Dealing with Concerns About Your Teenager

What is Normal Teenage Behaviour?

Just as ‘normal’ varies hugely in all other age groups, so the range is enormous in teenagers.

The question, then, is not “What is normal teenage behaviour?”, but ”What is normal for my teenager?”

The real difficulty in identifying variations from ‘normal’ lies in the fact that teenagers are changing so rapidly that what is normal today may not be so tomorrow or next week.

For more about the changes that happen during adolescence, see our page on Understanding Adolescence.

Top Tip!

Experts advise looking out for behaviour that seems out of character.

For example, if your teenager has always been chatty, but suddenly becomes (and remains) withdrawn, this may be a sign of trouble. A child who has always been quiet and stay-at-home but now seems to want to be out every night, could also show a potential issue.

Changes in spending habits may also signal problems: excessive spending could be linked to a drug problem, or perhaps to bullying involving stealing.

Signs of Specific Problems

The main areas that parents of teenagers worry about are mental health problems (including in particular eating disorders and depression), self-harm and drug-taking.

It is worth noting that there are a number of signs of potential problems that may be associated with any or all of them, and also with normal teenage behaviour, so it is as well not to jump to conclusions.

Mental Health Problems

There are many factors that may affect teenagers’ mental health and general well-being. These factors range from the serious, such as being abused or bullied, to the mundane, such as finding it hard to fit in all their activities with an increased level of schoolwork.

There is more about these factors in our page on Teenagers and Mental Health.

The real issue is that it is almost impossible to predict which teenager will develop serious mental health problems, and which will bounce back.

Parents therefore need to be alert to small issues, and aware that they may develop into much larger problems very quickly. They should also be alert to the signs of these larger specific issues.

Eating Disorders

Contrary to popular belief, eating disorders can affect both boys and girls. Signs that a teenager may have an eating disorder, or may be moving towards a problem in that area include:

An expressed concern that they are gaining weight (which may or may not be true);
Wanting to lose weight, especially if you are concerned that they may already be underweight;
Not wanting other people to know when and what they are eating (for example, avoiding family meal times, and not telling you what they have eaten at school). This may be linked to letting you think that they have eaten when they have not done so;
Showing anxiety or guilt when you ask them to eat; and
Vomiting after eating.

There is more advice about eating disorders on the NHS website and on our page on Eating Disorders, which includes some signs and symptoms of the most common eating disorders.

Depression

Like eating disorders, depression can affect both boys and girls. There is perhaps a perception that it is more likely to affect teenage girls, but this is not true.

Signs of depression are particularly hard to detect because teenagers are already more likely to want to spend time away from family. However, some possible signs include:

An ongoing or long-term feeling of being ‘down’ or sad;
Saying that they feel hopeless or helpless;
An ongoing lack of energy and motivation, and finding it hard to enjoy things;
Moving or speaking more slowly;
Being very tearful, or irritable;
Changes in weight and appetite (usually, those who are becoming depressed want to eat less, but they may also eat more, especially if they have a tendency towards ‘comfort eating’);
Having aches and pains for no apparent reason (this may also be linked to a wish to avoid school, which could be for other reasons such as trouble with school work or bullying). You may also realise that they are losing interest at school or not attending at all. Again, this could also be for reasons other than depression; and
Trouble sleeping, perhaps difficulty falling asleep, or waking in the night.

There is more about this in our pages on Depression.

Self-Harm and Suicidal Ideation

Self-harm is closely linked to depression, and also feelings of low self-esteem, so it is worth looking out for signs of these as well. Young people who blame themselves for problems, or who think they are not good enough, may well be at risk of self-harming. Specific signs that may indicate that someone is self-harming include:

A tendency to wear long sleeves and trousers to cover their limbs, even when it is very hot weather;
Sore or painful patches on the scalp, where they have pulled out hair;
Unexplained cuts and bruises, or burns, often on arms, wrists, chest and thighs (areas that are easy to access);
Signs of alcohol or drug misuse. (See our page: Teenagers and Alcohol for more information.)

Young people who self-harm are often trying to take back control in at least one area of their life, so keep an eye out for signs that they may be struggling to stay in control of school work or another issue. The issue is quite common - in the UK it is estimated that up to 20% of 14 year-old girls have self-harmed.

This does not, however, mean that self-harm is not a serious problem. The most extreme form of self-harm is suicide.

Girls are more likely than boys to engage in non-fatal self-harm such as cutting themselves. However, the suicide rates in girls are rising (from about 3 in 100,000 girls in 2003 to 3.5 by 2020). The suicide rate in boys is higher, at around 6 per 100,000 boys, but has remained stable for a long period.

There is more about self-harm on this NHS webpage.

It is important to stress that teenagers, and indeed, adults, showing signs of any of these problems may need professional help to overcome them.

In the first instance, you may want to consult your doctor, but be prepared for a referral to specialist services.

Drug-Taking

Taking illegal drugs is a serious issue. It can lead to a criminal record. Signs that your teenager is taking drugs can include:

Dramatic behavioural changes, for example, becoming suddenly unsociable, or developing a completely new group of friends;
Avoiding activities such as sport or hobbies which had previously filled their time;
A failure to focus on personal appearance or hygiene;
Being very tired, or losing their appetite (although this can also be an issue connected with eating disorders);
Spending a lot more money, and not saying why, and even stealing money from you or other people;
Dilated pupils and red eyes. Bad skin may also be an indicator, but many teenagers suffer from acne and bad skin anyway.

If you find certain items in their room or in the house, you may also want to ask some questions. These items include pipes, tobacco-rolling papers, tinfoil, butane lighters, eye drops, small medicine bottles, razor blades and syringes.

See our page on Teenagers and Drugs for more information. There is also more general advice about drugs and drug use at FRANK.

Getting Help and Support for Your Teenager

The first challenge is to get your teenager to talk to you about the problem/s they are facing. This, in itself, can be a huge issue.

It may be easier if you have maintained good communication channels more generally, as they then have a number of options for a chat.

For more about this, see our page on Communicating with Teenagers.

If your teenager does not want to talk to you about the problem, you may be able to persuade them to talk to someone else, such as a trusted family friend or relative, or a professional.

It can be helpful to give them a choice of two options, both of which will be a step forward in addressing the problem. For example, offer them the choice of a visit to the GP, or a chat with a relative or particular friend whom you both trust (a godparent may be a good option).

This allows your teenager to remain in control, by being able to make a choice, but both choices will help. This creates a ‘win-win’ situation, which is always helpful (for more about this, see our page on Transactional Analysis).

Parental Responsibility

Teenagers, whatever they wish, are not yet adults. You, as their parent, retain parental responsibility until they are 18 years old. This means that you have a responsibility to protect your child.

If you think that they are doing something that may harm them, therefore, you have a responsibility to take action.

You can also consent to medical treatment on their behalf (although the law is slightly grey in this area, because it also recognises that young people are increasingly able to make their own decisions).

What this generally boils down to in practice is that if your child is so ill that they are harming themselves, or unable to consent to their own treatment, you may be able to consent on their behalf to treatment, including for a mental illness such as depression or an eating disorder.

For more about parental responsibility in the UK, you may like to consult this government webpage.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Whatever the problem, you do not have to manage it on your own. There is plenty of help and advice available, both online and from trained professionals. The first step in accessing it is to ask.

Continue to:
Coping with Teenagers
Understanding Adolescence