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Self-Help for Teens: Building a Self-Care Routine for Teen Mental Wellness

Author:
Jemma Strain
Jemma Strain
B.S. Psychology
Editor:
Emma Loker
Emma Loker
B.S.
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We typically care for others because we believe that it’s selfless and rewarding. But we often don’t apply the same belief to self-care. Instead, we might think that it’s selfish to prioritize our own needs, struggle to find the time to look after ourselves, or even believe that we don’t deserve it. But if we think in these ways, self-care might be especially needed. 

Self-care for teens can help prevent mental health conditions from starting, reduce their symptoms, and even widen support networks during times of need. There really isn’t a downside to it.1 

Plus, while you might think that self-care is simply lighting a candle or taking a bubble bath – and for some people it is – it can be so much more. The thing is, self-care works best when it’s meaningful to you. Therefore, it can be anything that helps you to feel calm and soothed. It’s the little actions you can take to look after your own mental health. 

Teen mental wellness routines can look different from person to person. But if you or someone you care about is experiencing the symptoms of a mental health condition, you might not know what self-care looks like for you. A mental health professional can talk to you about coping strategies for teens, but this article could also work as a useful guide. It breaks down:

  • What self-care for teens is and how it works
  • How to figure out self-care techniques that work for you
  • Different self-care habits that are proven to improve mental health
  • How self-care can improve the symptoms of anxiety
  • Where to find support for mental health issues
Building a Self-Care Routine for Teen Mental Wellness

Self-Care for Teens: The Science Behind Building Teen Mental Health Habits

Let’s face it; when we think about treatment for mental health conditions, our minds immediately jump to therapy and medication. Lifestyle factors, such as self-care for teens,  don’t really factor in. Yet research shows that teen self-help strategies empower young people to look after their well-being in healthy ways, improving their mental health even when access to professional support is limited.2

Studies have shown that activities such as spending time in nature, practicing creative arts, and moving our bodies can all boost mood and improve the symptoms of mental health conditions.3,4 But it’s not just these activities that work. When it comes to self-care, there’s no set list of activities – there’s no “right” way to practice it. If something helps you feel better, then that’s all that matters. 

Let’s take a closer look at how self-care could help you or someone you care about. 

The Benefits of Self-Care for Teens:

Teen self-help strategies can…

  • Improve symptoms of mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and trauma 
  • Reduce stress due to academic and social challenges
  • Bring balance to your life when everything feels overwhelming 
  • Boost your immune system by lowering the stress hormone
  • Lead to better sleep
  • Enhance physical health

The benefits of practicing self-care aren’t limited to this list – they go on. Author Mandy Hale put it well when she said, “It’s not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority. It’s necessary.” We all face challenges in life, but taking care of ourselves gives us armor to take on these challenges. You don’t even have to call it “self-care” if you don’t want to. You could call it something like “mental health tools” or “coping strategies” if these sit better with you.  

If you’re experiencing a mental health condition such as anxiety or depression, looking after your own happiness may feel strange or alien to you. But self-care is of utmost importance during these times. The following information in this article can help you figure out positive habits for teen mental wellness. 

Yet, just as a note, while practicing self-care is important, it also doesn’t mean you have to manage a mental health condition by yourself. Teen self-help strategies are not a replacement for professional support – but they can complement it excellently. A mental health professional can talk to you about your mental health needs and how to make lifestyle changes, such as creating positive habits for teen mental wellness.

The benefits of practicing self-care aren’t limited to this list – they go on. Author Mandy Hale put it well when she said, “It’s not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority. It’s necessary.” We all face challenges in life, but taking care of ourselves gives us armor to take on these challenges. You don’t even have to call it “self-care” if you don’t want to. You could call it something like “mental health tools” or “coping strategies” if these sit better with you.  

If you’re experiencing a mental health condition such as anxiety or depression, looking after your own happiness may feel strange or alien to you. But self-care is of utmost importance during these times. The following information in this article can help you figure out positive habits for teen mental wellness. 

