The Emotional Rollercoaster of Teenage Pregnancy
May is National Children’s Mental Health Day - a month dedicated to spreading awareness, education, and resources to prevent teen pregnancies. With every year comes great progress in preventing teen pregnancy. However, we still have a long way to go.
What We, as a Community, Can Do to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
As a community, we should all work to help our teens prevent pregnancies their bodies, minds, and lifestyles are not yet ready for. A few ways to do this include:
- Educating teens about safe sex practices.
- Spreading the word about tools and resources available to teens in your area.
- Implementing community programs with the intention of improving social development
- Improving contraceptive counseling and delivery
- Creating safe spaces for teens to ask questions and educate themselves on preventing teen pregnancy
The Emotional Roller Coaster of Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a largely transitional part of a woman's life. Thanks to the many changes a mother undergoes during pregnancy, fluctuating moods and seemingly out-of-control emotions are extremely common side effects. The changes impacting your emotions and mood during pregnancy can include:
- Hormones
- Stress
- Body changes
- Body image struggles
- Fatigue
- The need to change your lifestyle
Helping a Teenager Cope with a Teen Pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy is difficult to deal with for the whole family. However, they need love and support to help them get through this challenging and terrifying time.
Show Your Support
This time may feel scary and overwhelming for you, and that is completely normal. However, more than ever, a teen experiencing a teen pregnancy needs support and love. Upon finding out, your teen may feel angry, alone, anxious, guilty, or in denial. Let them know that you are here for them whether they have any needs, questions, or concerns. If your teen needs somebody to talk to, be there to listen. Your support will prove to be crucial to your teen's health and wellbeing throughout their pregnancy.
Explore Resources Available to Your Teen
There are a ton of resources available to help your family and teenager get through this time, whether they decide to keep the baby or not. These resources may be extremely helpful in ensuring your teen is able to have a smooth transition into whatever choice they make.
Get Your Teen to a Doctor As Soon As Possible
In order to ensure your teen is able to stay happy and healthy throughout their pregnancy, they will need to be getting proper medical treatment. The earlier your teen begins their prenatal care, the better chance they will have for a smooth pregnancy.
Help Your Teen Stay in School
Encourage your teen to continue their education. This will prove to be so beneficial to both your teen and their baby's future.
Encourage Your Teen to Care for Their Mental Health
Pregnancy can come with a ton of mental health concerns in and of itself. When you pair those mental health concerns with the stresses of teenage pregnancy, caring for your teen's mental health becomes critical to their wellbeing. If your teen needs somebody to talk to, we are here to help. Contact us today, and we will pair your teen with a compassionate, caring counselor to help them through this transition.
References
https://npin.cdc.gov/pages/national-teen-pregnancy-prevention-month
https://www.aafp.org/afp/2004/1015/p1517.html#:~:text=Successful%20strategies%20to%20prevent%20adolescent,the%20family%20and%20community%20level.
Keywords: Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, teen pregnancy, how to help a teenager with anxiety and depression, how to deal with teenage depression, how to deal with teenage anxiety