Some of these experiences are quite common in adolescents and young people. While they can be upsetting, only rarely do they mean that a serious mental illness is developing.  Most commonly, these experiences are a sign that the person is struggling to manage their emotions (which is sometimes called “emotion dysregulation”) and stressful experiences in their life. Emotion dysregulation can sometimes lead to a range of problems over time, including depression, anxiety, addiction-related issues, and rarely, self-harming behaviors or psychosis. The good news is that learning to feel and express emotions in healthy ways can increase well-being and lessen or eliminate troubling symptoms and distress. Learning how to handle strong emotions and stress is a normal part of healthy development and can be beneficial to anyone. 

At RE-SET, we specialize in evaluating and helping young people who are having these types of experiences, or related ones, with the overall aim of improving psychological flexibility, emotion regulation and resilience. This kind of program can also be important because research suggests that learning these types of skills can decrease the likelihood that more serious mental health issues develop in the future.