Teen Struggles
Dear Tacit,
What kinds of mental health issues do teens tend to have?
Signed: Teen Struggles
Dear Teen Struggle,
Our tweens and tweens (usually thought of as kids aged 10 to 19 years of age – but realistically, are also our young adults who are well into their 20’s) often struggle with a wide variety of mental health issues as they are growing up. Notice I am saying mental health issues – not Disorders. All of us face challenges to our overall mental wellness, at some point. But whether or not they become life-long problems or diagnosable Disorders depends a great deal on how well they are supported in our teen years.
The teenage years/stage of life is complicated. We have to expect different things from our teens – not try to push them into being mini-adults too early. We have to give them time to grow and develop – to connect to and figure out themselves – and to make choices that lead them to who they will become (which is not a process that is completed before the age of 20). They are not supposed to think clearly, be consistent with their behaviours and attitudes, remember the lessons we taught them yesterday, or be as responsible as we sometimes want them to be, especially in the early years of this process.
Many changes are happening physically (and chemically), emotionally and mentally in a young person’s brain and body, and these constant shifts can create chaos. Hormones rage and surge (in patterns that have not yet become regular or stable); the final stage of cognitive and emotional brain development begins to happen (but these processes take a long growth/maturity time and won’t finish until a person is in their mid to late 20’s); and physical growth alters an individual’s body is ways that are uncontrollable (and not always embraced/liked by the teen, especially at first).
This is the time in life when our tweens/teens are naturally starting to see the world through a different lens. They are able to start to introspectively understand and know themselves at this stage of life, separate to the identity they initially developed (which was more an extension of their parent’s view of who they are). But they don’t often know how to make this process happen, and so they can feel lost or unaware of how they belong/fit in this big world.
Given this ongoing and constant rollercoaster ride of factors that are all changing and shifting at the same time, it’s no wonder that the teen years feel a little bit “crazy” for our kids (and for the people who love them and support them through these difficult times, too LOL). This is supposed to happen – this is how we learn about ourselves! The common mental health challenges that come up during these years tend to be:
Anxiety (with or without anxiety/panic attacks)
Depression
Suicidal Thoughts/Feelings
Eating/Feeding Issues
Non-Suicidal Self Injury Behaviours (or Intentional Self Harm)
Neurodivergence (can included Dyslexia, Autism Spectrum, ADHD, FAS, and so many more unique ways of processing, both cognitively and emotionally)
Substance Use Issues
Trauma Stress Response Issues
Sleep Issues
Body Image/Dysmorphia Issues
Personality Issues (which include an incredibly long list of things like excessive perfectionism, paranoia, narcissistic tendencies, anti-social patterns, histrionics, OCD, avoidant tendencies, dependent tendencies, etc)
High Risk Behaviour issues
And Low Self Esteem Issues (what I refer to as the foundational challenge of the teen years, as so many of these other difficulties stem from this root problem).
Again, it’s important to understand that these challenging mental health struggles on their own DO NOT equate to life-long mental health problems. In fact, I believe (I am not quoting any research – just basing this off of my 34 years experience as a therapist) that every single tween/teen out there will experience more than one of the above listed issues, at some point in this stage of life. There is just no escaping it.
So how do we help our tweens/teens? How do we try to ensure these expected and normal challenges do not become lifelong battles? There is no exact way that will protect all of our tween/teens completely. Genetics, role modelling, the amount of life stresses they face, the nature/nurture debate, and some luck (or good timing) all play a huge role in the outcome. But one thing is for certain… helping our youth build their own capacity and resiliency is a key necessity in how things will turn out for them.
Whether they have to deal with some of these challenges for a short period of time, or for decades of their lives, the proper understanding of their issues, the development of healthy coping strategies and the appropriate connections they make to a healthy/strong support network are the absolute essential requirements to help our tweens/teens see that what might initially be considered “problematic” patterns are actually strengths that they can use to excel in this world. And the earlier that these connections, supports and coping skills are taught, the less harmful these challenges will be to the individual.
Take care!
Want to learn more about the common mental health challenges that our tweens/teens face – and how to help them build the resiliency they need to thrive? Join David Quia (a high school student from Leduc) as he coordinates the Open Minds, Open Pages Event – happening at the Leduc Public Library – on August 29th, September 5th and September 12th. These Workshops are all FREE – and they will be happening in-person. Everyone is welcome to attend (not just Leduc residents).
The RiseUp Society will be presenting Navigating Teen Mental Wellness (practical strategies for teens, combating stigma, using social media mindfully and prioritizing self-care – Aug 29th). Tacit Knowledge will be presenting Foundations To Stay In Balance (4 key aspects of daily life that create a foundation for healthy mental wellness overall; how the stress hormone cortisol can easily get overproduced, and the signs to watch for; 4 ways to dump excess cortisol when tough times are happening in life; and ways to boost happy hormones, to help prevent excess cortisol from developing and to enhance mental wellness – on Sept 5th). And the BCG Leduc Youth Coordinator and FCSS Youth Outreach Worker will be presenting Building Bridges (nurturing healthy relationships for mental well-being – on Sept 12th).
For more information, please contact the Leduc Public Library or go to Tacit’s website at www.tacitknows.com.
Do you have a question you would like us to address? Please feel free to reach out to us at counsellors@tacitknows.com. Your answer will be provided confidentially.
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