If your teenager is struggling with school or making social connections, or if their defiant attitude makes family togetherness feel like a punishment, they may be struggling with a mental health concern. The adolescent treatment programs at Imagine Boise can help.
Not all poor behavior is a reason to be concerned about a child’s mental health, but frequent problems affecting your child’s quality of life may indicate professional help is needed. We offer comprehensive teen mental health counseling in Boise on our friendly, welcoming campus. Call Imagine Boise at 888.597.2807 to learn more.
Which Conditions Do Teen Mental Health Counselors Treat?
Though the symptoms may present differently than they do in adults, adolescents are at risk for the same types of mental health disorders as adults.
The World Health Organization reports that one in seven adolescents around the world experiences mental health disorders, and the leading cause of death among 15 to 29-year-olds is suicide.
These disturbing statistics make the point that not only do teens struggle with mental health concerns but that teen mental health counseling is a critical service.
Many factors affect an adolescent’s mental health. Some of those factors include:
- Trauma, especially sexual violence and childhood abuse
- Bullying
- Extreme poverty
- Environment, including living in a community where violence is normalized
- Genetics
- Lack of access to mental health services
These factors and more can lead to a number of mental health disorders, such as:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Eating disorders
- Defiance disorders
- ADHD (attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder)
- PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
- Substance or alcohol use disorder
In addition to drug and alcohol use, other risk-taking behaviors that can be addressed during mental health counseling for teens include perpetrating violence, breaking the law, and sexual risk-taking. These behaviors are often unhealthy coping strategies, but they can have fatal consequences.
The World Health Organization reported that in 2019, interpersonal violence was one of the top causes of death for adolescent boys.
Signs Your Child Might Need Mental Health Counseling for Teens
Almost every adolescent—and every adult—shows signs of mental health problems now and then. An occasional bad mood does not mean it’s time to call for teen mental health counseling.
However, if mood swings, defiance, poor academic performance, or other behavioral issues are affecting your child’s quality of life, it may be time for professional help.
Some of the warning signs of mental health problems include:
- Headaches or stomach aches that don’t have a medical reason
- Feeling jumpy or on edge all the time
- Dramatic changes in sleep or eating habits or weight
- Lack of personal hygiene
- Poor self-esteem
- Extreme reaction to any failure or rejection
- Isolating, not participating in activities they enjoyed or spending time with friends
- Signs of alcohol or drug use
- Skipping school, getting poor grades, or other unusual academic behaviors
- Won’t talk to you, shutting down
- Angry outbursts
- Self-harming
- Talking about suicide
Seek the help of teen mental health counselors immediately if your child threatens or in any way indicates they are thinking about suicide as a positive solution.
The Centers for Disease Control reports that suicide is the second-leading cause of death among older adolescents, resulting in almost 100,000 deaths in people 15 to 19 years old every year. Sadly, that number has been climbing since 2007.
Contact Imagine Boise for Compassionate, Experienced Teen Mental Health Counseling
If your child needs teen mental health counseling in Boise, our programs can help. Imagine Boise offers comprehensive wellness services for adolescents with behavioral disorders, substance use disorders, and mental health concerns, such as:
- Trauma-informed care
- Medication management
- Group therapy
- Individual therapy
- family therapy
- CBT
Call Imagine Boise today at 888.597.2807 to learn more about our programs and teen-friendly campus. You can also fill out our online form and allow us to get back to you.
