Should I worry that my teen stays in their room all the time?

Wanting more privacy can be part of adolescence. Withdrawing from nearly everything is different. Consider what your teen is still participating in: friendships, interests, school, and some connection with family. Spending less time with parents is not automatically a mental health problem. CDC

Concern increases when isolation is a change from their usual behavior and occurs alongside loss of enjoyment, low mood, major sleep changes, or declining functioning. Approach them with curiosity rather than an accusation. You could try saying, “I’ve noticed you haven’t been doing some of the things you used to enjoy. How have you been feeling?”

Those broader changes deserve a conversation with a health professional. National Institute of Mental Health

My approach gives teens room to talk without being expected to share everything at once. I want to understand what their days feel like from their perspective. Learn about me and how I work or explore support for anxiety and depression.