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Talking to Your Parents About Your Mental Health Struggles

Jemma Strain
Published: 04/28/2025 | Updated: 06/25/2025
Authored by: Jemma Strain, B.S. Psychology
Edited by: Emma Loker, BSc, PgDip
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“How can I talk to my parents about my mental health?” is a common question for many teens. Talking to parents about mental health might feel scary. This is completely normal. You may worry about how they’ll react, whether they’ll be upset, or even if they’ll take you seriously. Knowing how to talk about teen mental health issues is a big part of the battle. 

Did you know that over half of people with mental health issues don’t get help for their problems? There are many possible reasons why these people don’t seek help, but one boils down to not knowing how to talk about mental health struggles. Unfortunately, not talking about what you’re going through won’t make it go away – mental health conditions often get worse without the right support.1

Parents want to protect their children. Yet, they might not immediately know the best way to go about supporting you in the right way – but you can let them know how to take the right steps. Professional mental health treatment is always the best approach to managing mental health issues. This article can also help you overcome fear of telling parents and open up about teen mental health struggles by covering:

  • The benefits of talking to parents about mental health
  • Tips for starting the mental health conversation
  • Discussing anxiety with parents
  • How to talk about depression with parents
  • What teen mental health advocacy is
  • How Mission Prep can help with teen mental health struggles
Talking to Your Parents About Your Mental Health Struggles

Teen Mental Health Struggles: Talking to Parents About Mental Health

Why is it important to talk to your parents or guardians about your mental health struggles? Simply put, opening up about your issues means that you can get the help you need to recover. By talking about what you’re going through, your mental and physical health can improve, and you may even feel more socially enveloped and protected. 

These benefits are even backed up by science, which we discuss in more detail below. 

Benefits of Talking to Parents About Emotional Issues:

Talking to your parents about your mental health issues can help you in the following ways.
  • It can reduce stress: Talking about what you’re going through can lighten your emotional burden. As the saying goes, “A problem shared is a problem halved.” As a result of opening up, you may feel less anxious about the future and reduce stress.2
  • It can help you problem solve: Sharing how you feel with your parents means they may be able to give you a fresh outlook on what you’re going through. This could mean that you can see what you’re going through from a different angle and figure out solutions you may not have been able to see by yourself.3 
  • It can help you bounce back from challenges: Talking to your parents can make you more resilient, as it can give you a buffer against stress, help you learn healthy ways of coping, and improve your social connections.4 
  • It can improve your sense of belonging: We all have a need to belong, but mental health issues can make us feel like we’re different from others. Talking to your parents can help you see how you’re not alone in what you’re going through and make you feel more connected. 
  • It can reduce loneliness: In the same way that talking to your parents can make you feel connected, it can also reduce feelings of loneliness. Mental health conditions can cause you to withdraw from those you care about, but opening up means you can lower feelings of isolation.5
  • It can boost your physical health: Your mental health can have a knock-on effect on your physical health. Talking means that you can finally start to process what you’re going through and improve how you feel physically, such as reduced stomach pains or an improved immune system.6 

Starting the Mental Health Conversation

While the benefits of talking about your mental health struggles with your parents might be clear, you may still be wondering How can I start the conversation about my issues? If this is the case for you, don’t worry. There are a number of practical steps you can follow. Plus, we also outline how to talk to your parents about certain conditions, such as depression and anxiety, below. 

First, let’s cover some general tips for starting the mental health conversation with your parents. 

1. Plan What You Want to Say and How You Want to Say It

A good starting point for conversations about mental health is to think about what you’re going through and how you want to explain it. For instance, are you feeling burnt out, hopeless, or worried? Being specific about these feelings can help your parents understand what’s going on. 

Also, think about how you want to tell your parents. Would a face-to-face conversation be best, or would you prefer to write them a letter or email? If you decide to have a face-to-face talk, you could make notes about how you’re feeling to remind you if you feel overwhelmed in the moment.

2. Choose a Time and Place

When and where you want to talk about your mental health may depend on your schedule and your parents. For instance, before school might not be the best time, as you may all be under pressure to get out of the house quickly. Choose a time when your parents will be able to give you their full attention and where you’ll have the privacy to share freely. For instance, perhaps a nature walk together would work for you. Or else you could ask to talk to them after dinner when everyone is feeling more relaxed.

3. Be as Clear as You Can Be

If your parents aren’t aware that you’ve been struggling, the conversation might take them by surprise. For this reason, it’s good to be as clear as possible about what you’re going through. You can use the notes you made in Step 1 to help you if you feel overwhelmed or emotional, or even pass them a letter you wrote. Be prepared for questions, but most importantly, don’t leave the conversation if it gets hard. The more you give your parents the chance to understand, the more they’ll be able to support you in the way you need.

4. Tell Them How You Want to Be Supported

If you’ve decided to talk to your parents about your mental health, it’s likely you’re aware there’s a problem and that you need support. Even if you don’t know what steps to take, let them know that you need their help. You could ask them to assist in making an appointment with a doctor, finding a mental health professional, locating resources such as support groups, or looking into therapy options. 

5. Think About What to Do if They Don’t React the Way You Want

Even though parents have their child’s best interests at heart, there’s still a chance they might not respond to what you say in the way you want. There are a number of possible reasons for this. For instance, they might feel shocked, have mental health issues of their own, be concerned about treatment costs, or be in denial. 

