I wonder how many of us look back on our teenage years with fond memories? Sure there are some great things about being a teenager, the freedom, a fired-up metabolism, and long summer holidays. But there are also memories of awkward moments and challenges that we would rather forget about.

There is a lot of pressure on teenagers. There is the expectation to do well at school and figure out what the future looks like in terms of uni or a job. There are friendships to cultivate and peer pressure to avoid. Teenagers have to learn to develop a healthy relationship with social media. And then there is dating, hormones, and fitting in while still wanting to be an individual. Is it any wonder that our teens can get a bit down, anxious or stressed?

Self care

Our young people are busy, so we need to remind them to look after themselves. In the spirit of mental health awareness week, I have put together a list of things our teens can do to boost serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins. The happiness chemicals.

• Eat good food regularly 
• Exercise
• Breath, meditate or pray
• Pat a dog or cat 
• Give someone a hug
• Watch a comedy
• Eat dark chocolate
• Get some fresh air
• Take on a challenge
• Socialise
• Do something nice for someone else
• Break activities into small chunks and celebrate the wins
• Change your posture
• Write in a gratitude journal
• Sleep
• Listen to music
• Practice some yoga or do some stretches  
• Talk to a friend about how you are feeling

Depression and anxiety symptoms

Having a bad day or two is pretty normal for teenagers, but when it turns into weeks it may be something more. It is interesting to point out that depression in teenagers doesn’t always look like sadness, in fact, anger and irritability are common symptoms.

Symptoms of anxiety and depression can also look like changes in sleep habits and appetite, unexplained headaches or body aches, trouble concentrating and a loss of interest in hobbies or activities that they used to like doing. Some teens might not want to spend time with their friends or family and would rather isolate themselves. They may have suicidal thoughts and express these. Please take any comments seriously, and talk them out with your young person. It won’t plant ideas in their head about suicide, it will give them the attention and support they need.

If you think your teen needs professional help a good place to start is by taking them to their doctor, where they can get a referral to a counsellor, access to resources, and medication if necessary.

Resources for teenagers.

• www.thinkladder.com
• depression.org.nz
• calmharm.co.uk
• iamhope.org.nz
• youthline.co.nz