You’ll be surprised to know that, according to the World Health Organization, depression and mental health conditions account for 16% of the total health care burden of disease and injury in people aged 10 -19 years. It means that a significant population of teens all around the world is suffering from depression or other kinds of mental health problems.
According to another statistic, suicide is the third leading cause of death in 15-19 years old teens. If we talk about mental health disorders in American teens, then the stats get scarier. For example, according to a survey, 9.4% of children aged 2-17 years (approximately 6.1 million) have received an ADHD diagnosis. It even gets worse when it comes to teenage depression and anxiety.
Therefore, all this requires an urgent call for action so that we can save our youth from falling into the pits of depression and anxiety. Although teen depression is increasing with every day passing, it doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything about it.
In this blog, I’ve narrowed down some of the ways that will help you in identifying and helping the teens that are struggling with their health in one way or another.
So, without any further ado, here you go:
Watch Your Kid’s Behavior Closely
More often than not, kids are suffering from a severe mental health disorder right under the nose of their parents, and they have no idea about it whatsoever. If you don’t want your kid to suffer from the pain of being in a poor mental health state, then you must watch their behavior closely.
If you think that there is something about the way they are acting, don’t brush it off without talking to them in a friendly manner.
Accept and Validate their Feelings
When you confront your kids about their behavior, you mustn’t trigger them anymore. You have to understand that they are suffering from something; therefore, they don’t have to make sense to you. Just listen to whatever they have to say and accept and validate their feelings.
You’ll have to be very careful and don’t say anything insensitive that may trigger their condition, and they stop talking to you about their mental health in the future.
Get Them the Right Help
It is perhaps the most important thing to make sure that your kid gets the right help that they need. Tell them that there is no shame in taking help to improve your mental health. Choose the right therapist and arrange sessions with them.
Don’t forget to ask them if it’s helping or not. If your kid is not satisfied with the treatment, then you can always change the doctor. Remember, mental illness is just like a physical illness and does the same (or more) damage to the person suffering from it. So, you’ll have to treat it just like a physical illness if you want your kid to get better.
Don’t Overburden Them with Expectations
You may not believe it, but according to research, the burden of expectations of parents from their kids is one of the significant causes of depression in teens. Therefore, you must understand that your expectations can make them depressed and anxious about their future. It doesn’t mean that you should stop worrying about their future. If it means anything, then it means that you have to support their plans and tell them you have faith in them.
It is understandable that being a parent, you may think that your kid is not old enough to make a decision, but that’s where you need to think twice. Even if you have some reservations about their plans, don’t be too hard on them and show them the right way to achieve what they have in mind without burdening them with your expectations.
Be there for them No Matter What
Lastly, you must be prepared for what is about to come. It means that it is not going to be easy to support your kid throughout their mental health journey, but it is something that you’ll have to do if you want them to live happily. So, be there for them no matter what and let them know that you care, and they can come to you for help anytime they want.
