Understanding Your Teen’s Mental Health

If you’re reading this, something probably doesn’t feel quite right.

Maybe your child seems anxious, low, angry or distant. Maybe they spend more time alone, their school attendance has dipped, or they’re exhausted all the time. Perhaps they insist they’re ‘fine’ but you can see they’re not. Or maybe you’re a young person reading this yourself, feeling overwhelmed, confused or stuck, wondering why everything feels harder than it should.

You’re not alone and this is more common than most families realise – it just isn’t spoken about enough!

What Do We Mean by ‘Mental Health’?

Mental health is simply our emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. It influences how we think, feel, behave, manage stress and relate to other people.

Just like physical health, it exists on a spectrum. We all move up and down it. Feeling anxious before exams? Completely human. Feeling low after friendship changes? Understandable.

It becomes a concern when difficulties:

• Last a long time
• Feel intense or overwhelming
• Seem out of proportion to what’s happened
• Begin to interfere with school, friendships, family life or daily functioning

Around 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health difficulty at some point. Research also shows that around 50% of mental health problems begin before age 14, and 75% before 18. In other words — adolescence is a crucial window for support.

Common difficulties I see include anxiety, low mood and depression, OCD, trauma responses, body image concerns, eating difficulties, self-esteem struggles and emotional regulation challenges.

Why Adolescence Feels So Intense

Adolescence — and increasingly young adulthood up to 25 — is a period of enormous brain development. The emotional centre of the brain develops faster than the logical, decision-making centre. That imbalance can make feelings feel huge and hard to manage.

At the same time, young people are navigating:

• Puberty and body changes
• Identity and belonging
• Social pressures and friendships
• Academic demands
• Social media
• Growing independence
• Family changes

It’s a lot. Even for confident young people.

For neurodivergent young people (including those who are autistic or have ADHD), there are additional layers. Sensory sensitivities, social exhaustion, executive functioning challenges and masking can all contribute to anxiety, burnout or low mood. Neurodiversity itself is not a mental health problem. But living in environments that don’t understand or accommodate difference can absolutely impact wellbeing. Part of my work is recognising the difference — and making sure we’re not mistaking heavy masking for “coping well”.

Signs a Young Person May Be Struggling

Sometimes it’s obvious. Sometimes it’s subtle.

You might notice:

• Withdrawal from friends or family
• Spending much more time alone
• Irritability, anger, tearfulness
• Sudden drop in academic performance
• Avoidance of school
• Changes in sleep or appetite
• Loss of interest in hobbies
• Physical aches or pains with no clear cause
• Talking about feeling hopeless or “what’s the point?”

It can be incredibly hard as a parent to know what’s “normal teenage behaviour” and what isn’t. Mood swings are common at this age. But if something feels persistent, intense or out of character — trust your instinct.

You are not overreacting by being concerned.

What Positive Mental Health Looks Like

When young people are emotionally well, they are not happy all the time. That’s not realistic.

Instead, they are able to:

• Feel and express a range of emotions
• Cope with stress and uncertainty
• Maintain relationships
• Make decisions aligned with their values
• Feel some confidence in who they are
• Move towards goals that matter to them

This is the aim of my work — not just symptom reduction, but helping young people move towards a life that feels meaningful, manageable and authentic.

A Gentle but Honest Note

Many families I work with have tried support before. Sometimes it didn’t work. Sometimes the young person didn’t engage. Sometimes it felt too clinical, too pathologising, or not neurodivergent-affirming.

That can leave you feeling unsure whether anything will help.

I want you to know this: the right approach, at the right time, with the right fit, can make a real difference.

My work is evidence-based (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy recommended by NICE), but always person-centred and adapted to the individual. The young person’s goals and voice come first. Parents are supported and equipped — not blamed.

If your child isn’t themselves, if they’re anxious, withdrawn, exhausted or overwhelmed, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means they’re struggling — and struggling young people deserve support.

And things can change.