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How Teachers Can Identify Early Warning Signs of Mental Illness in Students

Jemma Strain
Published: 03/14/2025 | Updated: 12/14/2025
Authored by: Jemma Strain, B.S. Psychology
Edited by: Emma Loker, BSc, PgDip
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Teachers aren’t just guides for helping students perform and achieve academically; they’re also pillars of support for teenagers who may be coping with mental health difficulties. 

Unfortunately, mental health conditions in high school students are on the rise. In the last ten years, issues such as anxiety and depression have become commonplace in teenagers, affecting their emotions and behaviors in the classroom and beyond.1

Mental health issues can have both short and long-term effects on students’ well-being, relationships, and academic performance. As a teacher, you may be well placed to spot the early warning signs of mental illness in students – but might feel unsure what to do about it if you do. 

Support and advice are available to you, but this article can also help by covering…

  • How to identify early mental illness signs in students
  • Ways to spot anxiety and depression in schoolchildren
  • How to help students with early mental health concerns
  • When to seek help for warning signs of mental illness in the classroom
early warning signs of mental illness in students

Identifying Early Mental Illness Signs in Students

There are a wide range of mental health conditions that can affect a student’s well-being. Also, as each student is individual, with different personalities and experiences, early mental illness signs in the classroom can vary from teen to teen and condition. 

However, the following are general signs of mental health issues in students. These signs can help teachers recognize if there’s a problem and whether early intervention is needed. 

Extreme Mood Shifts:

Mood swings are a normal part of being a teenager; hormonal shifts and rapid physical changes can lead to quick ups and downs in emotions. Yet, conditions like depression can contribute to persistent feelings of sadness, or regularly acting in unpredictable ways. Therefore, extreme mood swings or long lasting shifts in personality and mood may indicate a mental health issue in a student.2

Emotional Outbursts:

As well as mood shifts, it’s also possible that a student experiencing mental health difficulties will show surges of emotions, such as anger, aggression, or tearfulness. It’s not unusual for a teen to show outbursts of emotions from time to time. But, if anger or sadness becomes a go-to response to stressful situations, this could indicate an underlying problem.3

Difficulty Managing Stress:

Students regularly experience stressful situations. From preparing for exams, to managing social situations, stress is a normal part of the teenage experience. However, everyone manages stress differently, and being able to cope with it is an important part of good well-being. 

If a student finds coping with stress hard, it may affect their mental health. For instance, they may feel highly anxious or worried, find controlling their emotions difficult, or struggle to fall or stay asleep. Issues such as these are known to contribute to conditions such as depression and anxiety.4

Low Energy:

One of the earliest warning signs of mental health issues in teens is low energy or fatigue. Mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety can affect a student’s ability to fall or stay asleep, or reduce the quality of deep sleep. These sleep issues can be caused by stress, going over and over anxious thoughts, and even changes to the structure of the brain. 

Moreover, the relationship between mental health and sleep goes two ways. Roughly 75% of people with mental health conditions like depression struggle with sleep problems. Plus, if a student struggles to sleep, they’re more likely to develop mental health issues. A lack of restorative sleep affects emotional resilience, so consistent tiredness in a student may indicate something deeper going on.5,6 

Withdrawal From Friends:

Social circles are important to a teenager’s well-being, sense of identity, and self-esteem. Isolating or withdrawing from friends could be caused by various emotional factors. For example, a student might fear losing control of emotions around others, they may feel too tired to engage with other people, or anxious thoughts might be affecting their self-esteem.7

Therefore, if you notice a student spending increasing amounts of time alone before and after school, during lunchbreaks, or between classes, this may indicate mental health issues. 

Frequent Physical Illnesses:

The mind and body are highly connected. So, even though many people consider mental health issues to be purely “emotional” problems, they often cause physical symptoms. If a student regularly complains of bodily ailments, such as stomach pains, headaches, or muscle tension, they may be experiencing mental health concerns. These physical issues may lead to frequent visits to the school nurse or regular absences from school – and they don’t tend to have any clear medical explanation.8

These early mental illness signs could potentially indicate a wide range of mental health conditions. However, it may also benefit to recognize the specific signs of the most common adolescent mental health conditions: anxiety and depression. 

