Counseling:
Getting Your Teen the Help They Deserve

Adolescence can be a highly emotionally charged time of life. As children become teenagers, they will go through an intense period of growth that’s accompanied by lots of changes and challenges. As a parent, you can’t help but worry about their emotional and social development. While these changes are expected, the challenges can be too intense. Many experience depression, anxiety and other emotional and behavioral conditions. While this can seem overwhelming, it’s important to remember that help is available and these conditions are treatable. 

These challenges result in adolescence being a critical time in their growth and development. You can make a difference when they go through this transition by guiding and supporting them. The first step is to understand their concerns and to continue supporting them through their challenges. You can also help them by providing them the assistance of a qualified and experienced counselor/therapist, so that they can receive the help they need.

Understanding Your Teen

It isn’t unusual for many parents to wonder if their teen is acting like a typical teenager or if there is something more going on. Unfortunately, for many adults, teen concerns can seem overly dramatic or even unnecessary. You may feel compelled to tell them so in the hopes that it will give them some perspective and help them to feel better. This is rarely successful. 

According to Psychology Today  “Having good emotional access and the ability to talk about feelings is really important in adolescence when periods of emotional duress are just part of the normal teenage passage.” It may be natural for teens to experience mood changes and intense emotions, however, if this becomes extreme it may be time to seek out a trained therapist. 

Warning Signs 

Teens can be at particularly high risk for emotional and behavioral conditions. For many adults, their symptoms may have presented themselves early during childhood or adolescence but were either unrecognized or ignored. This underscores the importance of spotting concerning symptoms that commonly affect teenagers. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), warning signs can include:

  • Often feeling anxious or worried
  • Having very frequent tantrums or is intensely irritable much of the time
  • Having frequent stomach aches or headaches with no physical explanation
  • Is in constant motion, can’t sit quietly for any length of time
  • Having trouble sleeping, including frequent nightmares
  • Losing interest in things he or she used to enjoy
  • Avoiding spending time with friends
  • Having trouble doing well in school, or grades decline
  • Fears gaining weight; exercises, diets obsessively
  • Low or no energy
  • Spells of intense, inexhaustible activity
  • Harming themselves, such as cutting or burning skin
  • Engaging in risky, destructive behavior
  • Harming self or others
  • Smoking, drinking, or using drugs
  • Thoughts of suicide
  • Thinking their mind is controlled or out of control, hearing voices

Distinguishing whether these are just part of a passing adolescent phase or true concerns can be challenging. Telling the difference can be tough. You aren’t alone in this, seeing a licensed therapist can truly help. According to Psychology Today; “Counseling is a chance to open up what is going on, to gain self-understanding, and to develop coping strategies to make it through a hard time. ”

Getting the Right Help with CCS

Counseling can help your teen to navigate this time of change and to address any intrusive thoughts or symptoms that may be holding them back. Mental health symptoms can be overwhelming, but no one is alone. 

CCS contracts with skilled licensed therapists and counselors who can help. Don’t wait for things to become unmanageable, call today to schedule your first appointment! CCS in Fayetteville offers in person sessions as well as online counseling, making getting the help you deserve easier than ever before!

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