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The years between adolescence and adulthood can be rife with challenge for anyone. This is true whether they’re a classic loner or a devoted social type, whose day is only complete with frequent checks of their every conceivable social networking page. That’s because this age marks a move towards independence. Perhaps a teen’s parents are paying for most things, but the average teenager is learning to think for themselves, questioning the things they’ve been taught as they grew up. And these years of questioning everything can lead to confusion and, more devastatingly, problems.

The symptoms of depression can readily set in on the teenager, escaping everyone’s notice except their own. But when a formerly buoyant, bubbly person starts going silent in public company, often chalking it up to a bad day, it may be a sign of a deeper problem. The most common indicator of problems is a sudden change in grades, and that change is almost never for the better.

A close cousin of mental health issues can also rear its ugly head: drugs and drinking. These activities may begin as seemingly carefree fun times, but they often spiral into something else altogether. Teens are as susceptible to developing addictions as adults. Some might argue that they’re even more at risk, since they have more fierce peer pressure to contend with. If a teen you know is suddenly changing their lifestyle to be able to attend parties constantly, you can make an educated guess that they are playing with substance abuse issues.

Only by paying attention to teenagers can one help them to confront the issues they face. Gentle confrontation is the key.