Teen Mood Swings: Is It Normal?

Every parent worries about how the teenage years will go for their child because of how moodiness can affect adolescents as they try to balance between childhood and adulthood. Teenagers can run hot and cold in their moods and change how they feel quickly. When teenage mood swings become a predominant difficulty, the parents should ask themselves if perhaps something bigger is going on, such as a mental health disorder. Hillcrest offers residential and outpatient programs to help kids whose mental illness symptoms surface as uncontrollable moodiness.

Contact Hillcrest today to get more information about teen mood swings and what they really mean.

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What Causes Teenage Mood Swings?

Teenage mood swings can come from a variety of sources. Teens are going through puberty and massive hormonal changes that can cause them to go from one mood to another rapidly. As well, the teenage brain is still learning to regulate emotions, which can cause them to seemingly fly off the handle when dealing with issues that don’t necessarily seem that emotion-provoking to others. 

Teenage mood swings can also be the result of issues at school, with friends, being bullied, pressure to do well with their grades, athletics, or school clubs, and more. While every teen experiences mood swings, when they become commonplace and don’t have an obvious source, they may be indicators of a bigger problem.

Is My Teenager Just Moody or Is Something Else Going On?

If a teenager consistently slips from mood to mood or stays in a depressive or angry mood for a long time, it may be a sign that they have developed a mental health disorder. Parents should take note of how long the mood swings last, the severity of them, and if they accompany other symptoms like anxiety, depression, and mania. The parents can make an appointment with the child’s physician or a mental health counselor for a proper assessment.

Differences Between Mood Swings in Females and Males

Teenage girls may feel freer to express their moods because crying and being emotional are often more acceptable for their gender.  Mood swings in boys can be more angry or volatile in nature because they are socialized to believe that crying or appearing vulnerable is not masculine. As a result, sometimes their emotions surface as anger even when they are feeling other things. However, girls are more susceptible to having mood swings.  

Does the Modern World Contribute to Mood Swings in Teenagers?

In a study done on teenagers aged 13 to 17, those who were tested after COVID-19 began showed significant differences in their mental health compared to those tested before the pandemic. Those tested at the beginning of the pandemic reported more symptoms of depression and anxiety than the other group. Additionally, their brains showed cortical thinning, which can diminish mental processing and regulating responses.

Teenagers spend much of their time glued to screens, including smartphones, which means their generation has less of an ability to stay focused and develop an attention span. Their attention may be drawn to several sources (social media, streaming services, music, texting), and an impaired ability to focus on one thing can cause moodiness. 

What Can Parents Do To Help Their Teenagers?

Teenagers often want to talk to their parents about what’s causing their moodiness, but they feel afraid they will be misunderstood, judged, or punished. Parents should ask their teenagers to sit down with them and explain what’s going on. The parents should speak in a calm voice, not assume they know what their child is experiencing, and not judge them for the decisions they may have made that weren’t in their best interests. Remind them that they can course-correct and learn from each experience. 

Parents should also ask their child if they want suggestions for solving their problems or just someone to listen to them and validate what they are going through. In some cases, the teen may not feel comfortable talking about particularly painful events, such as trauma, assault, bullying, or sexual activities, and may do better speaking candidly with a therapist.

Treatment for Moodiness in Teenagers

When teenagers experience mood swings to the point that something else appears to be going on under the surface, it’s important to have the child assessed for any possible mental health disorders or substance use disorders. Outpatient and residential programs designed to treat adolescents typically provide different types of therapy designed to help teens express their emotions and talk about their thoughts and behaviors. They learn healthy coping skills and how to manage their moods so their lives are more enjoyable and less stressful. 

Begin Treatment for Teenage Mental Health Disorders

Do teenage mood swings seem to rule your household, and you suspect something is going on that is bigger than just regular teen emotions? Hillcrest offers well-crafted and highly effective treatment for teenagers struggling with poor mental health, such as anxiety, PTSD, depression, bipolar disorder, and more. We designed our luxury program to give teens a safe place to discuss their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that happen during this challenging time of life. Our staff of licensed professionals works hard to help each teen meet their treatment goals and learn to balance their emotions while they thrive in school, socially, and at home.

Contact us today, and let’s talk about which of our programs can best meet the needs of your child. We can also provide a free insurance verification so you know your options for coverage.