Clinically reviewed general information · Reviewed 2026-05-20
Parenting a teenager through a mental health struggle
Supporting your teenager is can be difficult for parents. What actually helps — from the developmental and clinical evidence.
This article is general information for adults and families. It does not replace advice from your GP, psychologist or other treating clinician.
Supporting your teenager — with anxiety, low mood, withdrawal, or something you can’t quite name — is can be difficult for parents. You want to fix it. Here’s what actually helps, from the developmental and clinical evidence.
First: it’s developmentally normal for them to pull away
Adolescence is supposed to involve separation and identity formation. Some withdrawal, moodiness, and privacy-seeking is healthy. The signs that something more is going on: a sustained change from their baseline (weeks, not days), withdrawal from things they used to love, changes to sleep/appetite, falling grades, talk of hopelessness or self-harm.
What helps: presence over solutions
The instinct is to problem-solve. But teenagers usually experience unsolicited advice as criticism. What helps more: being available without pressure, listening without immediately fixing, and tolerating their distress without panicking. ‘That sounds really hard’ lands better than ‘have you tried…’.
Keep the door open
You don’t need to extract a conversation. You need to be the safe person they come to when they’re ready. That means responding to small bids for connection (a comment, sitting near you) without making every moment about The Problem.
When to get professional help
If the change has lasted more than two weeks, if functioning is affected (school, friends, self-care), or if there’s any talk of self-harm or not wanting to be here — please seek help. Start with your GP for a Mental Health Care Plan, or call us. For teenagers in crisis: Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800.
Look after yourself too
You can’t pour from an empty cup. Parents supporting a struggling teen often need their own support — whether that’s their own therapy, a parent support group, or just permission to not have all the answers.
Several Mind Health clinicians work with adolescents and with parents. Call 1300 084 200 to find the right match.
Clinical note
If symptoms are persistent, escalating or affecting safety, daily functioning or relationships, consider speaking with a GP or psychologist. If there is immediate danger, call 000.