Dignity & Strength

Supporting Teens Mental Health

As I’ve mentioned, I’m a mother of three children. Each of them has its individual challenge. I’m going to start with my oldest. She’s a 17-year-old teenager. ( You already know how that is lol) We know that at that age, it comes with eye-rolling, small talk under the breath, and the “I think I know everything” mindset. LOL, but she’s a good girl. She is part of the Musical Theatre program at school; she loves thrifting, cats, and drawing. I thank God that she is into those interests. went into those things. We want the best for children. Better than what we had growing up. But sometimes, as humans, we go through things in our lives. Some can be positive, some can be negative.

Mental health is on the rise more than ever in life today, especially with children, pre-teens, young adults, and even adults. Due to a past trauma in my oldest life that happened in her elementary days, it caused her to drop into a dark mental state. I thought at the time she would recover ” easily,” but I was so wrong. She is still struggling to this day. This state of mind caused her to be confused about her identity, lose trust in people ( mainly me), develop anxiety, and so much more. The process was long. It took counseling, understanding, and patience. The emotional rollercoaster ride with our mother-daughter relationship was so damaged. The emotions of crying, yelling, and frustration that went on each day were unbearable. Personally, I was stressed out to the max. I knew I was going to need help through this, also. I knew God was the ONLY way we’d both get through this ( At the time, she had lost faith in God). I asked God to find His way back to her heart in His timing because the more I pushed God on her, the more she resisted. I had to “ LET GO & LET God” because anything I was speaking to her about, she wasn’t trying to hear it.

But praise God, now in 2026, she has changed so much. She wants to return to church. She has regained confidence in herself. She is more social, took an interest in singing & acting, and so much more. She still has a long road ahead of her, but thank God she’s not where she was last year. As mothers and as parents, we have a duty to pray over our children. We never know what they’re battling within or who’s plotting against them. There’s nothing like a praying mama. I want to encourage you if your child or children are battling something, put it in God’s hands and let Him handle it. Ask Him for his wisdom in what you should do within the situation. Remember, let go & let God.

Scripture To Remember

“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. ( 1 Peter 5:7)

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Psalm 91:1-2

“He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3).