Losing someone or something important is painful at any age. But during adolescence, grief can also get tangled with changes in development and friendships, figuring out identity, and the already complicated emotions of being a teen.
For parents, this complicated presentation could make grief in teens difficult to recognize. Your child may cry and openly talk about the loss, or they might become quiet, angry, distracted, or seem completely fine.
There’s no single “right” way for a teen to grieve. Still, knowing what to look for could help you better understand what your teen may need. That’s why this article explores:
Grief is a natural emotional response to losing someone or something meaningful. However, bereavement more specifically describes the experience following a death.[1] Research suggests that young people’s responses to bereavement can be shaped by their developmental stage as well as the circumstances surrounding the loss.[2]
Grief in teens may look different from grief in adults, and doesn’t always follow the same predictable or easily recognizable pattern. How teens grieve can look like refusing to discuss the loss entirely or minimizing it out of fear of looking vulnerable or impacting a grieving parent.[3]
But there’s no universal pattern for grief and loss in teens. One teen may want to talk constantly about the loss, while another might barely mention it. Further, some become more dependent on their parents, while others spend more time with friends or alone.
Teenage grief can also come in waves. A teen might feel devastated one afternoon and laugh with friends that evening. They may have weeks when things seem easier before a trigger like a birthday, holiday, song, or other reminder brings strong emotions back. These shifts are often part of teenage bereavement and the gradual process of adjusting to life after a loss.
Sadness may be one of the most recognizable teen grief symptoms, but it is far from the only one. Sometimes, the first thing a parent notices is a change in their child’s sleep, grades, social life, or behavior.
Understanding the different adolescent grief symptoms and signs can make it easier to recognize when your child is struggling. The following are some common emotional, behavioral, social, and physical signs of grief in teens.
Grief can involve many emotions, sometimes within the same day. Teens may experience:
Some teens may not know how to describe what they’re experiencing. Instead of saying, “I’m grieving,” they might say they’re tired, bored, angry, or simply don’t want to talk.
Adolescent grief can also change how adolescents interact with the people and activities around them. You might notice your teen:
You might notice these behaviors more often during a period of grief, especially when the grief is connected with trauma. Traumatic grief can involve:[4]
Grief also affects the body. A grieving teen may experience:
One symptom by itself doesn’t necessarily indicate a serious problem. Instead, pay attention to:
Grief in teens itself isn’t automatically a mental health condition. Difficult emotions after losing someone are expected, and many young people gradually adjust with support. But adolescent bereavement can sometimes occur alongside or contribute to mental health concerns.
Research shows that losing a parent during adolescence, especially, results in greater emotional and behavioral concerns like:[5]
Particularly when there’s a sudden or violent death in a teen’s life, there’s a higher risk of them developing depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, or anxiety.[1]
But it’s important not to judge your teen’s grief by a strict timeline or set of symptoms. There’s really no standard way that someone should get “over” a loss.
Research shows that prolonged grief affects around 10.4% to 32% of children and teens.[6] Prolonged grief in teens is when grief symptoms continue for at least six months after a death and cause significant problems with everyday functioning.[7]
Mission Prep is here to help you or your loved one take the next steps towards an improved mental well-being.
For a teen, coping with loss isn’t about forgetting what happened or forcing painful feelings to disappear. Instead, healthy coping can help teens process those feelings while gradually reconnecting with everyday life. Here are some healthy ways you can support your teen coping with loss:
Parents often want their child to talk because they’re worried about what will happen if emotions stay bottled up. But repeatedly asking your teen to explain how they feel can sometimes make them withdraw further. Let your teen know you’re available without demanding a conversation.
Familiar routines often get disrupted after a loss. But trying to keep up some of the normal routines, like:
Routines give your teen something predictable to return to while they’re adjusting.
Two members of the same family can lose the same person and respond completely differently. You might cry frequently and want to talk about memories while your teen just wants to spend time with friends.
Avoid comparing reactions or telling your child how they should be grieving.
Talking is only one way to express grief in teens. Sometimes helping a grieving teenager might mean supporting them in finding outlets for their grief. Some teens may prefer:
This gives them room to find forms of expression that feel natural to them.
Some teenagers benefit from having a neutral person outside the family to speak with. Teen grief counseling can provide a space to explore thoughts and emotions that may feel difficult to discuss at home. Therapy may help a grieving teen:
Research suggests teen grief treatment can reduce grief-related distress in bereaved children and teens, particularly among young people experiencing heightened symptoms of grief.[8]
Mission Prep provides treatment for teens experiencing various mental health conditions. Grief support is a phone call away – call 866-901-4047 to learn about your treatment options.
See our residences in Southern California’s Los Angeles & San Diego areas.
View our facilities in Loudoun County, VA within the DC metro area.
Watching your child grieve is understandably highly difficult, and it can be hard to know if or when they need extra support. At Mission Prep Teen Treatment, we provide mental health treatment specifically for teens and their families.
Our teen-focused treatment programs include evidence-based therapies and family involvement to help teens develop coping skills and address emotional and behavioral concerns. Whether your teen could benefit from residential treatment at one of our locations or something more flexible, like an outpatient mental health program or virtual telehealth to treat their mental health concerns, our team can help.
Mission Prep Teen Treatment accepts insurance and is in-network with most major providers. We are happy to help you check your insurance coverage for mental health care.
No family has to figure out the next step alone. Contact us online or call 866-901-4047 to speak with a caring member of our team who can answer any questions you might have. Reach out for a free, no-obligation conversation.
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Every teenager responds to loss differently, so it’s natural for parents to have questions about what they’re seeing. Below, we answer several common questions about grief and mental health in teens.
There is no set timeline for grief in teens, or anyone for that matter. For many teens, the most intense emotions gradually ease with time, but can come back around birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, or other important milestones.
During teenage bereavement, the goal is to help them learn to live with their loss while continuing to develop, build relationships, and participate in everyday life.
Common teen grief symptoms include sadness, anger, anxiety, guilt, withdrawal, difficulty concentrating, sleep changes, appetite changes, fatigue, and loss of interest in usual activities.
Some teenagers also experience difficulties at school or become more argumentative at home.
Yes, at Mission Prep Teen Treatment, we offer grief support for teens struggling after a loss. Whether they’re having a hard time adjusting, experiencing emotional or behavioral difficulties, or have other mental health concerns, we provide personalized treatment to support teens.
Our treatment is based on your teen’s current symptoms, needs, strengths, and goals, and aims to help them identify their feelings, build coping skills, and improve their emotional well-being.
Are You Covered for Grief Treatment?
We’re in-network with many providers. Call us at 866-901-4047 to verify your benefits and find out how much your plan will cover
Find out if Mission Prep is right for you by reaching out to us and speaking with one of our admissions representatives.
