Mental illnesses like anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder affect thousands of teens across the world every year. When it happens to one of your teens, it is sometimes shocking. It can be hard to know how to act, what to do, and which steps are best. Putting your stress aside and taking some action is the best thing you can do to alleviate their suffering. Here are some key ways to take action and help your struggling teen:
Take a look at troubled youth programs
Having a mental illness as a teenager is overwhelming. In some cases, getting help is even more overwhelming. They might be scared to get help or feel stigma surrounding getting help. This is where it is your job as a parent to line up the help they need. There are all kinds of therapy options. You can talk to your teen and include them in the decision, but sometimes you will have to make the leap and schedule a consultation for them.
Some of their options are residential programs, group therapy, individual therapy, or a combination of these. The residential programs are very immersive and often offer a variety of these services for quicker recovery. Make your teen a part of the conversation when discussing treatment options. Let them know you want to help them and you want them to make an active decision to help themselves. This is important in making them feel accountable for getting the help they need. This will make their recovery feel that much more empowering when they know that they had a hand in making the decision.
Let them know you are there without being pushy
There is a fine line between helping your teen and being pushy. You want to be there are support them without suffocating them. Being too pushy can lead to them alienating you or worse. The best way to approach this is by talking to them about what is going on with their mental health. Let them know that you want them to be able to tell you anything without overwhelming them. Let your teen come to you and confide what they are ready to discuss.
Once your teen feels that they are in a relationship with you where they can ask for your help, their recovery process will significantly improve. It will help them feel accepted as they way they are. You want them to know that you are on their side through their struggles.
Get support for yourself as well
Knowing that you have to be there in all the right ways for your kid is a lot of pressure. You might feel mentally insecure yourself when trying to deal with their mental health issues. Getting help from other parents who have been through something similar will significantly help your situation. You can ask advice and have support when trying to be the support for your kid.
You can also consider therapy to help navigate your teens mental health journey. Make it something you are going through together. You will feel much better with some tools like therapy to assist you in these trying times. Group therapy is also a great option. Look for support groups in your area for parents with troubled teens. This could bring you fulfilling relationships and the support that is necessary.
Mental health is a serious issue that affects a lot of people. You should take your mental health and your teen’s mental health seriously. Nothing is more important than getting them the help they need and the help you need to live a mentally healthy lifestyle.
