Axis Conversations The Big Conversation: How do I talk to my teens about mental health?
Nov 4, 2025
Mental Health November kicks off with essential insights for parents on discussing mental health. Conversations about mental health shouldn’t scare kids, and professional help is vital. Students often shy away from sharing their struggles to avoid feeling like a burden. Proactive dialogues can build resilience and diminish stigma. The hosts advocate that diagnoses should inform treatment, not define identity. They share personal stories and stress the importance of faith communities in providing support and normalizing mental health discussions.
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Talking Doesn't Plant Dangerous Ideas
- Bringing up suicide or mental health rarely implants the idea in teens; they often encounter it elsewhere.
- Honest, open talks give words to impulses and create safer pathways for help.
Labels Can Become Identity
- Teens often self-diagnose and adopt mental-health labels as identity markers.
- Labels can grant belonging but risk entrenching identity around transient feelings.
Get Professional Help Early
- When a child shows persistent mental-health concerns, engage a professional early.
- Treat mental issues like physical ones: diagnose, then pursue an appropriate treatment plan.