Yet, just as a note, while practicing self-care is important, it also doesn’t mean you have to manage a mental health condition by yourself. Teen self-help strategies are not a replacement for professional support – but they can complement it excellently. A mental health professional can talk to you about your mental health needs and how to make lifestyle changes, such as creating positive habits for teen mental wellness. 

Self-Care Tips for Teenagers: Finding What Works for You

As mentioned, mental health self-care for teens is an essential tool for good well-being. However, if you’re struggling to cope with a mental health condition such as anxiety or depression, it’s important to seek support. Mental health professionals can talk to you about the best treatment options for your needs and recovery – including self-care routines. You deserve good mental well-being, so don’t hesitate to reach out. 

The following tips can also help you create positive habits for teen mental wellness. Remember, there’s no right way to practice self-care – have fun with it. Experiment with what works for you and what doesn’t. 

1. What Feels Achievable for You?

If your mental health has been challenging, you might frequently feel overwhelmed. So, fitting more activities into your schedule might feel like trying to squeeze a jacket into an already jam-packed suitcase. But self-care doesn’t have to feel like this – it should relieve emotional pressure. Think of things that you can achieve, such as taking a brief walk every morning before school, writing about your feelings, or creatively expressing your emotions by doodling.  

2. What Energizes You? 

There’s an exercise commonly used in a therapy called “Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction” (MBSR), which focuses on activities that either nurture or deplete us. Activities that nurture us make us feel happier, better able to manage stress, and energized. In comparison, depleting activities drain us, sapping us of our energy and happiness. Creating a self-care routine for teens means thinking about the activities that energize you. What gives you strength? Is it spending time with people you love? Moving your body? Listening to music? Make a list of the things that energize you and think about how to build them into a self-care routine. 

3. What Calms You?

Self-care for teens isn’t just about finding activities that give you energy – it’s also about balancing them with ones that soothe you during times of distress. A musician called Clarence Clemons once said, “The calm mind allows one to connect with the inner self, the Soul, the very source of our being. That’s where the music lives. That’s where my music comes from.” Calmness can bring clarity, strength, and confidence during difficult times. 

Some people like to exercise to promote relaxation. Others prefer more “still” activities that help them feel grounded, such as meditation or simply taking a bath. The trick is to find something that helps you tune in to the present moment. 

With these tips for creating a self-care routine for teens in mind, let’s cover some specific activities that young people often find helpful in restoring a sense of balance to their lives. 

4 Positive Habits for Teen Mental Wellness

While self-care looks different for everyone, there are some positive self-care habits that have been proven to work for managing mental health issues, such as the following. 

1. Try Mental Health Tools for Teens That Work

There is a wide variety of mental health tools for teens that work to improve mood and relieve symptoms of mental health conditions. For instance, relaxation techniques are frequently used in therapy to calm the nervous system when the mind starts to spiral. Relaxation techniques can easily be built into self-care routines; for instance, you could practice deep breathing, meditation, or visualization. “Square breathing” involves breathing in for four seconds, holding your breath for a count of four, breathing out for four, and pausing for four before breathing in again. 

Mindfulness techniques are also proven to help teens manage mental health conditions and improve well-being.5 One mindfulness activity you could try is mindful walking. Mindful walks are an excellent way to cleanse the mind, live in the moment, and reduce worries or distress – and all you need is your feet (or a walking aid). 

2. Practice Creative Coping Strategies

Creative coping strategies for teens can be a really useful part of teen mental wellness routines. For instance, art therapy and journaling have been shown to help teens process their emotions. You could doodle using different colours to express various emotions, or free-write your feelings about an event. 

Music has also been shown to help teenagers manage mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, while also boosting their social skills and ability to think clearly.6 You could build music into your self-care routine by creating different playlists for coping with various moods. For example, if you want to feel inspired, you could create a playlist of motivational songs. Or if you wanted to feel calm, you could create a list of songs that soothe you. The handy thing about this form of self-care is that all you have to do is press play and tune in. 

3. Build a Support Network at Home

A strong support system is an essential part of teen mental wellness routines. In fact, evidence shows that when a teenager feels socially supported, they feel more capable of moving past mental health issues and building a brighter future.7 

Emotional support for teens at home means letting those who care about you know that you need support. Open up to your loved ones about what you need to feel better. It takes a lot of strength to be vulnerable, and your parents will want to do their best to help you feel better. If you’re not sure how to start the conversation about your mental health, our article “Talking to Your Parents About Your Mental Health Struggles” can help.

