• Builds a more values-based sense of identity; friends become the main "attachment figures" instead of parents
• Gets better at seeing other people's perspectives and reasoning through moral questions
• Feels emotions more intensely and becomes very sensitive to peer approval/rejection — this tracks with the neurological changes of puberty (Chernewick et al. 2021)
• Is at higher risk for anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts during this stage — this is a normal (if scary) vulnerability window, not a personal failing on anyone's part
• Set up structured peer collaboration. Small mixed-group projects tied to identity or values give teens a safe place to practice belonging (Chernewick et al. 2021).
• Normalize asking for help. Teach kids directly what warning signs look like and exactly who to tell — treat help-seeking as a skill you teach, not something you just hope happens.
Take any mention of self-harm or suicide seriously, every single time. Watch for withdrawing from friends/activities, giving away belongings, big mood changes, or talk about hopelessness or being a burden. Follow your school's protocol and get the student to a counselor right away — don't wait to see if it passes. Keep the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988) and Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741) posted in your room, same as a fire escape plan.