By Emily Perez · October 16, 2026
The Complexity of Being a Teenager
Many of us remember our teen years as a challenging time. You’re learning to navigate strong emotions, more challenging schoolwork, a more rigorous schedule, and increasingly complex friendship dynamics. All while starting to crave independence and figuring out who you are as an individual.
Experiencing mental health issues as a teenager makes an already difficult experience even harder.
According to the National Survey of Children’s Health data from 2022-2023, 31% of children between the ages of 12-17 had a mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral problem.
Other national research points to the same trend. The 2023 CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 2 in 5 (40%) high schoolers report “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.” These rates were even higher for girls (53%) and LGBTQ+ youth (65%).
Here’s what’s different for this generation.
Why Being a Teenager is Different Now
Teens today have all the same school and social pressures that we did, and also face a new set of challenges. The rise of the internet, smartphones, and social media means that teens are online and interacting with peers 24/7.
Unfortunately, having the internet constantly at their fingertips also means that teens can’t easily “unplug” from the social scene after school. Problems like bullying and peer pressure can travel home with them beyond the school day.
Social media introduces another set of pressures as well. Social media influencers on platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram make a living posting carefully chosen snippets portraying a glamorous, exciting lifestyle, often heavily polished with filters. Teens are especially susceptible to internalizing these carefully edited portrayals as normal, which can lead to unrealistic expectations around their lifestyle, friendships, and appearance.
It’s no wonder that adding mental health struggles on top of these demands can make an already challenging time extra tough.
Let’s talk about what is (and isn’t) expected as a normal part of the teenage experience, and what you can do to support them.
What is “Normal” For a Teen?
It’s important to keep in mind that not everyone’s “normal” looks the same. Teens have unique personality traits, quirks, strengths, and weaknesses just like anyone else.
On top of that, life circumstances can shift what “normal” looks like too. Situations like chronic illness or loss of a family member (or close friend, or pet) can have a profound impact on typical teen behavior.
However, it is helpful to be able to tell what types of teen behavior are expected, and what may be warning signs indicating that they need extra support.
Some things that are typically expected for teens:
- Becoming more interested in social friendships than family time
- Experimenting with wearing different styles of clothing and hair
- Disagreeing or arguing with parents more than when they were younger
- Having difficulty getting up early to go to school
- Worrying about physical appearance and trying to fit in
- Feeling “big” emotions that may seem out of proportion to the situation, especially in response to breakups or fights with friends
- Needing more sleep
- Light, infrequent experimentation with alcohol and/or marijuana
When Should I Worry About My Teenager?
It’s normal for teens to want more independence and to explore their own identity. But it’s important to watch for changes that are not part of typical teen development and should be further investigated.
These may include:
- Avoiding school or a sudden decline in grades
- Frequent stomachaches & headaches
- Withdrawing from friendships and family relationships
- Unusually withdrawn, “sudden” personality change
- Increased crying
- Increased irritability that persists for weeks
- Obsessive perfectionism
- Intense and excessive worry
- Difficulty paying attention
- Screen addiction
- Loss of interest in hobbies they usually enjoy
- Sudden decline in hygiene
- Frequent negative talk about themselves and/or their bodies
- Eating disordered behavior, such as frequently skipping meals, overeating, or intense interest in counting calories
- Sleep problems, such as insomnia or sleeping/lying in bed all day
- Frequent alcohol use, or using heavier drugs such as cocaine or heroin
- Preoccupation with violent content or consistently making violent art
- Deliberately harming pets or other animals
If you’ve noticed any of these changes, it may mean that your teen needs extra support.
If you’re worried about your teen’s safety right now, call or text 988, call 911, or reach out to another crisis resource.
How Can You Support Them?
More than anything, simply being present for your teen and showing empathy can make an enormous difference.
That support can take many forms, including:
- Listen and acknowledge their feelings (even if you don’t agree with them)
- Ask if they are looking for advice or just a friendly ear
- Offer to spend 1:1 time with them
- Encourage taking breaks, especially when they’re overwhelmed
- Encourage getting enough sleep
- Encourage exercise and engaging in hobbies they enjoy
- Encourage proper nutrition, with discussion emphasizing nutrients and energy rather than calories and fat
- Praise them for something not related to grades, such as their kindness, creativity, or patience with others (such as grandparents or younger children)
If your teen’s mental health is negatively impacting their relationships with family and friends, schoolwork, health, or everyday functioning, it’s time to seek help.
How Can Therapy Help Your Teen?
Getting help in a timely manner can make all the difference for a struggling teen. A free consultation with our care team can help you sort out whether this is a normal phase or a sign your teen could use support.
At Thrive Hive Counseling, we specialize in teaching teenagers coping strategies and skills to boost their confidence and help them feel supported. As our name says, we want our clients to not just feel better, but to thrive!
We identify your teen’s unique strengths and use science-backed counseling techniques to help them manage anxiety, depression, anger, and stress.
Therapy sessions for teens at Thrive Hive Counseling might look like:
- Exploring their thoughts and feelings in a safe environment
- Accurately identifying their emotions
- Analyzing patterns impacting their relationships with friends, family, and themselves
- Learning how to communicate their needs in a healthy way
- Building coping skills and emotional resilience
- Building confidence
- Strengthening their sense of identity and self-esteem
- Learning mindfulness strategies
- Learning stress management strategies
- Evidence-based treatments such as CBT or EMDR (when appropriate)
We can also give guidance on how to work together with your teen and come up with an individualized plan for your family.
Not sure where to start? Book a 15-min FREE consultation with us HERE
You can also reach out to us by:
Email: [email protected]
Text: 877.331.BEES
Phone: 877.331.BEES