Adolescent Mental Health – Help For Teens & Parents

Researchers, including at Columbia University and the National Institutes of Health, have reported significant increases in the prevalence of Major Depression among Teens since 2010...

"In my day we walked to school – 10 miles, barefoot, in winter..." Well, probably not, but even if true, the walk in a current teenager’s shoes is much tougher than parents might imagine. 

Physical changes and developmental imperatives have always impacted adolescent mood and functioning. Add today’s digital overload to the mix and it’s no wonder that researchers, including at Columbia University and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), have reported significant increases in the prevalence of major depression among teens since 2010.

There is help. Researchers generally agree that Psychotherapy – “Talk Therapy” – improves outcomes for the depressed (both as a stand-alone treatment and in conjunction with prescription medicine). Just like their older counterparts, teens and young adults can benefit from a trusting therapeutic relationship that helps them identify and address problems.

Before going into private practice, I spent a decade working in schools with anxious and depressed 16-21 year-olds. Just like the teens (and adults and couples) I see in my office today, my students needed a space that felt safe in order to tackle their stressors. Talking – and knowing that they were being listened to! – helped them with the isolating pain and self-doubt that had threatened to become unmanageable.

The National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that 20% of youth age 13-18 live with a mental health condition. And according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide is the second-leading cause of death for 15-24 year-olds. You can read more about symptoms here. If you or a teen you know is struggling with any mental health issue, please reach out for help.