Teen Mental Health
Educational information. Individual clinical review of this presentation by Dr. Ehsan is not yet documented. It does not replace personal medical evaluation.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Read the original source
MedlinePlus data edition September 26, 2026. Imported September 27, 2026. These dates do not indicate a new clinical review of the article.
Being a teenager is hard. You're under stress to be liked, do well in school, get along with your family, and make big decisions. You can't avoid most of these pressures, and worrying about them is normal. But feeling very sad, hopeless or worthless could be warning signs of a mental health problem.
Mental health problems are real, painful, and sometimes severe. You might need help if you have the signs mentioned above, or if you:
- Often feel very angry or very worried
- Feel grief for a long time after a loss or death
- Think your mind is controlled or out of control
- Use alcohol or drugs
- Exercise, diet and/or binge-eat obsessively
- Hurt other people or destroy property
- Do reckless things that could harm you or others
- Feel depressed (sad and hopeless)
Mental health problems can be treated. To find help, talk to your parents, school counselor, or health care provider.
Symptoms, tests and care options
Further reading selected by MedlinePlus. Links open the original organizations’ websites.
- Antidepressants for Children and Teens · Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation · American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for Teens · Nemours Foundation
- Going to a Therapist · Nemours Foundation
- Mental Health Screening · National Library of Medicine
- Teen Mental Health: How to Know When Your Child Needs Help · American Academy of Pediatrics
Questions for your care team
General prompts to help prepare for your appointment.
- How does this information apply to my situation?
- Which symptoms or results need evaluation?
- Which tests are useful, and what can they tell us?
- What care options, benefits, and risks should we discuss?
- When should I seek urgent help, and whom should I call?
- When is follow-up, and how will we know whether the plan is working?
For a life-threatening emergency, call 911 in the U.S. or your local emergency number.
Browse all patient guides