When teens are encouraged to cope with mental health issues, they’re often bombarded with terms like “fight,” “push through,” and “overcome.” These words, while well-meaning, can create a sense that mental health challenges must be defeated, rather than understood. For parents of teenagers with mental health concerns, a different approach can be incredibly valuable—a way of embracing mental health as part of their teen’s experience rather than something to battle against.
Accepting Emotions: The Power of Allowing Feelings
Acceptance doesn’t mean giving up on helpful treatments, tools, or therapy; rather, it’s about teaching teens to recognize and acknowledge their feelings without judgment. Teens often feel pressure to hide sadness, anxiety, or frustration, fearing it makes them weak or different. This pressure can lead them to bottle up emotions or resort to behaviors like avoidance, which can deepen mental health struggles.
Encourage your teen to be aware of their feelings and give themselves permission to experience them. Self-acceptance builds emotional resilience, allowing teens to face their feelings without shame or fear of judgment. By guiding them toward acceptance, you empower them to use healthier coping tools.
Why Avoidance Backfires
Many teens handle anxiety by sidestepping situations that make them uncomfortable, hoping it will ease their stress. Unfortunately, avoidance usually does the opposite, reinforcing fears and limiting growth. Avoiding social situations, for example, may feel safe in the short term but can make social anxiety worse over time.
Instead of teaching avoidance, we can encourage teens to approach challenging feelings with curiosity. Help them see these situations as opportunities to understand and manage their anxiety. Rather than seeing anxiety as something they need to avoid or escape, they can learn to face it gradually and build confidence.
Mindfulness: A Practical Tool for Everyday Peace
Mindfulness gives teens a way to step out of the constant swirl of worries, comparisons, and pressures they feel every day. It’s a simple yet transformative practice that can help them manage anxiety, increase self-awareness, and reduce stress. Here’s how mindfulness can be impactful:
• Building Awareness: Mindfulness helps teens identify their feelings before they spiral. This awareness gives them a choice in how they respond to stress, whether by using breathing exercises, stepping back, or engaging in a relaxing activity.
• Grounding Techniques: Practicing grounding through methods like journaling, deep breathing, or mindful movement keeps teens connected to the present moment. Grounding allows them to shift focus from what’s making them anxious to something they can control, like their breath.
• Reducing Self-Blame: Teens often feel isolated by their struggles, believing these challenges define them. Mindfulness teaches them to view anxiety and sadness as emotions rather than as markers of who they are, helping to lift self-judgment.
• Creating a Mental Break: Mindfulness offers a pause from the endless demands on teens’ attention, from academics to social media. This break provides a sense of peace, helping them reconnect with themselves without the added pressure.
Encourage your teen to take even five minutes each day to practice mindfulness. This small habit can grow into a significant source of strength and self-regulation.
Self-Compassion: Building a Foundation of Resilience
Another invaluable skill for teens facing mental health struggles is self-compassion. It teaches them to treat themselves as they would a friend—with understanding, kindness, and patience. Self-compassion helps teens remember that their feelings are valid, that they’re more than their struggles, and that they can handle what comes their way. Practicing self-compassion reminds teens:
1. They’re more than the mental health challenges they face.
2. They’re resilient and should be proud of their efforts to cope.
3. They’ve already made it this far and can continue moving forward.
Help your teen practice self-compassion by encouraging activities that allow them to reflect on their strengths. Journaling can be a powerful tool for this, offering a space to acknowledge their experiences without judgment. Writing down affirmations or listing things they’re proud of can reinforce their sense of self-worth.
Encouraging Gentle Self-Care and Daily Support
Self-care practices like yoga, meditation, or even mindful stretching can ground teens and help them reconnect with their bodies. These practices can become part of their toolkit for managing difficult emotions and self-soothing. As a parent, your encouragement in these areas matters—simple reminders to take things slow, be patient, and treat themselves with kindness go a long way.
Most importantly, remind your teen that they’re not alone. Facing mental health struggles can feel isolating, but with the right tools and support, they can navigate these experiences in a way that feels empowering rather than overwhelming. Together, you can build a foundation of resilience, self-acceptance, and compassion that helps them thrive through any challenges they face.