4. Tune Out From Social Media

Social media can be a source of connection, but it’s also linked to rising levels of mental health conditions such as depression.8 You don’t have to completely cut social media out of your life, but it could be a good idea to have “social-media-free” time. For instance, as part of your self-care routine, you could put your phone away before bed and practice relaxation techniques. 

Self-Help for Teenage Anxiety

Anxiety disorders affect nearly 32% of teenagers in the U.S. and cause excessive worries that can interfere with daily life, such as school performance and relationships.9 This means that self-help for teenage anxiety may be necessary for getting symptoms under control. 

Mindfulness techniques such as grounding have been proven to be highly effective in treating the symptoms of anxiety.10 For instance, grounding can help you feel more present in the “here and now” and distract you from worries about the present, past, or future. There are a lot of grounding techniques, but physical grounding strategies require using your five senses to help you through times of distress. For example, you could hold an ice cube and pay attention to how it feels at first, how long it takes to melt, and how the sensations in your hand change.

Other self-care habits that can be useful for coping with anxiety include relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, and journaling. However, if anxiety is affecting your daily life, it may be necessary to seek professional support to manage your symptoms. 
Self-Help for Teens: Building a Self-Care Routine for Teen Mental Wellness

Reach Out for Mental Health Support

Self-care is an important tool for coping with mental health issues, but it’s not a substitute for professional mental health support. If you’re struggling to cope with the symptoms of a mental health condition such as anxiety or depression, know that you don’t have to deal with these alone. 

Mission Prep can help. Our team of trained mental health professionals offers flexible treatment options for teens, including group therapy, one-to-one counseling, and telehealth services. No matter which option you choose, it will be delivered in a caring, empathetic way. 

Mission Prep understands the importance of a teen’s voice in their own care, and we can help them create a treatment package that fits their needs and interests. Contact us today for support and advice.  

References

  1. Town, R., Hayes, D., March, A., Fonagy, P., & Stapley, E. (2023). Self-management, self-care, and self-help in adolescents with emotional problems: A scoping review. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 33(9), 2929. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-022-02134-z
  2. Truscott, A., McPin, G., & Harding, S. (2024). Defining young people’s mental health self-care: A systematic review and co-development approach. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 33(11), 3765–3785. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-023-02320-7
  3. Trostrup, C. H., Christiansen, A. B., Stolen, K. S., Nielsen, P. K., & Stelter, R. (2019). The effect of nature exposure on the mental health of patients: A systematic review. Quality of Life Research, 28(7), 1695–1703. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-019-02163-4
  4. Piccininni, C., Michaelson, V., Janssen, I., & Pickett, W. (2018). Outdoor play and nature connectedness as potential correlates of internalized mental health symptoms among Canadian adolescents. Preventive Medicine, 112, 168–175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2018.04.020
  5. K, J., Nair K, R., Ashok, L., Manjula, M., Andrews J J, T., Glane Mathias, E., & Krishnan, P. (2025). Mindfulness-based interventions for enhancing adolescent mental health and well-being: A scoping review. Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health, 32, 101961. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101961
  6. Huang, X., Ma, J., & Gao, C. (2025). Effectiveness of music-based therapy on adolescents and children with physical and mental health problems. A systematic review. Children and Youth Services Review, 172, 108251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108251
  7. Scardera, S., Perret, L. C., Ouellet-Morin, I., Geoffroy, M. C., Boersma, G., & Vitaro, F. (2020). Association of social support during adolescence with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation in young adults. JAMA Network Open, 3(12), e2027491. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.27491
  8. ​​U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023). Social media and youth mental health: The U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/sg-youth-mental-health-social-media-advisory.pdf
  9. National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.). Any anxiety disorder. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/any-anxiety-disorder
  10. Hofmann, S. G., & Gómez, A. F. (2017). Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Anxiety and Depression. The Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 40(4), 739. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psc.2017.08.008

 

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