Some moodiness is normal throughout the teen years, but especially in the early teens. It’s possible that this is a phase and you will feel better in time. However, if you are having thoughts of self-harm or are harming yourself now, you do need get help right away. You don’t need to be diagnosed with a mental illness to be able to talk to someone who can help you. We suggest that you start by talking with a parent, health care provider, school counselor, if you have one, or other trusted adult. It’s important for your parents to know so they can help make sure you get the support you need. Your health care provider can also refer you to a counselor or therapist.
Our health guides are developed through a systematic, rigorous process to ensure accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness. Written and reviewed by experienced healthcare clinicians from Boston Children's Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital and consistently ranked as a top hospital by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report, these guides combine clinical expertise, specialized knowledge, and evidence-based medicine. We also incorporate research and best practices from authoritative sources such as the CDC, NIH, PubMed, top medical journals, and UpToDate.com. Clinical specialists and subject matter experts review and edit each guide, reinforcing our commitment to high-quality, factual, scientifically accurate health information for young people.