Spotting Anxiety and Depression in Schoolchildren

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in students, closely followed by depression. While both of these conditions are distinct, they also frequently overlap; having one condition makes it more likely a teen will develop the other. This is especially the case if anxiety or depression go untreated.9,10

As anxiety and depression can cause serious problems for a student’s emotional and physical health, as well as academic performance, it may be important to recognize the signs of each.

How to Spot Anxiety in Students

Anxiety can cause emotional and behavioral symptoms in students, which can lead to warning signs of mental illness in the classroom such as:11-13

  • Tiredness or fatigue:     Anxiety can cause problems sleeping, due to going round and round mentally about worries, often leading to frequent tiredness at school. 
  • Difficulties concentrating: Tiredness and mental distraction in anxiety can lead to issues with focus and concentration, potentially causing difficulties completing school tasks and following instructions. 
  • Restlessness: Students with anxiety may feel constantly “on edge,” or be regularly on the look out for threats in their environment. This may cause “twitchy” body language, intense sweating, or restlessness. 
  • Reassurance seeking: It’s normal for a student to ask for reassurance from time to time, but students with anxiety may get caught in a “reassurance trap.” Meaning a teen may ask for non-stop consolation that they’re completing a task right or that nothing is going to go wrong. 
  • Physical ailments: Anxiety causes teenagers to enter “fight or flight” mode as they believe themselves to be under threat. However, since there’s no resolution to these threats, high levels of cortisol can lead to physical illnesses such as stomach pains, headaches, and digestive issues. 
  • Problems managing emotions: Feeling constantly on edge, tired, and worried can lead to outbursts of emotions such as irritability, anger, or sadness. 
  • Panic attacks: Occasions in which a student experiences a rapid heartbeat, intense sweating, lightheadedness, and quick breathing.  
  • Withdrawal: A student with anxiety may feel particularly socially anxious, so may pull back from spending time with friends and school staff. 

Each of these school-based symptoms of anxiety stem from intense, uncontrollable worries about the past, present, and future. If you’re concerned about anxiety in a student, advice and guidance are available to help you. 

How to Spot Depression in Students

Similar to anxiety, depression can cause emotional and behavioral problems which can be spotted in the classroom or at school. 

Depression is a serious mental health condition that can affect a student’s physical and emotional health and well-being. Early intervention for depression is key for the best outcomes – if you notice the following signs in a student, there is advice and support available to you. 

The typical signs of depression in students are:14,15

  • Changes to personality or mood:     A student trying to cope with depression may frequently seem overwhelmed by negative emotions such as sadness, or for periods longer than two weeks. This may be because they’re battling against feelings of hopelessness. 
  • Fatigue: Increased stress, negative thoughts, and changes to the brain can lead to problems with sleep, causing ongoing tiredness. 
  • Loss of energy or motivation: Depression can lead to a lack of interest in or motivation to engage in classroom activities or schoolwork. 
  • Difficulties concentrating or remembering: Due to tiredness and changes to the brain, a teen with depression may find it difficult to focus and remember information.
  • Talking in negative ways about themselves: Depression can cause self-blame and esteem issues, so a teen may speak about themselves poorly, such as saying “I’m no good. I’ll never be able to do this.” Or, they might say “I’m a failure.”
  • Changes in appearance: A lack of self-care can lead to a change in how a student looks, such as a drop in hygiene or weight changes. Plus, starting to cover their body, even in hot weather, could indicate risky behaviors like self-harm. 
  • Difficulties controlling emotions: Frequent outbursts at school, such as irritation, frustration, or sadness, can be a sign of depression in a student. These outbursts often might have no clear trigger. 
  • Isolation: Spending increasing amounts of time alone at lunch break and before or after school can indicate an underlying problem like depression. 

