The tween and teen years can come with new freedoms and more autonomy. They also bringing new challenges. Teenage angst is often in full swing with changing hormones and power struggles with authority all adding to the turmoil.
At the same time, teenagers are searching for their identity and navigating new social situations. Social media and internet use has changed has changed teen life. But, it’s particularly effected how they socialize. Often, this causes teens to be very stressed and anxious. Especially in social situations. Furthermore, it causes a real lack of positive and true connection with others.
Teen Anxiety & Chronic Stress
The pressure on teenagers can feel overwhelming. So often they feel a need to perform well academically, athletically, and in their extracurriculars. This pressure can sometimes be external or internal, and often leads to anxiety and constant pressure. In fact, Almost 10 % of teenagers have an anxiety disorder, which can wreck-havoc on their immune system, and physical and emotional wellbeing.
Some common signs of teen anxiety include:
· Feeling “keyed up,” restless, or on edge
· Increased Irritability
· Difficulty concentrating
· Avoiding social interactions or extracurricular activities
· Isolating from peer group
· Frequent headaches, gastrointestinal problems, or unexplained aches and pains
· Excessive fatigue
· Changes in eating habits.
· Difficulty falling and/or staying asleep
· Frequent nightmares
· Not feeling refreshed after sleep
· Significant jump in grades (usually downward)
· Frequently missed assignments
· Feeling overwhelmed by workload
· Procrastinates on, or has difficulty concentrating on, homework assignments more than usual
· Panic attacks or periods of rapid heartbeat
· Sweating and trembling
· Dizziness
· Difficulty breathing
· Chest pain
· Feeling like they’re “going crazy”
Teen Depression is more common then you realize
Almost 20 percent of teenagers experience depression before they even reach adulthood, yet only 30 percent of depressed teenagers are actually being treated for their depression. Depression is more than just sadness and actually impacts a teenager’s functioning.
Some common signs of depression in teens include:
Feelings of sadness and/or bouts of crying
Increased irritability
Feeling hopeless
Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities
Changes in friendships and family relationships
Low self-esteem
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
Constant focus on past failures and self-criticism
Sensitivity to rejection or failure
Difficulty concentrating
Thoughts of death, dying, or suicide
Chronic tiredness
Insomnia or sleeping too much
Changes in appetite
Agitation or restlessness
Slowed thinking, speaking, or body movement
Frequent physical complaints
Social isolation
Poor school performance
Less attention to personal hygiene or appearance
Angry outbursts
Self-harm- such as cutting, burning, or excessive piercing or tattooing
Making a suicide plan or a suicide attempt
Pandemic Depression is Real
In addition to normal teen difficulties, our tweens and teens are having to make huge adjustments during the pandemic. In a matter of days, their worlds were changed suddenly. They went from having thriving social lives and sports to quarantine and distance learning. Furthermore, milestones, such as graduations, birthday parties, tournaments, and dances no longer happened. Birthdays were celebrated socially distant and Zoom became the new hangout. It’s no surprise that teens’ moods would be impacted. You might notice your teenager becoming more irritable, withdrawn, or sad. While this isn’t surprising given the circumstances, it can be an indicator that they need some support in their life. Because of this, we are offering in-person therapy at our counseling clinic in Houston Heights and San Antonio's Alamo Heights and online therapy in Texas sessions for teens and tweens.
LGBTQ Teen Counseling
The teenage years are a time to focus on identity. As a counseling practice, we are all-inclusive. In other words, our teen therapists help your child no matter their sexual orientation. Many teens need support in coming out and navigating how to talk to their family members and friends.
Our teen therapists specialize in helping teenagers and supporting families. Many parents are worried about saying the wrong things when their teenager comes out. Our teen therapists can offer parent support to help you support your child while also providing any support you may need as a parent.
The entire HFC counseling team is LGBTQ+ affirming and can provide support, non-judgement, and complete acceptance. Read Ty Neely's blog on how to support your teen when coming out.
In teen counseling we will equip your teen with the skills to better cope their big emotions
Our belief is when teenagers have more self-confidence, they are more empowered to problem solve on their own. We teach teens and tweens to separate their self-worth and confidence from their accomplishments and performances.
Counseling can help teens handle big emotions, break-ups, life transitions, and disappointments. When confidence is higher, teenagers feel more empowered and have more capacity to handle life’s difficult moments. Teenagers often turn to maladaptive behaviors, such as self-harming, alcohol, and drugs when they are not taught the right tools to use. Counseling will equip your teenager with all the resources to build confidence, problem-solve, and handle big emotions.
Our teen therapists are skilled at helping adolescents navigate challenges & mental health struggles
Our teen therapists are trained in connecting with teens, building rapport and trust, and providing interventions that are proven and effective.
Teenagers naturally pull away from parents as they search for independence, while at the same time need support and comfort more than ever before. Counseling is a great place to help give your teenager a safe place to talk about a myriad of issues while also providing coping tools to handle all of life’s pressures. Coping skills provide an opportunity to teach grit and resilience, one of the top predictors for later success in life.
Begin Teen Counseling in Houston, TX or San Antonio, TX:
The teen therapists at Heights Family Counseling are passionate about helping tweens and teens overcome the challenges they’re having in their life. We firmly believe that teen counseling can help them feel better and cope with distress. Follow these steps to begin counseling in Houston, TX and/or San Antonio, TX:
1. Contact our counseling clinic to set up a free phone consultation,
2. Meet with a teen therapist,
3. Begin teen counseling to help your teen overcome their challenges and thrive.
