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Building a Long-Term Support Network for Your Child Conditions

Author:
Jemma Strain
Jemma Strain
B.S. Psychology
Editor:
Emma Loker
Emma Loker
B.S.
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Supportive relationships can make all the difference in a teen’s mental health recovery. In fact, research even shows that feeling supported can help us cope with and recover from challenges such as stress, depression, and anxiety.1 

Think of relationships as a comfortable pair of shoes. Shoes can give comfort and stability, even when we encounter rocky or challenging terrain. In the same way, loving, safe relationships also provide support during times of need. We can rely on them to help us get through life’s rough patches and come out the other side. 

Yet, when we don’t feel like we have social support, we may be more at risk of developing mental health conditions. Plus, when a teen has emotional challenges, a lack of perceived support can worsen mental health issues. 

If you’re concerned about your child’s mental health, you may be wondering how to help them build a long-term support network to help protect them against the storm of their emotions. However, you may not know where to start. Professional mental health advice is on hand to guide you through this process. This article can also help by covering:

  • What a support network for teens is
  • 6 tips for building your child’s support network
  • Where to find parenting support and mental health resources
  • Professional support options for teen mental health
  • When to reach out to professional teen mental health services
Building a Long-Term Support Network for Your Child

What Is a Support Network for Teens?

A support network for teens is more than just giving them a shoulder to cry on; it’s a network of people and resources they can turn to during times of need. According to the World Health Organization, teenagers are more at risk of developing a mental health condition if they feel isolated, excluded, or discriminated against.2 They might feel like they have no one to turn to to celebrate their wins or mourn their losses. 

Yet, when a teenager has a mental health condition, such as anxiety or depression, they might feel a lack of motivation and fear being judged for what they’re going through.3 Feeling in such ways can cause them to pull back from others, including family and friends. 

As humans, we’re wired to connect with other people. This isn’t simply a “want,” it’s a core need. When we feel socially isolated, we not only lack people to talk to, but we also feel like we can’t turn to anyone when we need them. As a result, a teenager with a mental health condition might feel lonely, but the symptoms of their mental health condition could also worsen.4

In contrast, the National Institute of Mental Health reports that social support helps a teen feel like they belong and are valued, supported, and guided through challenges. In other words, they know that they can rely on others to be there for them when they need them. A strong social support system acts as a safety net, buffering against the effects of mental health challenges and stress. 

Yet, if you’re concerned that your child is withdrawing from others due to their mental health issues, you might not know how to help them strengthen their support system. The information in the next section can help. 

6 Tips for Building Support for Teenage Mental Health

As discussed, supportive relationships can help teenagers feel safe and let them know they have someone to turn to when needed. This means that they feel emotionally, physically, and practically supported. A mental health professional can talk to you and your child about building support for teenage mental health. The following information can also help. 

1. Talk to Your Teen About How They’d Like to Be Supported

Support means the most when it’s meaningful to a teen. For instance, they might want more emotional support rather than practical – or vice versa. Showing that you’re taking a genuine interest in their wants and needs lets them know they have your support, and can get the ball rolling in other areas. Plus, an additional benefit of talking to your teen about how they’d like to be supported is that it can empower them and improve the outcomes of treatment.5

2. Think About Who to Include in a Teen Mental Health Support Plan

Building a team for teen wellness includes considering its members. Anyone involved in the teen’s life can be a part of their support network, especially if they’re someone the teen trusts. For example, people such as the following may be able to provide them with support:

  • Parents
  • Friends
  • Siblings
  • Grandparents
  • Aunts and uncles
  • Mental health professionals
  • Teachers and other educators
  • School counselors
  • Community leaders
  • Neighbours 
  • Coaches
Even pets can act as a part of a teen’s support network. Pets have been shown to improve teens’ emotional and social skills, and can even reduce stress and the risk of physical illness.6 A pet may not be able to listen to a young person’s worries, but stroking their fur and being in their company can act as a useful and comforting grounding technique.

3. Find Resources

Not every teen will have a pool of people to draw from when building their support network. Some may need help finding new resources and groups of people. This may especially be the case for those with issues such as depression, as they may have pulled back from people they know. You could help your teen build their network by encouraging them to join extracurricular activities, such as sports clubs or hobby groups. Additionally, mental health support groups can help teens with mental health conditions feel better understood, as well as provide a listening ear and advice during times of need. 

4. Establish Boundaries

It may feel counterproductive to create boundaries when trying to build your teen’s support system, but teenagers tend to feel safer when limits in relationships are clearly established. You’re not there to be their best friend; you’re there to support them, provide guidance, and give unconditional love. 

Establishing boundaries with a teen can be easier if you know your own first. Think about when and where you can be available for them and clearly and empathetically communicate this. Doing so can reduce the chance of disappointment or conflict. Plus, once you set boundaries and clearly communicate them, it’s important to maintain consistency; a teen will likely feel safe and more trusting when their environment is predictable.  

5. Help Them Maintain Support

Long-term support for teenage depression means maintaining contact with the people in their lives. Due to the nature of their mental health condition, your child may fluctuate in their level of interest in spending time with others. As the saying goes, ”The only way to have a friend is to be one.” Therefore, their peers are more likely to support them if they feel supported in return. This doesn’t mean big or demanding gestures; instead, small acts count. Encourage them to return texts, listen to others, and reach out.

6. Check In Regularly

It’s normal for a teen’s sense of support to fluctuate – people naturally rotate in and out of other people’s lives. However, you, as their parent, will be a constant. You are their anchor when things feel turbulent. Check in with your child regularly to see how they feel and whether they need extra support. Try not to be offended if there are days when they’re less willing to open up; just try again the next day. It’s normal for teens to have mood swings, but you may be able to detect when they’re going through a particularly low time with their mental health. 