If this happens, don’t give up. Return to the conversation and remind them that you’re struggling to cope by yourself. If finances are a concern, let them know that affordable treatment options are available and that a mental health professional can discuss these options. 

Talking to Your Parents About Your Mental Health Struggles

Discussing Anxiety With Parents

There’s a wide variety of anxiety disorders, and research shows that almost 32% of teens struggle with anxiety. For this reason, if you have anxiety, know that you’re not alone in your experiences – but that it’s also important to talk about what you’re going through. 

Following the steps to starting the mental health conversation that we just discussed can be very helpful in talking about your anxiety with your parents. But it’s also good to be aware that your anxiety can make starting this conversation more difficult. 

You might worry about being judged or feel like you’ll be a burden to your parents. All families go through a certain amount of stress, but your mental health takes priority. Pick a moment when things feel calm and explain how your worries are affecting your life.  

You could explain to your parents that you think therapy could help. For instance, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a popular form of therapy for anxiety, as it assists teens in pinpointing their inaccurate beliefs and how these affect their actions. CBT also helps teens to learn healthy ways of coping with their feelings. 

How to Talk About Depression With Parents

Talking about depression with parents can be particularly challenging. The symptoms of depression can lead a teen to feel hopeless about their recovery, so they may lack motivation to talk about what they’re going through. If this is the case for you, understand that these feelings are the result of your condition. 

Research by the National Institute of Mental Health shows that roughly five million teens in the U.S. have had at least one episode of depression. However, seeking support means that depression can be treated and teens can recover. Yet, if teens don’t seek help for their depression, their symptoms can worsen, impacting their mental and physical health, as well as outcomes for the future.7 

If you’re struggling with feelings of depression, remember that you can recover – and deserve to. Talking about what you’re going through is the first step toward getting the help you need. Following the steps for starting the mental health conversation discussed previously can help. 

You can also learn about the types of therapy used to treat depression and discuss these options with your parents. For instance, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) are all effective therapy options for treating depression.  

Approaching the conversation about your mental health with your parents is a big sign of strength and willingness to recover. However, you may not be able to control their reactions. In such situations, it’s important that you continue trying to get the help you need. A mental health advocate may be able to support you – let’s discuss what mental health advocates are next. 

Teen Mental Health Advocacy

Not feeling listened to can be very frustrating and upsetting – especially if your mental health concerns are what you’re trying to express. A mental health advocate is someone who can help you voice your concerns and stand up for your rights.8 

There are a number of people who can help you stand up for your mental health rights. Your parents, for example, can act as mental health advocates. However, if your parents don’t react to the conversation about your mental health in the way you want, you could also consider approaching another trusted adult about what you’re going through. For instance, teachers, school counselors, or other family members can help you advocate for your needs. Further, these adults may be able to help you approach the conversation with your parents again. 

If you would like more “independent” teen mental health advocacy, there are professionals who are trained in mental health laws who can support you. These professionals don’t work with treatment centers and always operate with your needs and rights at the forefront of their minds.

Mental Health America provides an advocacy service to help connect you to independent mental health advocates in your area. Mission Prep can also support you in this process.  

Talking to Your Parents About Your Mental Health Struggles

How Mission Prep Can Help With Teen Mental Health Struggles

Talking to parents about mental health can feel scary, but it’s an important step to getting the support you need and deserve. Mental health conditions are treatable, and teens can and do recover from them – but the right support is an essential ingredient in recovery.  

Mission Prep’s team of licensed professionals can make the conversation about mental health easier. We provide regular support groups for teens and their families to help them understand mental health conditions and how family members can be involved in the treatment process. Additionally, our clinically-proven treatment options are available in a variety of locations and can be tailored to a teen and their family’s needs, including outpatient, intensive outpatient, and residential programs.

Contact us at (866) 828-7409 to find out more about how we can help with your mental health needs. 

References

  1. American Psychiatric Association. (n.d.). Stigma, prejudice and discrimination against people with mental illness. https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/stigma-and-discrimination
  2. Pennebaker, J. W. (1997). Writing about emotional experiences as a therapeutic process. Psychological Science, 8, 162-166.
  3. Ranjbar, M., Bayani, A. A., & Bayani, A. (2013). Social Problem Solving Ability Predicts Mental Health Among Undergraduate Students. International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 4(11), 1337. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3883262/
  4. Ozbay, F., Johnson, D. C., Dimoulas, E., CA Morgan, I., Charney, D., & Southwick, S. (2007). Social Support and Resilience to Stress: From Neurobiology to Clinical Practice. Psychiatry (Edgmont), 4(5), 35. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2921311/
  5. King’s College London. (2022, February 8). Loneliness in adolescence: How can we support young people? https://www.kcl.ac.uk/loneliness-in-adolescence-how-can-we-support-young-people
  6. WebMD Editorial Contributor. (2023, September 20). Mental health: How it affects your physical health. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/how-does-mental-health-affect-physical-health​
  7. Bains, N., & Abdijadid, S. (2023, April 10). Major depressive disorder. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559078/
  8. National Youth Advocacy Service. (n.d.). Mental health advocacy. https://www.nyas.net/about-us/what-we-do/mental-health-advocacy/