It can be difficult for parents to know what is going on inside the minds of their children. There is so much change that occurs during adolescence in particular, that it can be hard to tell what is normal growing pains and what is a sign of trouble. At Palms Behavioral Health, in Harlingen, Texas, we treat adolescents with a wide range of psychiatric, emotional, and behavioral conditions. We want parents to have the tools to recognize cause for concern quickly, so that they can get their children professional support as soon as possible.
Ten Red Flags
These are simply a starting point. If something feels off with your child’s behavioral health, don’t hesitate to get them support. The sooner a problem is recognized and addressed, the more likely it is that a young person will recover quickly and completely.
- Wanting to use the internet in private. If a young person seems concerned about adults knowing what they are doing on their phone or computer, there may be reason to worry about their safety and well-being. Not only may they be violating parents’ rules for content they are allowed to access, but they could also be experiencing or perpetrating cyberbullying, or they could be engaging in activities that place them at risk for exploitation. Young people don’t always understand the risks that the internet can pose until it’s too late. Have an understanding that you can and will look through their devices and that they need to be open about their internet use. You can also use parental control apps to prevent kids from downloading phone apps that could be unhealthy or dangerous for them to have.
- Spending too much time on screens. Another facet of a child’s internet usage that parents need to consider is quantity. When an adolescent spends more time on screens, doing things besides their school work, they are at increased risk for decreased physical activity, leading to weight gain, depression, anxiety, disconnection from peers, and poor sleep
- Changes in appetite. While there may be days when your child is more or less hungry from time to time, if there is a sudden shift where your child is consistently eating more or less, this is potentially a cause for concern. Eating more or less than usual can be an early signal for a variety of concerns, such as medical issues, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and substance use
- Lying a lot. People lie, and kids are people. A little lie about things that aren’t important, once in a while, might be something you let slide. On the other hand, when a young person lies about something serious, like where they have been, who they were with, if they completed school work, etc., they may need consequences that help them recognize the importance of being trustworthy. This consequence should include a component addressing whatever they lied about. If it were homework, for example, they may lose their phone and also have to complete the work they claimed was completed.
- Sleep Challenges – Sleep disturbances can be indicative of a host of different problems, such as medical issues, sleep disorders, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), stress, and substance use
- Struggling to manage daily activities. If your child has a sudden dip in academic performance, their ability to manage their chores, or how they are handling other daily activities that they could previously handle without too much trouble, this could be a sign that something is wrong, with similar possible causes to those listed for sleep disturbances.
- Intense sadness. Teenagers are known for being moody, but if what you are seeing seems prolonged, especially out of proportion or disconnected from what is going on in your child’s world, there may be cause for alarm.
- Changes in appearance. How your child looks can be a big indicator of how they are feeling. The following could be indicators that your child is struggling: decreased attention to hygiene, changes in clothing style, wearing the same outfit over and over, not caring for their hair, substantial weight gain or loss, or wearing long-sleeved shirts or long pants, even in hot weather
- Threats to hurt themselves or others. Young people can be prone to exaggeration and being overly dramatic, which can make it easy for parents to dismiss potentially serious threats. If a young person says, writes, or posts online, anything like the following, parents should take immediate action: wanting to die, thinking of killing themselves, wanting to kill someone else, believing that their loved ones would be better off without them, or saying that everything is pointless and that nothing is ever going to get better
- Self-harm. Sometimes young people intentionally inflict pain or injuries on themselves, through cutting, scratching, stabbing, burning, hitting/punching, biting, pulling out hair, or inserting objects under their skin. If you notice signs that a young person could be doing these things or trying to conceal injuries, this requires immediate intervention. Although self-harm is not always an indication of suicidal ideation, the risk factors overlap heavily.
At Palms Behavioral Health, we offer trauma-informed inpatient and outpatient care for adolescents, adults, families, and older adults who are struggling with behavioral health. Our team is trained to support patients and their support systems in navigating their difficulties and regaining quality of life.
