10 Signs Your Teen Might Need Therapy This School Year

As a therapist who works closely with teens ranging from middle school to high school, I often see a familiar patterns of teens struggling with the adjustments to starting a new school year. Let me first say, it is normal that transitioning back into the school setting is muddy. Whether your teen is transitioning to a new school, feeling more pressure with grades, friendships, or extracurriculars, or even struggling with changes in identity related to developmental changes and hormones, or figuring out what style of clothes best fits them, it can be a lot.

That said, there are times when what your teen is experiencing may go beyond the typical adjustment period. As a therapist, I often hear from parents who sense that something just isn’t quite right, but aren’t sure whether to be concerned. Here are ten signs that your teen might benefit from therapy this school year.

10 Signs Your Teen Might Need Therapy

1. Avoiding school

   If your teen is frequently staying home, pretending to be sick, or being so overwhelmed by school that they avoid attending, this may be a sign that there is something more happening, such as anxiety, depression, or stressors related to being at school.

2. Changes in grades, extracurriculars, or overall motivation

   A sudden change in grades or lack of interest in school work, extracurriculars, or daily motivation overall may be signs that there is underlying stressors influencing your teen

3. Changes in sleep, food, or movement

   Our physical bodies often hold a lot of our emotional distress, and it can become noticeable to others when mental health is impacted. If your teen is sleeping more than usual, eating significantly less or overeating to the point of discomfort, or overexercising in a way that seems compulsive or causes distress, these may be signs of underlying emotional struggles.

4. Isolation from friends and family

   If you notice your teen is spending a lot of time alone more than normal , from both friends and family, this may be a sign they are struggling. While it is normal for teens to become more exhausted when school begins with adjusting to new schedule, and more social engagement, if it becomes a prolonged routine, there may be something more to explore.

5. Low self-esteem and negative self-talk

   During my years as a therapist, I see how common it is for social pressures, body changes, and overall stressors to impact teens relationships with themselves. If you notice an ongoing pattern of your teen struggling with body image (distress in clothing, looking in mirrors), comparing self to peers, or having an increase in negative self-talk ("I am ugly/ I am not smart/ I am embarrassing", etc) this might be a sign that they are struggling with self-worth.

6. Increase in forgetfulness, inattention, or following through with plans

   Is it normal for teens to forget to do the chores, or sleep in late on a school day? Absolutely! However, symptoms like this progress to include difficulty remembering to follow-through on activities/school/responsibilities that they do enjoy, and causes them daily stress, this could be a sign that their mental health is struggling. Oftentimes when we are struggling with depression, anxiety, or another mental health condition, it becomes easier to having a foggy brain, and have difficulty keeping attention or encoding new information.

7. Irritability or drastic changes in mood

   Oftentimes, when teens are struggling to process their emotions or don’t yet have the coping skills to manage distress, they become dysregulated. This means their bodies react as if they are in danger, activating the fight, flight, or freeze response, even when there is no immediate threat. This may show up through a range of emotions, that shows as rude, irritable, or more emotional than your teen typically is.

8. Increase in sickness, or physical pain

   As mentioned before, our bodies oftentimes hold our emotions, trauma, and stress. This may be shown through your teen getting constantly sick, or even having physical pain in the body like a constant headache, stomach, or even pain in one part of the body, like the back.

9. Engaging in SH or risky behaviors

   Increase in symptoms of routine self-harming, or risky behaviors (substance us or unsafe activities) is a sign your teen might need therapy.

10. SI thoughts, or plans to harm self

    If your teen is having any suicidal ideation, or plans to harm self, they need Immediate support.

    
    

Final Thought

As the school year begins, it is so common for the adjustment for back to school to take time. A lot of changes happen during our adolescence, and it is normal for there to be an ebb and flow of challenges along the way. However, if you notice your teen to struggle long-term, it may be helpful to consider some professional support. As a therapist who works with teens, some of the most common topics I hear about include adjustments to academic, peer, or family pressures; navigating new relationships; coping with hormonal and developmental changes; or simply needing a safe space to process a social interaction with another student. In therapy, there are no “right” or “wrong” things to talk about. Teens can just be themselves.

If you are a parent or even a teen reading this, I see you! Just know that by already reading this, you are hoping to create change, or even build your support.

If you are thinking of beginning therapy, consider utilizing https://www.psychologytoday.com/us to find a therapist. If you are located in Texas, our team offers free 15-minute consultations to learn more about you, what you are looking for, and help you find the best therapist for you. You can schedule a consultation here: https://www.thecouchtherapy.org/category/our-team

Warmly,

Taylor

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