When teenage angst has gone too far
Your health expert: Dr Ravi Lukha, Medical Director, Bupa UK insurance
Publish date 03/02/2026.
Next review 03/02/2027.
How can you tell the difference between normal teenage anger and something more? Here, Dr Ravi Lukha shares what parents and caregivers need to know.
Teenage anger: data increases
‘Therapist for teenage depression near me’
Searches for this term grew by 14 times.
‘Why is my daughter so nasty to me?’
Searches for this term grew by 13 times.
‘Teenage anger towards mother’
Searches increased sixfold for this term.
‘Why do teenagers hate their parents?’
Searches quadrupled for this term.
‘Teenage therapist’
Searches doubled for this term.
What is teenage angst?
Once your child hits puberty, you might find that their behaviour changes and becomes a bit more unpredictable. They may become:
- more argumentative
- flippant in their moods
- reluctant to spend time with you
To a degree, some angst from your teenager is to be expected. It’s a normal part of their development. The changes happening in your teenager’s body can have a huge impact on how they think, feel and act.
During adolescence, the prefrontal cortex is still developing, meaning your teen is still learning how to process and regulate their emotions.
This, teamed with the hormonal changes influencing your teen’s behaviour, means they’re more likely to behave unexpectedly.
Teenage angst examples
Sudden shifts in mood
You may be having a nice time together as a family, and then, seemingly out of nowhere, your teen withdraws, or becomes unfriendly.
Disproportionate responses to simple requests
For example, your teen may become incredibly moody when asked to tidy their room.
Your teenager looks for opportunities to rebel against you
They may stay out beyond their curfew, or engage in new unhealthy behaviours like smoking or drinking alcohol.
Frequent arguments
These arguments may feel like they start out of the blue. During these disputes, your teen may express frustration that they’re being ‘misunderstood’.
Why are teenagers moody?
The changes happening in a teenager’s body can cause a lot of inner turmoil. Growing responsibilities, along with stress and sex hormones, can affect your child’s outlook and leave them with conflicting thoughts about who they are and who they’ll become.
During this confusing time, your teen’s attitude may drastically change. They may become moody, snappy or withdrawn. Teenage arguments, behaviour and actions can feel especially hurtful, particularly if they’re aimed at you.
Behavioural changes can be a sign that they’re following the natural journey towards adulthood. However, it’s also important for parents and caregivers to know the difference between what kind of moods are normal, and what may be a sign they need more support.
Red flags in teenage behaviour
Some behaviours may indicate your teen is struggling with something deeper and may need extra support.
Whilst it’s expected for your child’s behaviour to change once they reach teen years, not all behaviour changes are normal.
Ultimately, if you’re worried about your teen, consider talking to them or getting some advice from a health professional.
Teenage depression symptoms
Some mood changes are common, so it may be tricky to tell if it’s normal teenage behaviour or if something more concerning is happening. It’s advisable to try and talk to your teen if they’re showing any of the following behaviours, especially if it’s happening often or to an extreme extent.
These could be signs they’re struggling with depressive symptoms:
- A continuous low mood
- Frequent crying
- Often struggling to fall asleep and stay asleep
- Withdrawing socially
- No longer doing things that they’ve previously enjoyed
- Misusing alcohol or using drugs
- Changes in their eating habits
- Finding it hard to concentrate
- Over-reliance on their smartphone
- Signs of self-harm, eg., covering up their skin year-round, or noticing cuts, scratches or burn marks on their skin.
Teen eating disorder symptoms
Eating disorders research by Bupa has found children and teens becoming increasingly aware of their weight and physical appearance in recent years, so knowing the warning signs is more important than ever. These signs include:
Behaving unusually around food
Weight change
Dizzy spells
Teeth changes
Becoming obsessed with their weight
Vomiting
Expressing anxiety when asked to eat
Excessively exercising
Wearing looser clothes to hide their body’s shape
Managing anger for teens
If your teenager is struggling to control their temper, it might tip over into aggression, and in extreme cases, violence.
Nobody wants to see their teen acting violently, but if they do, it’s important to know how to react and defuse.
- Remain calm and strong
Ensure that you’re giving your teen space and showing them that you’re listening. This might be enough to help bring peace to the situation, allowing your teen to take your lead and calm down. - Support them to express their emotions healthily
You should try to maintain that this kind of behaviour won’t result in them getting their way. This is similar to how you would deal with children. - Leave the room if you need to
If things continue to escalate, it’s best to calmly explain to your teen that you’re going to leave the room and let them have some time to themselves. - Seek further help
If your teen is still acting violently after this time, it might feel difficult to do, but it’s best to call the police. This will help ensure that you, your teen and your surroundings are protected.
You’re their parent, but you shouldn’t see it as a personal failure if you can’t reverse your teen’s behaviour. Sometimes, it needs someone external to help.
Therapy for teenagers can help them to open up about their emotional wellbeing, discover their triggers for aggression or violence and find healthy ways to manage how they’re feeling.
Parent self-care
Who can you confide in?
During challenging times, don’t keep it all to yourself.
Make a habit of speaking to trusted friends, family members, charity or health professionals.
The more you talk about your experiences, the more others can lend their support. Sharing can help you explore other perspectives and ways of coping.
Write it down
If opening up is new to you, you might find it helpful to write down how you’re feeling first. This may help you practice how you’d like to share your feelings with others.
If you felt comfortable enough, you could show them your written thoughts, rather than verbally speaking to them, to open up in the first place.
Create ‘you’ time:
Caring for your teen’s needs doesn’t mean you should completely sacrifice your own. Make sure you’re still making time for yourself during the week. Choose something that makes you happy, whether it’s going to the gym to spark some endorphins, or spending time in the bath with a book to switch off and relax.
If you struggle to make time for yourself, think about how you can add it to your daily routine, e.g., singing your favourite songs when doing housework, listening to an audiobook on your commute, or a 10-minute walk around the block on your lunch break.
Support for families with teenage anger and angst
Family Mental HealthLine
If you’re a Bupa customer and are concerned about your child’s mental health, you can call the Family Mental HealthLine.
Speak to one of our mental health nurses or advisers for support on:
0345 266 7938^
^Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. We may record or monitor phone calls.
Take care of the family’s health with health insurance
With our family health insurance, families get digital GP appointments, a 24-hour nurse helpline and accommodation for a parent if your child needs to stay in hospital.
Once you’ve chosen a policy, just add your partner and children to get our family discounts.
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