Resources for teens
No matter what you’re experiencing and feeling, you are not alone, and you too deserve support.
Things to try
These tips are sourced from the award-winning "Seize the Awkward" mental health campaign by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and The Jed Foundation in collaboration with the Ad Council.
Self-Care
Don’t forget your basic needs
When you’re in a crisis or managing big emotions, it’s easy to forget the everyday habits that can improve your mood and well-being. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, eight to 10 hours is ideal. Spend time outside when possible. Move your body in whatever way you can that feels good to you. Make sure you’re eating and drinking plenty of water. Try journaling, meditation, or breathing to help you ground yourself in the present moment.
Self-Care
Prioritize self-care and stress relief
Set aside a dedicated time each day to do something that makes you feel calm, alleviates stress or simply makes you happy—whether it’s meditation, giving yourself a facial, cooking, dancing to your favorite playlist, walking your dog, or doodling in a coloring book.
Connection
Stay connected
Spending time with people you trust can really help you process and manage big emotions and is good for your mental health overall. Even if you don’t feel up to it, reach out to friends and family you trust, in person or remotely. You might be surprised how much it helps in hard moments.
Practice
Take breaks from news stories and social media
Non-stop exposure to anxiety-producing news can amp up any difficult feelings you’re already having. If you find yourself feeling worse after scrolling your feeds, do what you can to limit stressful content. You can decide to check in only at certain times, turn off notifications, or unfollow accounts that create stress and focus on ones that help you feel calm and connected.
More resources
Here are great resources that can help you get connected to good support—and feeling better—sooner than you might think.
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WebsiteMental Health Resource Center | The Jed FoundationThe Jed Foundation’s Mental Health Resource Center provides essential information about common emotional health issues and shows teens and young adults how they can support one another, overcome challenges, and make a successful transition to adulthood.
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WebsiteFor Teens | NAMINAMI works to educate, support, advocate, listen and lead to improve the lives of people with mental illness and their loved ones. Find resources on mental health topics specific to teens and young adults, including talking to friends, talking to parents or guardians, social media, and school.
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Text line | Online Live ChatCrisis Text LineText HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the United States, anytime. Crisis Text Line is here for any crisis. A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds, all from our secure online platform. The volunteer Crisis Counselor will help you move from a hot moment to a cool moment.
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Online forum | Website | Support groupTrevorSpace | The Trevor ProjectTrevorSpace is an affirming, online community for LGBTQ young people between the ages of 13-24 years old. With over 400,000 members across the globe, you can explore your identity, get advice, find support, and make friends in a moderated community intentionally designed for you.
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WebsiteSeize the AwkwardStarting a conversation about mental health does not need to be uncomfortable, and it can make all the difference. Check out these resources to learn how to support a friend – or get help for yourself.
More things to try
Listen
Create an upbeat playlist
Aside from just sounding good, research shows that listening to music actually increases blood flow to regions in your brain that generate and control emotions. And studies show that faster music (usually performed at a tempo between 140 and 150 beats per minute) tends to generate more positive emotions than slower music. Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” (at 156 BPM) is just one example of a song that might give you some positive emotions—it's the first of 10 in a research-backed playlist. But don't let us stop you from making your own playlist of songs that feel good to you.
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Take a nap
- For:
- Anger ,
- Grief & loss ,
- Worry ,
- Chronic health issues & disabilities ,
- Relationship issues & breakups ,
- Trauma
What do Winston Churchill, Damon Wayans, and the majority of professional athletes have in common? They all openly love napping. A short 10-20 minute nap (ideally early in the afternoon) can have numerous physical and mental health benefits. If you're in a funk, adding a short nap to your routine might be a good way to decompress and jumpstart your day.
Activity
Spend some time with a pet
- For:
- Grief & loss ,
- Loneliness ,
- Sadness ,
- Worry ,
- Chronic health issues & disabilities ,
- Relationship issues & breakups
Pets can provide comfort, companionship, and more often than not, a laugh, when you need it most. Science also backs up the benefits of having a pet on your mental health. Spend some time playing with your pet and enjoying each other company. If you don’t have a pet but love animals, consider volunteering at a shelter or visiting a neighbor or a friend with a pet.
Activity
Volunteer
- For:
- Burnout ,
- Grief & loss ,
- Loneliness ,
- Trauma ,
- Workplace issues & unemployment
Aside from helping others, volunteering has amazing feel-good effects for you. You'll also experience elevated oxytocin levels and a dopamine release along with a sense of meaning that can help reduce stress and burnout. Volunteering is also a great way to build and strengthen social connections, which is increasingly important as social isolation is on the rise. In addition to making new connections when you volunteer, you might make existing connections even stronger when you volunteer with loved ones. (One study even shows that couples who volunteer together were more likely to stay together.)
Activity
Try journaling
- For:
- Relationship issues & breakups ,
- Non-substance addiction ,
- Substance use ,
- Trauma ,
- Worry ,
- Grief & loss
Write about how you’re feeling—not only what makes you happy, but also what triggers stress or pain. Experiencing a range of emotions helps regulate stress response, which can mean a healthier immune system. Journaling can also help you take action—you can identify things you want to do more or less of, identify situations you want to change or get help with, and figure out ways to deal with stress in the moment if you know what situations to look out for. While it is tempting to just use your computer, it can be more beneficial to go back to the old pen and paper. The good news is, you only need to journal a few times a week, for 10-20 minutes to get benefit.
Activity
Ask for support from friends and family
- For:
- Grief & loss ,
- Loneliness ,
- Sadness ,
- Worry ,
- Opening up to friends & family ,
- Relationship issues & breakups ,
- Chronic health issues & disabilities
If you're going through a challenging time, think about who you feel comfortable with, and what interactions might feel supportive so you can tell people what you need—whether it's talking about how you’re feeling so you can release some pent-up emotions, or finding comfort by time together with no words exchanged.