What is Teen Angst? Is it Normal?

Parents of teenagers know that at this age, a child can be quite adept at expressing dramatic feelings and springing from one emotional extreme to another.

Teenage angst can create a lot of challenging moments in a young person’s life, with the fallout extending to their family and friends. While teens may be full of angst, is there a point where it crosses over to being a symptom of a mental illness, such as depression or anxiety? Hillcrest offers residential programs to help treat challenges to a teen’s mental health so they can manage their emotions better.

Learn more about our teen treatment programs or verify your families insurance now.

What is Teen Angst?

Teenage angst is a normal thing for adolescents to go through. They tend to challenge their parents and other figures of authority and act or react in Oscar-winning fits of drama. This can be exhausting for the teenager and their families, but it is a phase that eventually ends. 

What Do Teenagers Feel Angst?

By the time many people become parents, they have forgotten a great deal about their own bouts of teenage angst. Teenagers are in a period of their lives filled with tremendous change. They are fighting to establish their identities independent of their parents, but still rely on their moms and dads to be there for them when they need them. 

Teenage angst can present as a child being argumentative, difficult, sullen, and having dramatic outbursts. They often swing from one point of view to another, which can feel confusing to them and their family members. Teenagers test their boundaries, try on new identities, navigate the dating world, and search for the cliques that best match how they feel. The teen years can be problematic, but the angst is part of the transition from childhood to becoming a young adult. 

Is It Teen Angst or a Mental Health Disorder?

What may seem like teenage angst may actually be signs of a mental health disorder.

This makes it imperative that a child who may have crossed the line into developing poor mental health gets an official diagnosis from a mental health expert. Common mental illnesses teenagers can suffer from include:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Mood disorders
• Trauma
• Personality disorders
• Psychotic disorders
• Substance abuse
• Suicidal ideation

Ways Parents Can Help Kids With Teenage Angst

If a child is dealing with teenage angst, parents want to know how to help them cope with their overflowing emotions and complex behaviors. It can help a teen to know their parents are trying to help them, even if they still rebel against a lot of parental rules.

Keep an Open Line of Communication With Your Child

Talk to your teenager when everyone is calm, rather than during a flurry of confusion or arguing. Tell them you understand they are going through challenging life changes, and you want to support them in any way you can. Let them know you will listen to them discuss what they are feeling and thinking, and withhold judgment. When your teen wants to talk, ask them if they merely need to vent and be validated or if they want suggestions for ways to cope with their challenges.

Give Your Teenager Space

Many parents grow tired of their teenager coming home and disappearing to their bedroom behind a closed door. However, having alone time is important for young people. They need a haven in their private space where they can relax and have alone time. They may spend it texting or messaging with friends, but they still feel the need to be separate from their family sometimes. 

Make Time to Spend With Your Teenager

While it’s important to give teens their space, it also helps improve familial relationships to make time to be with them. It can be something as simple as asking them if they want to tag along for a shopping trip, watch a movie together, go out for dinner, or work on a hobby together. Teenagers appreciate knowing their parents are there for them and can be relied on to spend time with them.

Encourage Your Child to Explore Ways to Center and Express Themselves

Keeping a journal helps people put their thoughts and feelings in print so they can better understand them. A promise not to read your teen’s journal can help them feel more inclined to keep one. People of all ages can benefit from participating in yoga, meditation, and other activities that relieve feelings of anxiety and depression.

Treatment for Mental Health Disorders in Teenagers

When a teenager has a diagnosable mental health disorder, several types of therapy can help them. These include:

• Adolescent Therapy Programs
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Education
• Behavioral Therapy
• Psychodynamic Therapy
• Interpersonal Therapy
• Family Therapy
• Group Therapy
• Personal Development 

Prescription medications are often used to help control the symptoms of a mental illness. Some are used short-term, while others provide better results when used long-term. Programs that offer this combination of therapy and medications include both outpatient and residential programs.

Begin Treatment for Teens with Mental Illness in California Today

Do you see signs in your child that may be beyond the usual teenage angst and actually signal the development of a mental health disorder? Hillcrest opened its doors to help young people understand their diagnosis and learn healthy coping skills to resolve past issues and manage their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. We offer multi-disciplinary therapy modalities and any necessary prescription medications to help teens heal and hit the reset button on their lives. 

Contact us now for more information about how our program works. Reach out for the valuable help your child deserves that allows them to thrive.