How to Cope with Your Teen's Mood Disorder
Encourage your teen to exercise., Get your teen to try some relaxation techniques., Help your teen to follow a healthy, balanced diet., Educate your teen about the dangers of drugs and alcohol., Make sure your teen gets enough sleep.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Encourage your teen to exercise.
Exercise is a very important aspect of dealing with a mood disorder, as it helps to balance your teen’s hormones.
Exercise allows the body to release more feel-good hormones, such as dopamine and endorphins.
These hormones provide the body with a natural high, meaning that your teen will feel happy and energetic.
What is more, mood disorders are often provoked by a poor body image, especially during the teen years, so getting enough exercise can help to solve that aspect of the problem as well. -
Step 2: Get your teen to try some relaxation techniques.
Relaxation techniques are another important part of dealing with a mood disorder.
Relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation help to bring down anxiety levels in people of all ages, teens included These activities normalize your heart-rate and breathing, which is very helpful because your mind and body are constantly interconnected and physical reactions such as heavy breathing and fast heart-rate can increase anxiety levels.
Teens might sometimes feel a bit negative towards relaxation techniques, so make an effort to do them together.
This could also be a nice way for you and your teen to bond. , A healthy balanced diet will not cure your teen's mood disorder in and of itself, but it will help to give them more energy, allow them to concentrate better in school and make them feel better about themselves physically.
Make sure your teen is getting three healthy meals a day, which include a good balance of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and healthy proteins.
Don't allow your teen to skip breakfast
- it really is the most important meal of the day as it kick starts the metabolism and gives your teen the energy they need to face the day.
Limit the amount of junk food your teen eats.
Too much junk food can lead to weight gain, which can exacerbate issues with body image, particularly amongst teen girls.
Junk food is also devoid of important vitamins and minerals, which could leave your teen susceptible to other healthy issues. , It's very important to educate your teen about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
These substances have a more profound effect on people with disorders and can make manic or depressive episodes worse.
For example, alcohol is a depressant and can easily trigger a depressive episode in a teen who suffers from a mood disorder.
Stimulant drugs like cocaine, on the other hand, may trigger a manic episode in certain people.
Of course, it will be impossible for you to monitor your teen at all times, and they probably won't appreciate you checking up on them all the time.
Therefore, it's important that you calmly and clearly communicate the rules regarding drugs and alcohol to your teen, then give them some space and trust that they will make the right decision. , Getting enough sleep is absolutely essential for teens who suffer from mood disorders, in order to keep them emotionally balanced.
Teenagers should be getting at least 8 hours sleep per night and should aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
This can be very difficult for teens who prefer to stay up late surfing the internet or talking on their phones.
Therefore, it may be necessary for you to enforce a bedtime or at least remove distractions such as computers or TVs from your teen's room.
Also make sure that your teen's sleeping environment is conducive to a good nights sleep
- it should be dark and quiet, and maintained at a comfortable cool temperature. -
Step 3: Help your teen to follow a healthy
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Step 4: balanced diet.
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Step 5: Educate your teen about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
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Step 6: Make sure your teen gets enough sleep.
Detailed Guide
Exercise is a very important aspect of dealing with a mood disorder, as it helps to balance your teen’s hormones.
Exercise allows the body to release more feel-good hormones, such as dopamine and endorphins.
These hormones provide the body with a natural high, meaning that your teen will feel happy and energetic.
What is more, mood disorders are often provoked by a poor body image, especially during the teen years, so getting enough exercise can help to solve that aspect of the problem as well.
Relaxation techniques are another important part of dealing with a mood disorder.
Relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation help to bring down anxiety levels in people of all ages, teens included These activities normalize your heart-rate and breathing, which is very helpful because your mind and body are constantly interconnected and physical reactions such as heavy breathing and fast heart-rate can increase anxiety levels.
Teens might sometimes feel a bit negative towards relaxation techniques, so make an effort to do them together.
This could also be a nice way for you and your teen to bond. , A healthy balanced diet will not cure your teen's mood disorder in and of itself, but it will help to give them more energy, allow them to concentrate better in school and make them feel better about themselves physically.
Make sure your teen is getting three healthy meals a day, which include a good balance of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and healthy proteins.
Don't allow your teen to skip breakfast
- it really is the most important meal of the day as it kick starts the metabolism and gives your teen the energy they need to face the day.
Limit the amount of junk food your teen eats.
Too much junk food can lead to weight gain, which can exacerbate issues with body image, particularly amongst teen girls.
Junk food is also devoid of important vitamins and minerals, which could leave your teen susceptible to other healthy issues. , It's very important to educate your teen about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
These substances have a more profound effect on people with disorders and can make manic or depressive episodes worse.
For example, alcohol is a depressant and can easily trigger a depressive episode in a teen who suffers from a mood disorder.
Stimulant drugs like cocaine, on the other hand, may trigger a manic episode in certain people.
Of course, it will be impossible for you to monitor your teen at all times, and they probably won't appreciate you checking up on them all the time.
Therefore, it's important that you calmly and clearly communicate the rules regarding drugs and alcohol to your teen, then give them some space and trust that they will make the right decision. , Getting enough sleep is absolutely essential for teens who suffer from mood disorders, in order to keep them emotionally balanced.
Teenagers should be getting at least 8 hours sleep per night and should aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
This can be very difficult for teens who prefer to stay up late surfing the internet or talking on their phones.
Therefore, it may be necessary for you to enforce a bedtime or at least remove distractions such as computers or TVs from your teen's room.
Also make sure that your teen's sleeping environment is conducive to a good nights sleep
- it should be dark and quiet, and maintained at a comfortable cool temperature.
About the Author
Kyle Shaw
Brings years of experience writing about organization and related subjects.
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