Teens

Teenage years bring on so much change that it can leave your head spinning. Your body begins to change, you sound/look more like an adult and keeping up with friends can feel like a full-time job. What you may not realize is that while your body matures, so does your brain. You begin developing more life skills, become more independent, spend more time with your friends than your family and start thinking more about your life goals and values — all exciting and challenging parts of growing up.

With all these changes, it’s no wonder you might feel like yelling one second and crying for no reason the next. Along with all the new things happening in your life, new stresses and worries also come up about family, friends, school, your body, your future and your identity.

It shouldn’t be surprising to learn that signs of mental health conditions often emerge during this developmental stage. About half of all people who experience a mental health condition in their lifetime begin experiencing symptoms before the age of 14, but other teens and their family members often do not notice them until several years later. Determining whether certain behavior is normal/typical or a symptom of a mental health condition can be difficult. It can be even harder for young people who live in a low-income household or who are part of communities that experience prejudice, racism, exclusion or marginalization.

The good news is that if you ask for help and support early on, you can find healthy ways to help you get through your teen years and prepare for life as a young adult — even if you have a mental health condition.