It’s normal during this time for teens to feel sad or even to cry sometimes because they miss their friends or because sports and musical productions were canceled. However, your teen likely could benefit from extra support if they have:

• Changes in mood that are not usual for your child, such as ongoing irritability, feelings of hopelessness or rage, and frequent conflicts with friends or family.
• Changes in behavior, such as stepping back from personal relationships. If your ordinarily outgoing teen shows little interest in texting or video chatting with their friends stuck at home, for example, this might be cause for concern. 
• A lack of interest in activities previously enjoyed. Has your music-loving child suddenly stopped wanting to practice the guitar? Has your child lost all interest in cooking and baking when previously s/he was an aspiring chef?
• A hard time falling or staying asleep, or starting to sleep all the time.
• Changes in weight or eating patterns, such as never being hungry or eating all the time. 
• Problems with memory, thinking, or concentration.
• Changes in appearance, such as lack of basic personal hygiene? Be sure to keep in mind that many of us are doing slightly less grooming during this time at home! 
• An increase in risky or reckless behavior, such as doing drugs or alcohol. 
• Thoughts about death or suicide or more time spent talking about it (see “A word about suicide risk in teens,” below). 

Remember

Parents set the tone in their household. Expressing extreme doom or fear can affect teens. Try to stay positive and relay consistent messages that even though times are challenging, a brighter future lies ahead. Keep lines of communication open between you and your teen, and don’t hesitate to talk with your pediatrician about ways to help maintain your family’s mental health during this difficult time. 

A word about suicide risk in teens

Not everyone who considers suicide will talk about it, and not everyone who talks about suicide will act on their words. However, any talk about suicide should be taken seriously. If you are worried about your teen, it is critical to make your home safe by removing weapons and ammunition from the house and securing medications in a locked cabinet. 

Seek help immediately by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK or texting the Crisis Text Line by texting “TALK” to 741741.

Reserve 911 for situations where self-harming actions are actually happening or you believe may be imminent. In a non-crisis situation, talk with your pediatrician about any concerns you have about your teen’s mental health. 

Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) 

KCSC’s therapeutic interventions for children and adolescents are TBRI-informed. TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) is an attachment-based, trauma-informed intervention, designed to meet the complex needs of children who have had hard experiences. TBRI uses empowering principles to address physical needs, connecting principles for attachment needs, and correcting principles to disarm fear-based behaviors. While the intervention is based on over 50 years of attachment, sensory processing, and neuroscience research, the heartbeat of TBRI is connection.