Teen Mental Health: When to Seek Help

The BBC recently published a feature on teen mental health, asking an important question: when is it time to seek professional support, and when are challenges simply part of growing up?

As the article highlights, many teenage experiences — mood swings, irritability, anxiety about friendships or exams, even withdrawing for privacy — are a normal part of adolescence. While these can be worrying for parents to watch, they do not always require therapy.

At Insight Youth, we know it can be hard for parents to judge when support is needed. Sometimes the challenges young people face are part of the normal ups and downs of growing up, and in those cases our role is often to reassure families. At other times, difficulties are more persistent or severe, and that’s when therapeutic support can make a real difference. By helping families make this distinction, we can ensure young people who most need support are able to access it quickly.

Professionals quoted in the BBC piece suggest looking out for signs that do warrant professional help, such as:

• Persistent withdrawal from activities a young person once enjoyed

• Dramatic changes in mood, eating or sleeping

• Expressions of hopelessness or thoughts of self-harm

• Problems severe enough to stop a young person attending school or socialising

  
  

Parents and carers can play a powerful role too. Listening without rushing to “fix,” keeping healthy routines around sleep, food and activity, and encouraging small steps towards resilience can make a big difference.

We encourage families to read the full BBC article and use it as a guide. It may help decide whether Insight Youth is the right place to turn, or whether gentle support at home is more appropriate.

👉 Read the full article on BBC News

For further guidance and self-help resources, parents may also find the following useful:

• Young Minds – Parent Helpline & Resources

• NHS – Mental Health Support for Children and Young People