Reasons That Teenagers Attend Therapy
All teens experience problems, whether they be school issues or mood swings. There are times that a teenager’s problems may become troublesome enough to seek help from a professional. However, severe mental health issues or shocking, life-changing events are not the only reason a teen should seek therapy. They can keep minor issues from developing into excessive problems by talking to a therapist.
Never hesitate in scheduling an appointment with a therapy professional if you believe your teenager might benefit from speaking with an experienced mental health provider. Schedule them an appointment for therapy or talk to their pediatrician. Your teen's overall mental health and well-being can be improved from a handful of therapy sessions. Sexual identity, relationship issues, and personal problems are just a few of the situations that teenagers may benefit from talking with a professional therapist about. Experts offer these reasons that teenagers attend therapy:
Grief
Teenagers tend to handle grief differently from adults during adolescence, and losing a loved one can be especially problematic. Group, individual, or family therapy is helpful for teenagers to understand their emotions better and come to terms with their loss.
Depression
It is common for mood disorders to appear during the teenage years. Depression can quickly transfer into adulthood when left untreated. If your teenager seems withdrawn, sad, or irritable, speak with your pediatrician. Early intervention and accurate diagnosis are essential elements of treating the problem effectively.
Trauma
Whether it be a sexual assault or near-death experience, teenagers can be impacted for life by traumatic events. Therapy can help reduce a traumatic event’s impact on your teenager’s life and improve their resilience. In addition, allowing your teenager to recover from a traumatic situation can be achieved easily through early intervention.
Anxiety disorders
While it is natural for teenagers to have some level of worry, many teenagers suffer from intense anxiety problems. Academics and friendships are just a couple of your teenager’s life aspects that an anxiety disorder can disrupt. If your teen needs anxiety therapy, Dr. Phillips can help your teenager learn to manage symptoms better whether they constantly believe that bad things are on the horizon or have trouble with public speaking.
Low self-esteem
While nearly every teenager struggles with self-confidence problems at some point in their life, others suffer from severe self-esteem problems. When issues like this are not addressed, teenagers have a higher risk of academic failure or substance abuse problems. Attending therapy can work to improve a teenager's self-worth.
Behavioral problems
Aggressive behaviors, repeated curfew violations, or school suspensions can often be signals of more severe problems. Your teenager’s actions and behaviors may be driven by skills deficits, social issues, or potential mental health issues that a therapist can uncover.
Legal trouble
Fighting, underage drinking, or stealing are a few reasons teenagers find themselves in trouble legally. As a result, some teenagers must undergo counseling by their parent's directive or probation mandates. Future legal problems are often prevented when a teenager is equipped with the skills to make better choices through therapy sessions.
Substance abuse problems
Unfortunately, alcohol and drugs can be severe problems for teens. A professional substance abuse counselor can assess your teenager’s use of substances and help plan an effective and appropriate course of treatment. Residential treatment, group therapy, individual therapy, or detox are options available to support your teenager, depending on their substance abusive severity.
Social and education-related issues
Teacher-related issues, bullies, cliques, and failing grades are only a fraction of the school and social issues that many teenagers experience. Unfortunately, many teenagers are unaware of how to get the help they need. Therapy can offer teenagers skills to successfully navigate high school and provide mental and emotional support.
Stress
Just like anyone else, teens can be stressed. Unfortunately, stress can be a severe problem for teenagers, whether it's anxiety about what they will do once they graduate or pressures to score well on exams. Professional therapy can help your teenager develop stress management skills that will successfully serve them throughout their adult life.
Benefiting from therapy does not require teenagers to experience specific mental illness symptoms—some of the additional reasons that teenagers may want to consider therapy include.
- Issues coming from cultural or racial discrimination.
- A need to find a greater level of self-awareness.
- Problems coping with chronic health conditions.
- A need to discuss troublesome topics with someone other than family or friends.
- Struggles with self-worth and identity.
- A desire to talk about gender identity, sexual orientation, or sexuality.
- Risky behaviors and self-harm.
- Autism.
- Romantic relationships.
- Living with a disability.
- Negative thinking patterns.
- Trouble adjusting to life changes.
- Feeling lonely.
- Symptoms of eating disorders like binge eating or restrictive eating.
Do not delay seeking the advice of a professional if you are worried about your teenager. However, don't worry if they are not interested in talking to a therapist. Most teenagers hesitate to talk about their emotions. If your teenager adamantly refuses to engage in counseling, you can seek the help of a therapist yourself. If you come to anxiety therapy, Dr. Phillips will talk with you about your teen’s behavior and may help you gain new skills and ideas for helping your teenager better cope with life.