Building a Long-Term Support Network for Your Child

Parenting and Mental Health Resources

Parent support in teenage mental health matters just as much as supporting your child. You can’t expect to constantly sacrifice your needs and not encounter your own challenges. For instance, research shows that parents’ mental health can impact that of a child’s – so you’ll be better able to support your teen if you’re mentally healthy.7

There are a variety of family support groups that can help you feel listened to and understood. What’s more, these groups can offer you advice in helping build your teen’s support network while also looking after your own well-being. Mission Prep offers a range of family support groups, including ones that focus on preparing for treatment, how to be involved in care, and looking after your own mental health. 

Additionally, family therapy can be an excellent resource for parent and teen mental health support. Being actively involved in your child’s mental health not only increases the chance that they’ll be willing to accept therapy, but it can also improve the outcomes of treatment. Family engagement can also boost the family bond, helping both you and your teen feel supported every step of the way.8 

How to Help Your Teen With Mental Health: Finding the Right Support

Support for youth mental health doesn’t only mean building their network of family and friends – although this certainly matters. If your child is struggling to cope with a mental health condition that is affecting their ability to function in everyday life, they may need professional mental health support. 

Mental health is a key part of human health, and emotional issues can get worse if left untreated.9 Networking for teenage mental wellness includes helping them find the right professional support for their needs – but professional support isn’t always created equally. 

Comprehensive mental health care involves taking a “whole person” approach to mental health. This means looking at emotional, physical, and social support. Mission Prep’s team of professionals takes this holistic stance and provides guidance on therapies, lifestyle changes, and social support. We also provide family support for teen anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. Our team can talk to you and your teen about the following therapy options. 

Teen Mental Health Support: Therapy Options

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): A professional will likely discuss the option of CBT with you and your child. CBT is both popular and effective in the treatment of a range of mental health conditions as it works by targeting teens’ thoughts and actions. Through this, it helps identify negative patterns and helps teens build healthy ways of coping. Trauma-focused CBT can also help a teen overcome troubling issues from their past. 
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): As a parent, you may be aware of how your child’s previous experiences, such as trauma, could be contributing to their mental health difficulties. EMDR is an effective way of treating trauma as it changes how these memories are stored in the brain, helping a teen move past trauma and form more positive beliefs.
  • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: TMS can be effective in treating treatment-resistant mental health conditions. It’s a non-invasive therapy that uses magnetic fields to activate nerve cells in targeted areas of the brain – improving outlook and mood. 
  • Family therapy: While relationships are a key factor in long-term support for teenage depression and anxiety, a teen’s mental health issues can affect their ability to communicate with others. Family therapy – such as interpersonal family therapy – focuses on the core system in a teen’s life to improve their support and develop better ways of coping with their mental health. 
  • Group therapy: Group therapy can be an excellent resource for helping a teen build their social skills and boost their support network. It provides guided opportunities for teens to share their experiences, feel listened to, and learn healthy ways of coping. 

Each of these therapies can be delivered as part of a residential or outpatient treatment program, depending on a teen’s needs. 

Building a Long-Term Support Network for Your Child

Reach Out to Professional Teen Mental Health Services

Mission Prep cares about your teen’s mental health and has helped many families feel supported and understood during challenging times. Building support for teenage mental health requires more than just boosting their social network – it also means finding family support for anxiety, depression, trauma, or any other issue affecting the family unit. 

Our residential centers in California and Virginia provide meaningful support for teens and their families – including medication supervision if needed. These nurturing environments are not about isolation, they’re about connection. If you want to be a part of your child’s treatment, Mission Prep will encourage and facilitate this. 

Our team also provides more than residential treatment. For instance, if you and your teen prefer flexible outpatient services, such as telehealth therapy, we can work with you to suit your schedule. 

The psychologist Martin Seligman once said, “Well-being is a combination of feeling good as well as actually having meaning, good relationships, and accomplishment.” This is a sentiment Mission Prep upholds. Reach out to our team if you’re ready to take the next step in your child’s mental health journey or even if you have any more questions about what we can offer. 

References

  1. American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Manage stress: Strengthen your support network. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/manage-social-support
  2. World Health Organization. (2024, October 10). Mental health of adolescents. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health
  3. Andersen, M. M., Varga, S., & Folker, A. P. (2022). On the definition of stigma. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 28(5), 847. https://doi.org/10.1111/jep.13684
  4. Berg, S. (2023, September 15). What doctors wish patients knew about social isolation. American Medical Association. https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/what-doctors-wish-patients-knew-about-social-isolation
  5. Lukoševičiūtė-Barauskienė, J., Žemaitaitytė, M., Šūmakarienė, V., & Šmigelskas, K. (2023). Adolescent Perception of Mental Health: It’s Not Only about Oneself, It’s about Others Too. Children, 10(7), 1109. https://doi.org/10.3390/children10071109
  6. National Institutes of Health. (2018, February). The power of pets: Health benefits of human-animal interactions. NIH News in Health. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2018/02/power-pets
  7. Ryan, R., O’Farrelly, C., & Ramchandani, P. (2017). Parenting and child mental health. London Journal of Primary Care, 9(6), 86–94. https://doi.org/10.1080/17571472.2017.1361630
  8. Berry, K. R., Gliske, K., Schmidt, C., Ballard, J., Killian, M., & Fenkel, C. (2023). The Impact of Family Therapy Participation on Youths and Young Adult Engagement and Retention in a Telehealth Intensive Outpatient Program: Quality Improvement Analysis. JMIR Formative Research, 7, e45305. https://doi.org/10.2196/45305
  9. Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. (2021, January 13). Understanding mental health as a public health issue. https://publichealth.tulane.edu/blog/mental-health-public-health/



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