9 Common Teen Counseling Issues

If you are like most Christian parents, you storm the gates of Heaven with prayers for your teens. The adolescent years are rough for many children. You have peer pressure, homework, dating, dances, grades, athletics, and clubs. Not to mention that teens face issues that directly impact their mental, emotional health, and, in some cases, physical health, any of which may require teen counseling.

Teen counseling may be the answer you are searching for to help your child during this season of his life.

The effectiveness of teen counseling

You may remember how mental health and counseling were taboo in the past. There was a stigma attached, and parents were almost afraid to seek help for their children. In addition, parents did not want their children labeled as having problems.

However, society now accepts the benefits of teen counseling as therapy that can arm your child with the knowledge to stand up for himself, resolve conflict, manage his anger, think before he acts, and reframe his thoughts and emotions.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), researchers have learned that people can use the skills taught by their counselor long after their psychotherapy sessions have ended. In addition, these effects tend to last longer than researchers saw with patients who only received medication for mental conditions.

Your child will apply the skills he learns from teen counseling for the rest of his life.

Common teen counseling issues

Knowing what issues can crop up in middle and high school can prepare you for sudden shifts in behavior and academics. Many problems have similar behavioral or social patterns that serve as signs. However, a counselor will need to be the one to make a diagnosis for many, including anxiety, depression, behavioral and anger disorders, and eating disorders.

As always, if you suspect your child has a mental condition or an issue that requires teen counseling, feel free to contact our office for a confidential session.

Teen pregnancy The rate of teen pregnancy in the U.S. continues to drop steadily, from 25% of teen girls giving birth in 1991 to only 6% in 2021. However, these lower numbers may not mean much if your teenage daughter is expecting a baby. From the discovery of pregnancy to the physical and emotional changes throughout to postpartum and the risk of depression, teen girls need support.

Not only do the girls need extra support, but the teen fathers also need help. Anxiety and depression can escalate a young man’s worries about fatherhood, rejection from family and friends, supporting a child, and finishing school. In addition, both teens may worry about their uncertain future and whether they will stay together or go their separate ways.

Eating disorders

Peer pressure and social media play a significant role in the pressure teens feel to fit in and be accepted. Eating disorders affect more females than males. However, boys can develop eating disorders also. What makes eating disorders so terrifying is that without treatment, these conditions can be fatal.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder widely known for its skeletal appearance in the sufferer. Typically, anorexia patients starve themselves, eating very little food, and may over-exercise to control their weight.

Bulimia is a disorder in which the sufferer purges food after a meal. They may eat normally or binge, but they will purge to rid their bodies of the food. Purging methods include vomiting, laxatives, enemas, and overexercising.

Binge eating is a common disorder where the sufferer has bouts of consuming large amounts of food in about two hours. This uncontrollable, compulsive action leaves the binge eater uncomfortable or in pain.

Depending on the eating disorder, a teen may be underweight (often anorexia), average weight (often bulimia), overweight, or obese (bulimia or binge eating). Even those without a weight change may be suffering from an eating disorder. A counselor can help.

Anxiety

We may not think about children developing anxiety, but teens are just as likely to develop the condition as adults. This is because teens are under tremendous stress to do well in school, keep up on assignments, take care of household tasks, perform well on tests and sports, and maintain a social life outside of school.

Teens can also feel anxious about their home life if there is a new baby, marriage, divorce, arguments, illness, or financial strain. In addition, some teens find they must work a part-time job while attending school to help make ends meet, and that responsibility can lead to anxiety.

Some examples of anxiety disorders include Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, and Panic Disorder.

Depression

Depressive disorders like Major Depression Disorder, Seasonal Affective Disorder, and Bipolar Depression all have one common symptom: persistent sadness. However, there are other types of depressive disorders, as depression can also be comorbid with mental conditions such as anxiety.

Your child may show signs of depression if they:

• Complain of a persistent sadness.
• Feel tired, fatigued, or weary.
• Complain of headaches or stomachaches.
• Sleep too much or too little.
• Have appetite changes.
• Show rapid weight loss or gain.
• Show no interest in the hobbies and activities they enjoy.
• Isolate from friends and family.
• Talk about death.
• Have suicidal thoughts .

If your teen is having suicidal thoughts or obsessing about death, seek help immediately.

Substance abuse

Whether to fit in with the crowd or to escape from a bad situation, substance abuse can develop into an addiction. Alcohol or drug use affects a teen’s mental, emotional, and physical health. Continuing to use will also cause rifts in friendships, problems in family relationships, poor academic performance, and low self-esteem.

The addiction can become so strong that the sufferer engages in risky behaviors or actions they would not normally do. Violent and criminal behavior is common with substance abuse.

Bullying

Bullying can happen in person or virtually (cyberbullying). Many schools have zero tolerance for bullying behavior; however, it still happens. Bullied teens can feel that the mistreatment will continue or that they cannot recover from the humiliation, especially online, where it feels like millions of people witness it.

If you know of a bullying situation, speak to the school principal and the counselor. If this is an ongoing situation, consider presenting your concerns to the education board and possibly the authorities. Seek professional help for your child to help him learn how to deal with bullies and the long-term effects of bullying.

Anger

Puberty heightens emotions in teens thanks to hormone changes. But if your teen is having frequent outbursts of anger, hitting others, or displaying violent behavior, he may show signs of an anger disorder.

Common anger disorders include Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, and Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder. Anger can also indicate other conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and substance abuse.

Abuse and trauma

Abuse and trauma can lay the groundwork for teen issues that can last a lifetime without proper treatment. Neglect, abandonment, and physical, emotional, verbal, and sexual abuse all fall into this category.

The trauma can be tied to one of the above examples or from an accident, natural disaster, or losing a loved one. When these triggers combine, the child may develop anxiety, depression, and behavioral problems. For example, if a teen loses his mother in a flood that destroyed his home, he may become depressed, angry, and suicidal.

Behavioral problems

Heightened emotions and mood swings can lead to behavioral problems. For example, is your teen talking back to you or calling your other children names? Is he being defiant in the classroom or at church? Is he starting fights in school? Has his behavior escalated to breaking the law, such as shoplifting?

Behavioral problems run deeper than simply adolescent behaviors. A licensed counselor can help decode what is behind your teen’s actions and suggest ways to get back on track.

Contact a counselor today

Do you believe your child could benefit from teen counseling? Contact our reception office today to schedule a session. Your counselor will assess your child’s progress and recommend a schedule that works for your family. Give us a call today.