Twelve Talks to
Have With Teens
Mental Health
Mental health is the state of well-being in our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Teens, like everyone, have good days and bad days.
In Jefferson County, 7% of high schoolers report having ever used a prescription drug not prescribed to them (HKCS 2023).
Everyone experiences challenges. Stress, anxiety, distressing experiences, chemical imbalances, genetics, and our environment can create challenges to positive mental health.
According to the CDC, some key elements to healthy coping include: making time to unwind, taking care of your body, connecting with others, and finding ways to calm stress and anxiety. The American Psychological Association has some additional suggestions you can discuss with your teen.
Seeking help when needed is a sign of strength. Teens and caregivers have a wide range of choices available to support mental health, including diet, exercise, professional care, and medication. If the first thing you try does not feel right, there are a variety of other options. What is most important is to find an option (or options) that works best for your teen.
Positive mental health allows us to feel good about life, supporting our ability to participate in daily activities and accomplish our goals.
Video - What your teen wants you to know. A message to you from Colorado teens
Open Ended Questions
Here are some open ended questions you can use to talk to your teen about mental health:
- How can I be there for you?
- What is one thing I can do to support you?
- What do you wish I really understood about you?
- What do you do when you are dealing with challenges like stress or anxiety?
- How do your friends handle mental health issues when they come up in their families?
- What kinds of conversations do you and your friends have about depression?
- What makes you hopeful about the future?
Conversation Starters
Ask open ended questions that cannot be answered with yes, no, or just a single word.
- Instead of “How are you?” try “Tell me about your day.”
- Instead of “Are you okay?” try “What is something you would like to do together?”
- Instead of “What is wrong?” try “Looks like something is wrong. What is going on?”
Notice mental health issues in the media. When you hear something on a show, a movie, or a song that implies people should “get over it” or “toughen up” when experiencing mental health challenges, ask your teen what they think.
Send a text to your teen asking them what they think about the youth section of the Colorado Crisis Services website and, if they are open to it, watch some of the videos together.
When a high-profile suicide happens, or if someone your teen knows dies by suicide, talk about it. It is a common misconception that asking about suicidal thoughts will plant ideas; talking about suicide does not increase the risk of developing suicidal thoughts.
Ask yourself
Are you aware of helpful ways to phrase comments? Remember, challenges with mental health cannot be willed away. Resist the desire to tell someone to “snap out of it” or “get tough.” People brave enough to open up about their challenges are not merely seeking attention. Our own attitudes shape how we respond to others who come to us for help.
Do you feel like you have to have all the answers? You do not! The fact that you are there can make a world of difference. It is okay to just listen. Your teen may want very specific help, which you can help them find, or no help at all. Either way, you can always ask and be open to the answer.
Are you sharing your ups and downs, too? Talk about the stress and challenges you face, including how you cope with those challenges in healthy ways. Encourage your teen to talk with you about their challenges.
Does your teen know where to go for help? You might share this video with information about how your teen or their friends can reach out to Colorado Crisis Services when they need someone to talk to, even if they are not in a crisis. Ask your teen why they or their friends might use the service.
Data included on this page includes:
Healthy Kids Colorado Survey 2023 (HKCS 2023)
Jefferson County Communities That Care Youth Town Hall 2024 (YTH 2024)
