Mental health issues aren’t a new concept, and the therapy that treats them isn’t either. The origins of psychotherapy trace back thousands of years, but the psychotherapy practices that we are familiar with began around the mid-19th century. 

It seems like therapy has become much more commonplace in the last couple of decades. People of all ages are benefiting from sitting down with a mental health professional to unload the problems and emotions that they’re struggling with. But how do you know if your teenager needs therapy and would find positive results from booking a therapy session?

Many people believe that you have to be struggling with your mental health or show definitive signs of a disorder to see a therapist, but that’s not true at all. People can find great relief in talking to a professional about their innermost thoughts and feelings, big or small. If you’re trying to decide if therapy is the right thing to do for your teenager, there are signs you can use to help with your decision.

6 signs your teenage may benefit from therapy

There are many behavioral changes that you may see over the course of your child’s adolescence that can have reasons that don’t cause concern. Hormonal changes, friendship/romantic relationship issues and personality changes happen to every teenager, and they can most likely work through them on their own. And if they feel like they want to come to you for insight, then all the better!

But there are also some signs to look out for that show your teenager might need therapy, including:

• Seeming overwhelmed — Growing up in general can be overwhelming. Teenagers these days have to juggle school, extracurricular activities, chores, a social life and possibly after-school jobs. But with stress coming at them from every direction, it might become too much to handle. This can result in them falling apart under pressure and possibly burning out, which your teenager might need therapy to work through.
• Showing fatigue — While we often joke that teenagers can “sleep the day away,” it can be concerning if they consistently sleep more than 10 hours a day on the weekends, or struggle to get out of bed for school. Extreme fatigue could be a sign of a mental health disorder, such as depression.
• Displaying anxiety — In a world where everyone is going through something, it’s natural to worry. But if your teenager is spending a significant part of their time worrying about relatively mundane things, such as what to wear or about things out of their control, they may need to talk to a therapist about handling their anxiety. Especially if it results in physical symptoms such as consistent headaches or digestive issues.
• Exhibiting hopelessness — Teenagers have their whole lives ahead of them. But some struggle to find hope for the future. It’s natural to feel defeated after getting a bad grade or getting rejected from a college, but a consistent feeling of hopelessness can be a possible sign of depression.
• Withdrawing socially — Being social is an integral part of being a teenager. This doesn’t mean your adolescent must have plans every weekend or stay up all night talking to their friends. Yet you may want to take notice of how often they’re interacting with others socially. If you notice that they are turning down plans or spending more and more time alone, there might be something deeper going on. 
• Struggling with life-changing events — Regardless of age, we all go through milestones and events that can make a significant impact on our lives. This can mean great celebrations, like graduation or scoring an internship. But it can also refer to upsetting events, like a death of a loved one or parents’ divorce. Whether it’s a good or bad life event, your teenager may be struggling to grapple with the change, and might need therapy to work through it.

These are just a few of the main reasons why you may want to discuss the need of therapy with your teenager. It’s important to talk about the expectations of therapy with them, as they might try to immediately shut down the idea out of fear of the unknown. 

Lightfully Behavioral Health can help with any need your teenager might have for therapy

Therapy can go a long way in making sure that your teenager has the tools, support and resources they need to work through their mental health struggles and strive for a fulfilling future. Our licensed, clinical experts at Lightfully believe that change is possible. When you feel like your teenager might need therapy, reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team. We’ll take the next steps together, toward their fullest, brightest version of themselves.