Ways to Improve Mental Health for Teens

What does it mean to live the good life? Often, the way we define the good life is closely tied to what we own, the opportunities we have, and the circumstances we find ourselves in. We focus our lives on striving to obtain the things we think will make us and our lives okay. We do well to heed Jesus’ words:

Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions – Luke 12:15, NIV

We can be in dire straits but have peace and joy. The letter Paul wrote to the Christians in Philippi is often referred to as the “Letter of Joy,” but Paul wrote this letter while he was in prison. His circumstances didn’t ultimately determine his well-being. This isn’t to say that our circumstances don’t matter; they certainly do, but they aren’t the start or the end of things. Other things, like your mental health, may matter even more on a day-to-day basis.

What is mental health?

In the last few years, there probably haven’t been many terms that have been as ubiquitous as ‘mental health’. We take breaks from work, step away from relationships or social media, engage in self-care practices, and understand erratic or harmful behaviors through the lens of our mental health. It’s on social media, in our newsfeeds, in the conversations we have with colleagues and loved ones. But what is mental health?

Mental health refers to more than just whether your mind is sound. Rather, it refers to psychological, social, and emotional well-being. A person’s mental health has a direct impact on how they behave, feel, think, make choices, handle stress and stressful events, as well as relate to others. Having good mental health thus impacts virtually every important facet of your life.

Some important aspects of mental health include having a balanced and realistic perspective on life and having the capacity to think clearly and critically. Another aspect is being able to regulate your own emotions well, which entails being aware of your own emotions and knowing how to manage them well. It also includes being able to cope well with stress and maintain a positive outlook on life amid challenges and hardship.

Other key aspects of mental health are being able to build and maintain healthy relationships with other people, and having emotional resilience, which is the ability to cope well with setbacks, challenges, or difficult situations you find yourself in. For a believer, mental health could be conceived of as more than just the absence of mental illness; it’s also about having peace, a sense of purpose, balance in life, and a living relationship with Christ.

How Good Mental Health Helps You

From everything that’s been said, it should be apparent that good mental health can help a person, regardless of age. Your mental health is essential for your overall health and well-being because it impacts your quality of life. Your mental health can also affect your physical health, and vice versa, and good mental health can result in improved relationships, better work performance, and being able to cope better with daily life and its challenges.

When you have good mental health, you can build strong relationships with others, and you’re better placed to recover from setbacks. Having that resilience can foster self-confidence.

Good mental health also means better clarity in decision-making, and it can help you nurture a meaningful spiritual connection with the Lord and other people. For a teen (and anyone else, for that matter), good mental health is key to flourishing in all respects.

Obstacles and Challenges for Teen Mental Health

Teens, just like anyone else, face challenges and obstacles that make it hard to enjoy or cultivate good mental health. They may deal with issues such as anxiety or excessive worry, which can interfere with everyday life. Mental health issues like depression can bring about a sense of hopelessness, sadness, and a general loss of interest in things that they used to enjoy. Experiencing or witnessing trauma and substance abuse can also undermine mental health.

Though teens face challenges like other people in different stages of life, there may be some specific concerns that affect them because they are teens. Adolescence is a time of massive transitions and shifts, and these can be wildly disorienting. What felt like firm footing yesterday can feel tenuous and hard to make sense of as one’s social circle, interests, body, relationships, and hormones fluctuate and change, sometimes drastically.

For a teen, they may face specific obstacles to mental health, such as peer pressure and the need to fit in, leading to identity issues and poor choices. They may also face pressure from social media, including playing the comparison game, which often leads to feelings of inadequacy. At a time when everything is changing, a teen might feel lost or without purpose, particularly if they don’t have adequate spiritual anchors or guidance.

They also face huge academic and other pressures to succeed, and that includes doing well in sports or other extracurricular activities. Having these high expectations placed upon them can result in burnout and deep anxiety. Lastly, there may be relational conflicts, whether with family members or navigating romantic relationships. Such conflict adds strain and can be quite stressful.

Ways to Improve Mental Health for Teens

Good mental health is essential for a teenager’s overall well-being. Mental health has psychological, spiritual, emotional, and social facets, and when the challenges to good mental health are addressed, a teen can face life with a deeper sense of peace, joy, and purpose in Christ. There are things parents and caregivers can do to foster a supportive environment and help their teen flourish, and they include the following:

Nurture spiritual growth First and foremost, your teen’s spiritual life matters, and it won’t happen by itself. Rather, it takes intentional effort to cultivate habits of prayer, Bible study, fellowship with others, and other practices and postures that help a person draw closer to the Lord. A relationship with the Lord helps to ground a person, providing them with strength and perspective. Teens need that, just as everyone else does.

Spiritual growth and the value of it can be modelled in the home, and opportunities can be provided for a teen by driving them to a local group or events.

Social connection It’s important to build and maintain healthy relationships with others. Your teen should have supportive peers and mentors around them to nurture a sense of belonging. Encourage these positive relationships and create space for them to seek out mentors.

Self-care Many activities and practices promote well-being, relaxation, and reduce stress. These would include getting regular exercise, eating a balanced diet that’s nutrient-rich, and getting enough sleep each night. Daily habits such as these promote well-being, and parents and caregivers can create an environment that promotes this.

Parents and caregivers can help by modeling self-care, being careful when they go grocery shopping to buy food that promotes wellness, creating opportunities for exercise, and doing what they can to have a sleeping environment that promotes good sleep hygiene, such as dark curtains and limiting screen time closer to bedtime.

Foster open communication As parents or caregivers, these words from James are helpful: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19, NIV). It’s important to nurture and encourage honest conversations without judgment so that your teen can approach you to talk about what’s happening in their life. Having someone to talk to makes a difference.

Parents and caregivers aren’t the same as friends, but it helps to be an available sounding board when your teen needs it.

Seeking professional support Mental health for teens is a priority because of how it impacts a person’s overall sense of well-being and their quality of life. For instance, if a teen is struggling to maintain their grades or they are unable to function and perform daily tasks, it’s important to seek help. Reach out to mental health professionals.

A Christian counselor can provide a teen with guidance rooted in therapeutic techniques and wisdom garnered from Scripture. They can holistically meet the teen’s needs, helping them to flourish. If your teen is struggling or failing to thrive, reach out and speak to a Christian counselor to get the support they need. Contact us today to learn more and to schedule an appointment.