In addition to these signs, students with depression may talk, write, or hint about taking their own life or “not being around anymore.” It’s important to seek immediate help if this is the case. 
Teenagers showing early warning signs of mental illness

Helping Students With Early Mental Health Concerns

Many schools have support systems in place to help students cope with anything that affects their educational performance – including their mental and physical health. If you’re concerned about a student’s mental health, you can…

Schools often work in collaboration with community mental health services. If you’re unsure if this is the case, you can talk to a school safeguarding or well-being staff member who can let you know what policies are in place around student mental health. These services provide mental health guidance and support to students, and can discuss therapy options with them and their families to ensure their needs are met. 

Therapy Options for Mental Health Concerns in Teenagers

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is proven to be effective in treating many teen mental health conditions. It works by targeting teens’ thoughts and actions, identifying negative patterns, and helping them build healthy ways of coping. A school counselor may also use CBT techniques.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Sometimes, a teen may experience mental health issues if they’ve experienced negative events, such as trauma. 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.

Interpersonal Therapy

A teen’s relationships can contribute to mental health difficulties. Interpersonal therapy can help them work through these issues and figure out better ways of coping to improve their mental health.

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.

The most suitable therapy option for a student will depend on their specific issues and experiences. An initial assessment with a mental health professional can get to the root of these issues and shed light on the best route to take. 

Teacher recognising the early warning signs of mental illness in students

When to Seek Help for Warning Signs of Mental Illness in the Classroom

If you’re a teacher, the idea of coping with a student’s mental health might feel daunting, but schools have procedures in place to help you. Plus, professional mental health advice is available. It’s important not to wait if you’re concerned about a student’s wellbeing – early intervention is key. It can help a student understand their issues and learn healthy skills and ways of coping for moving forward and reducing the impact of mental health conditions. 

Mission Prep can guide and advise teenagers, their families, and educators who are concerned about mental health. We offer a variety of treatment options based on a range of mental health conditions. Our approaches are empathetic, flexible, and tailored to a student’s specific needs – and we can offer them in various locations. Mission Prep’s team is available 24/7 to answer any questions or concerns, even if you decide that our services aren’t right for your needs. Contact us today to learn more. 

References

  1. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2022). 2022 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK587174/
  2. Stanford Children’s Health. (n.d.). Mood disorders in teens. https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=mood-disorders-in-teens-90-P01634
  3. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (n.d.). Outbursts, irritability & emotional dysregulation resource center. https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Resource_Centers/Emotional_Dysregulation/Home.aspx
  4. Herrman, J. W., & LaRue, D. E. (2008). Adolescent stress through the eyes of high-risk teens. Pediatric Nursing, 34(5), 375–380.
  5. Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Depression and sleep: Understanding the connection. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/depression-and-sleep-understanding-the-connection
  6. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (n.d.). Sleep deprivation and deficiency: How sleep affects your health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
  7. Barzeva, S. A., J Meeus, W. H., & Oldehinkel, A. J. (2018). Social Withdrawal in Adolescence and Early Adulthood: Measurement Issues, Normative Development, and Distinct Trajectories. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 47(5), 865. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-018-0497-4
  8. Aarons, G. A., Monn, A. R., Leslie, L. K., Garland, A., Lugo, L., Hough, R. L., & Brown, S. A. (2008). The Association of Mental and Physical Health Problems in High-Risk Adolescents: A Longitudinal Study. The Journal of Adolescent Health : Official Publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, 43(3), 260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2008.01.013
  9. American Psychiatric Association. (n.d.). Anxiety disorders. Retrieved February 27, 2025, from https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/anxiety-disorders
  10. World Health Organization. (2024, October 10). Mental health of adolescents. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health
  11. National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.). Generalized anxiety disorder: When worry gets out of control. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved February 27, 2025, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad
  12. Anxiety and Depression Association of America. (n.d.). When reassurance seeking becomes compulsive. https://adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/consumer/when-reassurance-seeking-becomes-compulsive
  13. Harvard Health Publishing. (2024, July 29). Recognizing and easing the physical symptoms of anxiety. Harvard Health.
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  15. Nemours KidsHealth. (n.d.). Depression factsheet (for schools). https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/depression-factsheet.html