How to talk with teenagers about Mental Health

It can be hard for young people to open up to a parent or another trusted about mental health. It is our responsibility to to honour their courage, show empathy and listen to what they are sharing.

Preparing for such a conversation beforehand can help parents feel ready when that conversation arises, making it possible to have a productive and supportive conversation with your teenager.

Following are some examples of what parents can avoid saying, and what they can say 👇

Instead of saying “You’ll grow out of it” 👉 Say “That sounds really difficult”

Instead of saying “You have nothing to feel sad about” 👉 Say “Can you tell me more about what is going on?”

Instead of saying “That’s not normal” 👉 Say “How does what we spoke about make you feel?”

Instead of saying “Don’t tell anyone else about this” 👉 Say “I’m glad you felt able to talk to me about this”

Instead of saying “Just get over it” 👉 Say “Do you have any ideas about what you’d like us to do next? It’s ok if not”

Instead of saying “Go distract yourself by (playing games, reading books, texting etc)” 👉 Say “I’m here for you”