Plenty of teens—and adults—feel “blah” at least some of the time.

For teenagers, though, hormones might be making the normal “blahs” feel worse or last longer. You probably know that puberty causes all kinds of body changes. Girls begin growing breasts, guys sprout facial hair, and the zits start popping up. These changes are caused by surges of natural chemicals in the body called “hormones.” 

These hormone surges cause emotional changes, too. You may feel like things are great one day and awful the next. Other times, you might feel apathetic – meaning you couldn’t care less about what’s going on in your life or your friends’ lives. That’s almost worse than feeling really bad, because it’s unlikely you’ll take steps to make the situation better.

The best thing to do is first realize why you’re feeling this way. Then, take positive steps to help yourself feel better. That means doing something that’s good for you every single day.

Listen to music, read, make plans with friends, join a club. Anything that gives you pleasure and makes you feel good about yourself. You should also exercise or play a sport regularly. Not only is exercise good for you physically, it causes your body to release chemicals called “endorphins.” These give you a “natural high,” and can make you feel better. Even just walking regularly can give you a boost.

Other people find it helps to write in a journal, talk with friends, draw, or find other creative ways to express, understand and then let go of your negative emotions.

Just be sure you don’t look for relief in the wrong places. Sometimes, people think having sex will make them feel better about themselves. That almost always backfires, especially if you have sex with someone you barely know. You’ll just end up feeling empty afterward.

Drugs and alcohol are big mistakes. You might get some short-term escape, but in the long run you’ll end up feeling worse. So, stick with the natural solutions. There’s plenty out there.

Now, if you do all this and that “blah” feeling sticks with you for more than a couple of weeks – and certainly, if it feels like it’s getting worse, it’s time to get some help. These feelings can get worse and you might start to feel like they’re spinning out of control. 

Talk to your parents or other trusted adult. If you don’t feel like you can go to your parents with this problem, try the school counselor, a teacher, neighbor, or other family member.  There are also plenty of free or low-cost counseling centers available in most towns. Check your phone book under “counseling” or “mental health” or call your doctor, local mental health board or hospital for a referral. You can also find a trustworthy counselor through this Web site.

The best thing to do is reach out and get some help. Don’t try to go through this alone.