How Does Poor Mental Health Affect Teenagers?

girl in a stripy tshirt lying half on a table with food on a fork

Between the ages of 13 and 19, teenage girls undergo lots of changes. They develop from being a girl to a woman which brings about lots of stressors. This can cause fluctuations in their mental health. 

Some key causes of poor mental health in teen girls include bullying, academic pressure, underlying conditions and being predisposed to mental health issues. Mental health charity, Mind, has some excellent resources on diagnosed mental health conditions in teenagers. 

This article will only deal with short-term mental health problems caused by more short-term issues. 

There are lots of ways in which poor mental health can affect teenage girls. Not just in the moment, but for the rest of their lives. So it’s important that teen anxiety and depression is closely monitored and, in some situations, treated. 

Here’s how poor mental health affects teenagers. 

School

girl at school looking bored

School staff are trained to look out for mental health changes in UK teenagers. These changes can exhibit as teens isolating themselves, a change in how interested they are in lessons or as outright as actively disrupting lessons. 

Teenager’s relationship with school can dramatically change if they have a negative change in their mental health. This, of course, then causes a change in their grades which could impact the rest of their lives. 

Their decline in mental health may even be caused by factors at school: changes in friend groups, bullying or being socially isolated. 

Family

family party outdoors

When a teenager has poor mental health, like depression or anxiety, familial relationships may also become strained. 

You may find that your teenager is actively starting arguments and you’re struggling to relate to them. This can cause tension in the home and a decline in the mental health of everyone involved. 

Unicef suggests four ways you can support your teen’s mental health, including:

  1. Encourage them to share their feelings
  2. Take the time to support them
  3. Work through conflict together
  4. Care for yourself

Friends 

two girls on a phone smiling

Poor mental health can also affect teenagers’ friend groups. Sometimes, being isolated from them can cause poor mental health. 

A teen with poor mental health is likely to not seek out friends and to further isolate themselves. 

Poor Sleep Patterns

girl with duvet cover over her

A teenager with poor mental health is likely to have poor sleep patterns. Not getting enough sleep leads to low mood and less ability to manage emotions. They may try to make up for that by sleeping through the day, but then they’ll struggle to sleep that night. 

Ensuring teens have a clear routine will help to ensure that they have a good sleep schedule and the brain can repair itself overnight. 

Disinterest In Hobbies

teen girls celebrating while playing sport

Having a hobby is tied to better health and wellbeing. However, a teenager with depression or social anxiety may struggle to go to hobbies or to create new ones. 

Hobbies which involve leaving the house and socialising with like-minded people are best. But the good news is you don’t need to leave the house to start creating hobbies. Some good at-home options include yoga classes from YouTube, crafting (painting, embroidery, colouring) and more. 

Summary

Poor mental health affects a teenager’s whole life. From school to family relationships and everything in between. 

It’s important to tackle this early to ensure that bad habits, like poor sleep and lack of hobbies, aren’t taken into adulthood. 

If you’re worried about underlying health conditions, visit the Mind website, where there are lots of helpful resources. 

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