Signs Your Naperville (IL) Teen Needs Counseling
Stress is a part of life and something few of us can wholly avoid. When it becomes chronic, however, it can lead to changes in the brain that affect behavior, mood and memory and cause anxiety and depression.
These conditions can become especially pronounced during the teen years. Like young people nationwide in recent years, teens in Naperville have contended with major stressors from sources such as COVID-19, cyberbullying and excessive screen time – all within an often contentious political atmosphere.
If teen anxiety and depression linger for too long, they can become debilitating and even fatal. According to an article by UCLA Health, because of the vulnerabilities that attend their social and developmental standing, teens and young adults have the highest rates of suicide compared to other ages.
If you have a teen battling anxiety or depression, you have hope and support. Eunoia Counseling provides personal, caring counseling for restoring a sense of wellness through meaningful coping and stress management strategies for teens.
Naperville (IL) Teen Depression and Anxiety: Indicators
Some Naperville teens might suffer anxiety or depression for a short time. Others might find it a constant presence they cannot avoid. While no single predisposing factor can predict who will have difficulty with mental health and who will not, the good news is that all young people can gain the tools they need for managing teen depression and anxiety.
Some teens might not want to openly discuss their mental health. If that is the case with your adolescent, you can still be a valuable advocate by recognizing signs of adolescent depression or anxiety such as:
- falling grades
- loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
- weight loss or decreasing appetite
- too little or too much sleep
- irritability and angry outbursts
- frequent crying and mood swings
- increasing isolation
- problems with body image
- ignoring personal hygiene
- promiscuity
These are all indicators that a teen may be deeply hurting inside. If you notice any of them, you can show that you care and that you are a safe person to confide in. It is a time to be patient and calm with the teen while reserving judgments and opinions. You might even share your own past or current struggles with anxiety or depression.
Even if your teen does not acknowledge it to you, your support will be noticed. You can identify yourself as an ally who can help further guide your teen to people they can open up to in developing meaningful coping skills.
What Is Perfectionism in Teens?
Having self-expectations and wishing to achieve are desirable attributes for a growing teen, as is striving for excellence. However, a need for approval or control can sometimes lurk beneath that drive. It becomes unhealthy when it turns into a compulsion to be perfect not to benefit the self but to gain approval from others.
For teens, a competitive atmosphere can often add to this self-imposed pressure. An earnest effort might give way to a great fear of failure and mistakes and a feeling that performance determines self-worth.
Perfectionism in teens can further lead to being highly critical or negative toward others they see as not perfect, which can be taxing on mental health as well. If left unchecked, perfectionism in teens can lead to burn-out, depression and anxiety.
Eunoia Counseling provides the support and skills for managing perfectionism in teens. By connecting with us, your teen can make great strides toward a healthy self-image and a greater appreciation and enjoyment of their achievements.
We also assist parents in recognizing perfectionism in teens and guiding them toward a more peaceful and constructive mindset.
Counselors for Naperville (IL) Adolescent Depression & Anxiety: Contact Us Today
Being from the Naperville region, our teen counselors at Eunoia Counseling understand the environment, pressures and stressors that might affect a Naperville teen. We look to ease your adolescent’s concerns right away by establishing a safe, private atmosphere where they can openly express themselves and be heard.
We also provide the coping and stress management strategies that will be the most adaptive to your teen’s circumstances. We want your Naperville teen to overcome their anxiety or depression and live their best life. To learn more about managing teen anxiety and depression, contact us at (630) 340-8747 or info@eunoiacounselingnaperville.com.
