struggle to adapt to life stressors and demands. Others move toward adulthood with ease. However, there are behaviors that you can expect from your teen and behaviors that aren’t typical.
You can expect your teen to stay up longer and sleep through more of the morning, focus on their appearance, assert their growing independence, break rules occasionally, experiment with substances, be more secretive, and be more argumentative. Most teens are going to act out in these ways. While it might make you want to rip out your hair, the good news is it’s all a normal and healthy part of adolescence. It doesn’t necessarily mean anything is wrong.
However, some behaviors aren’t healthy or normal and may require intervention and professional support. These include behaviors like drastic changes in mood, verbal or physical violence, major sleep disruptions, excessive weight loss or gain, isolation from friends or family, frequent substance use, or explosive anger. These may be signs of a serious underlying mental health condition.
What Causes Teen Behavioral Changes?
It’s normal for parents to feel exasperated and bewildered by their teen’s bizarre behavior. It can seem like your child switches from sweet and loving to moody, distant, and rebellious – a la Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – almost overnight. However, there are a lot of physiological, biological, and environmental reasons that help explain why your teen is behaving in seemingly odd ways.
Brain Development
Teen impulsivity and immature behavior often come down to a still-developing teen brain. The prefrontal cortex, which determines logic and risk-taking, is still growing in adolescents. Other areas such as the limbic system, which controls sexual desire, impulsivity, and emotion, are fully online. That’s why teens may struggle with risky decisions, poor judgment, impulse control, and concentration.
Additionally, teen brains are particularly wired toward social relationships. For better or worse, their behaviors are influenced heavily by their friends, peers, and social interactions. That’s why healthy relationships are so influential in a teen’s development.
Hormonal Changes
Along with an immature brain, teens are navigating changing hormone levels. These hormones are normal and responsible for growth, puberty, and sexual development in adolescents. However, the combination of hormones, life stressors, and immature brain development can spur issues like mood swings, anxiety, irritability, emotional outbursts, impulsivity, and risky sexual behaviors.
Developmental Changes
As teens grow and mature toward adulthood, their needs and desires change too. Teens naturally get more independent as they age, and it’s normal for teens to experience rebellious stages as a result. They’re also discovering their identity and how they want to move through the world. These changes can lead to things like more secrecy and distance, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It becomes a problem when your teen refuses to talk to you at all or starts to engage in dangerous behaviors.
Signs Your Teen Needs Mental Health Help With Therapy for Teens
While it’s tricky to gauge a teen’s mental health, there are red flags you can watch for. The following warning signs indicate that your teen needs professional support from a teen therapist:
Excessive anxiety, including disproportionate worries, distress, fear, or panic attacks
Signs of depression, such as poor hygiene, isolation from friends and family, and loss of interest in activities.
Academic struggles, including difficulty with concentration, memory, or focus, as well as slipping grades and low interest in school
Sleep problems, include sleeping too long (upwards of 11 hours per night), not enough, or having frequent nightmares.
Excessive anger, irritability, moodiness, or violence.
Substance use or abuse
Mysterious health issues, such as unexplained aches and pains
Problems like these can be caused by underlying mental health conditions, which require treatment to heal. Things like trauma, anxiety, depression, and PTSD can all lead to impairments in a teen’s ability to function and thrive.
Unfortunately, teens who struggle with mental health aren’t likely to “grow out of” their problems. Untreated behavioral and emotional issues often lead to long-term challenges, including substance abuse, eating disorders, and other unhealthy coping mechanisms. Mental health conditions can also strain relationships with family and friends and even cause crises, including self-harm and suicidal behaviors.
Help Your Teen With Their Mental Health Struggles With Therapy for Teens in Manhattan, New York City, Brooklyn, and Anywhere in New York
If your teen is exhibiting signs of poor mental health, getting them the appropriate support is crucial for their safety, well-being, and happiness. Empower your teen to get help with anxiety with therapy for teens. Our specialized therapy program at Liz Morrison Therapy offers tailored support for teens struggling with symptoms of mental health disorders, addresses underlying trauma, and provides healthy resources and coping skills your teens can use throughout their lives. Take the first step toward a brighter future for your teen by reaching out for guidance and support. Follow these three simple steps to get started:
1. Contact us to schedule an appointment for therapy for teens
2. Begin meeting with a skilled teen therapist
3. Start on the path toward mental health improvement!
Other Services Offered at Liz Morrison Therapy
At Liz Morrison Therapy, we offer services for the whole family. So in addition to supporting your teen with their mental health in therapy for teens, our services also include parenting support for those looking to create healthy relationships with their children to help them live their best lives, young adult therapy for individuals looking for support, guidance, and real-world strategies to help them deal with their struggles, and anxiety therapy for those wanting to cope with their anxiety in healthy ways. For more about us check out our blogs and FAQs.