Teenagers often feel or act differently. At first, it might seem like it’s just puberty. But what if it’s something bigger? I’m here to change your view. Still, I’m not a professional. See your doctor before coming to any conclusions. With this in mind, it’s normal for teens to experience ups and downs. But sometimes these changes can point to deeper issues that need professional help. The good news is that getting help early can make a huge difference.
Signs That Teens Might Need Help
- Falling grades or losing interest in school
- Fighting more with family members or avoiding family time
- Having angry outbursts more often than usual
- Spending too much time alone in their room
- Saying negative things about themselves
- Having trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
- Losing interest in activities they used to enjoy
- Making comments about feeling worthless or hopeless
- Breaking rules more often or being defiant
- Having a hard time making or keeping friends
These are a general compilation of common problems. Alongside them, some other signs are linked to each specific problem.
There are many things that a teen can be living. To begin with, here are some of the most common struggles teens face: eating disorders, substance use, self-harm, and depression.
Some parents — and even teens themselves — may not realize how serious these issues are. So, here’s a quick overview of the ones we see most often. Let’s take a closer look, starting with eating disorders.
Eating Disorders
The most common eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, and other specified feeding or eating disorder (OFSED).
Some signs of eating disorders:
• complaining about being fat, even though they are a normal weight or are underweight
• letting people around them think they have eaten when they have not
• being secretive about their eating habits
• becoming anxious, upset, or guilty when asked to eat
• vomiting, or using laxatives to lose weight
Self-Harm
Some signs of self-harm if you suspect someone:
• unexplained cuts, bruises, or cigarette burns, usually on their wrists, arms, thighs, and chest
• keeping themselves fully covered at all times, even in hot weather
• signs of depression, such as low mood, tearfulness, a lack of interest in everything
• signs of low self-esteem, such as blaming themselves for any problems or thinking they are not good enough
• signs they have been pulling out their hair
Drugs
Signs that a teenager might be on drugs:
• losing interest in hobbies, sports, or other favourite activities
• dramatic changes in behaviour
• excessive tiredness and lack of appetite
• dilated pupils, red eyes, bad skin
• stealing money from you
Lastly, let’s talk about depression. Something that’s becoming more common than people realize.
Depression
Noticeable symptoms of depression in teenagers can include:
• continuous low mood or sadness, as well as frequent tearfulness
• voicing or showing feelings of hopelessness and helplessness
• being irritable and intolerant of others
• little or no enjoyment of things that were once interesting to them
• increasing social isolation
• disturbed sleep patterns (for example, problems going to sleep and/or waking throughout the night)
Now, to clarify: just because someone shows some of these signs doesn’t automatically mean they have a specific problem. Like I said earlier. I’m not an expert. I’m here to raise knowledge. Please raise your attention to those near you who might be struggling. Just because someone shows a few signs doesn’t mean they’re struggling with something serious. But it does mean they might need a little extra attention, care, or even professional support.
Still, you don’t have to be an expert to notice when something’s off. Just being someone who cares is powerful.
So please, keep an eye on your friends, your classmates, your siblings — even yourself.
Sometimes, the people who seem the strongest are the ones hurting the most quietly.
And if you’re reading this and recognize yourself in any of these signs… know this:
You are not alone. Help is out there. And it’s okay to ask for it.
