988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988, any time, free and confidential (US).
Call 988For parents and caregivers
A parent's guide to supporting an emotional teen.
What to say, what to watch for, how to find real help, and the numbers to keep on your fridge. You don't need the perfect words — you need to stay in the room.
Start here: listen before you fix
Most teens stop talking because the conversation turns into a solution before they finish the sentence. Try these swaps.
Instead of
“You're overreacting.”
Try
“That sounds like a lot. Tell me more about what happened.”
Naming the size of the feeling calms it faster than arguing about it.
Instead of
“Just go to bed earlier.”
Try
“What's keeping you up? Want help figuring out the 10pm part of your night?”
Curiosity gets information. Instructions get a closed door.
Instead of
“When I was your age…”
Try
“I don't know what this is like for you. Can you walk me through a normal day?”
Teens shut down when the conversation becomes a comparison.
Instead of
“What's wrong with you?”
Try
“Do you want me to just listen, help you plan, or leave it for now?”
Offering a choice hands them some control, which is usually what's missing.
Signs worth paying attention to
Teen moods swing — that's normal. Patterns that last, or that change how they live, are the ones to act on.
Watch for
- Withdrawing from friends, family or things they used to enjoy, for two weeks or more
- Big changes in sleep or appetite, or falling grades that used to be steady
- Constant irritability, panic, or saying things like “what's the point”
- Any talk of self-harm, hurting themselves, or not wanting to be here
- New secrecy around injuries, substances, or who they're talking to online
If safety is involved
Ask directly and calmly whether your teen is thinking about hurting themselves. Asking does not put the idea in their head — it usually brings relief. Stay with them, reduce access to anything immediately dangerous (medications, firearms, car keys), and call 988 or 911.
Open urgent helpKey contacts to save today
Put these in your phone and somewhere visible at home, before you need them.
Crisis Text Line
Text HOME to 741741 to reach a trained crisis counselor by text.
Text 741741911 / local emergency services
Use when there is immediate danger to your teen or someone else.
Call 911SAMHSA National Helpline
1-800-662-4357 — free, 24/7 referrals to local treatment and support.
Call SAMHSAThe Trevor Project
1-866-488-7386 — crisis support for LGBTQ+ young people.
Call TrevorNAMI HelpLine
1-800-950-6264 — information, resources and next steps for families.
Call NAMIOutside the US, look up your country's crisis line and keep your local emergency number handy.
How to find professional help
Getting to a therapist
- Start with the school counselor — they know your teen's day and often have referral lists.
- Call the number on the back of your insurance card and ask for in-network adolescent therapists.
- Ask your pediatrician for a referral; many can also screen for anxiety and depression at a normal visit.
- Ask a prospective therapist: do you work with teens, what approach do you use, and how do you involve parents?
- Expect waitlists. Ask to be added to more than one, and ask about cancellation slots.
Everyday support that adds up
- Protect sleep like it's a subject they're graded on — it changes mood more than almost anything else.
- Keep one low-stakes ritual: a drive, a walk, cooking. Hard things get said sideways, not face to face.
- Let some pressure go on purpose, and say out loud which expectations you're lowering.
- Model repair: apologize when you snap. It teaches that a bad moment isn't a broken relationship.
- Take care of your own support too. You can't pour from an empty cup, and teens notice.
Share the teen side with them
Feel Better tools
Two-minute resets they can use on their own phone.
Help Me Say It
Scripts for telling a parent or teacher what's going on.
EmotionalTeen offers educational emotional-wellness support. It does not diagnose conditions or replace therapy, medical care or emergency help.