Friday Q&A about Teens: Emotional Eating; Marijuana Overuse; When Screens are Too Much; & Bedtime Routine Hacks

You ask the best questions!

It’s Friday Q&A time!

This week is all about adolescent mental health. (Next week is about skeletal health!)

• Check out this week’s newsletter on parenting teens during difficult times.

• Listen to my podcast with Dr. Lisa Damour on teen mental health. Her new book, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, is an essential guide for parents and teens looking to make sense of their interior landscape!

  Dr. Lisa Damour on The Emotional Lives of Teenagers

The first question today (about emotional eating) is free for everyone. The remaining questions (about marijuana use, screen time, and bedtime routines) are for paid subscribers.

Don’t forget to check out my recent Q&As on:

• Correcting Internal Narratives: Weight; Alcohol & Social Anxiety; Unknown Family History; Hormones & Heart Disease; & “Keto” Dieting

• Risks After COVID; Booster Shots; New Vaccine Formulas; & COVID During Pregnancy

• Help with Infertility; When to Freeze Eggs; Anxiety about So Many Pills; & Finding a Therapist

Click here to submit your questions (about anything) for future Q&A posts!

Let’s dive in!

Photo by Alexis Brown on Unsplash

QUESTION #1

My teenage daughter is stressed out as a result of school and friendship issues that seem heightened on social media. So she’s been diving into ice cream to soothe herself. How can I help her understand that it’s okay to eat sweets but that there may be an emotional component?

-Concerned Mom

Dear Concerned Mom,

I wrote a detailed post about this issue right here. Why? Because it’s completely understandable when teens (nay, anyone!) turn to comfort foods to cope.

So right off the bat, it's important to approach this situation with empathy and understanding for your daughter's struggles—which it sounds like you already are doing!

You can start by having an open and honest conversation with your teenager about her feelings. Listen to her without judgment and let her know that you're there to support her. My own teens love to tease me about my obsession with the Periodic Table of Emotions—only to find them pouring over it later when I’m not looking! Each of us has a complex rainbow of feelings; naming and normalizing them is a great place to begin connecting the dots between how we feel, think and behave.

You can also explain to her that while of course there's nothing inherently wrong with eating sweets, it's important to be mindful of why we eat them. Sometimes, we may use food as a way to cope with difficult emotions, which can lead to unhealthy eating habits.

Encourage your teenager to explore other ways to manage stress and complex emotions, such as journaling, taking a break from screens, getting outside in nature, practicing mindfulness or meditation, engaging in physical activity or hobbies that she enjoys, and spending time with friends and family who are supportive and understanding.

Remind her that it's okay to indulge in treats and sweets from time to time, but that it's important to maintain a balanced and nutritious diet for her health. Above all, let your teenager know that you love and support her, and that you're there to help her through whatever challenges she may be facing.

I hope this is helpful! 

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QUESTION #2

I’m worried that my 19 year old son is smoking a lot of pot. He seems to think that because it’s legal it can’t be harmful. Do you have any advice on how to talk sense into him?

- KM