Your 17-year-old daughter crying frequently can stem from normal adolescent hormonal shifts and brain development, overwhelming stress (school, friends, future), or underlying issues like anxiety, depression, trauma, or specific conditions like PMDD, requiring open communication, supportive strategies, and potentially professional help if accompanied by other symptoms like withdrawal or low mood.
The part of the brain responsible for judgment and decision-making is still developing throughout the teenage years, making teenage girls more susceptible to shifting impulses and emotions.
There isn't one single "worst" age, but many parents and studies point to 14 to 16 as particularly challenging for teenage girls, a period marked by intense puberty, body image issues, heightened social pressures (especially with social media), mood swings, and a strong push for independence that can clash with parents. Hormonal shifts, brain development (prefrontal cortex still maturing), and navigating peer/romantic experiences create a perfect storm of emotional volatility, anxiety, and conflict, with 14 often cited as a peak for social aggression.
It's normal for girls to often cry. In fact, it has even been said that it can be healthy for them to have a good cry. What's not normal is for them to cry and to be on the verge of tears virtually all the time. If your teenager looks sad or is tearful seemingly 24/7, they may in fact be struggling with depression.
A Sign of Depression
Finally, frequent crying spells are often associated with depression. You don't have to have a formal diagnosis to experience the symptoms of this disorder. These feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness and emptiness would bring anyone to tears.
Depression is a well-recognized cause of frequent and uncontrollable crying spells in adults. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a mood condition that affects the feelings, thoughts, and day-to-day functioning of a person. One of its key emotional symptoms is persistent sadness and tearfulness without a clear reason.
The first stage of a mental breakdown, often starting subtly, involves feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and increasingly anxious or irritable, coupled with difficulty concentrating, changes in sleep/appetite, and withdrawing from activities or people that once brought joy, all stemming from intense stress that becomes too much to handle.
If your child often cries over everything, first consult their pediatrician to rule out potential medical issues or other triggers (like a change in routine). If there are no obvious physical concerns, then your child may be highly sensitive and need a little extra support in managing their emotions.
This similarity between the sexes in crying frequency is sustained from the age of 2 years until approximately 11 to 12 years of age, when girls overtake boys partly as a result of a decline in boys' crying (Hastrup, Kraemer, Bornstein, & Trezza, 2001; Van Tilburg, et al., 2002).
Parents can do a lot to help kids be mentally healthy and well:
Teenagers who self-harm
keeping themselves fully covered at all times, even in hot weather. signs of depression, such as low mood, tearfulness, a lack of interest in everything. signs of low self-esteem, such as blaming themselves for any problems or thinking they are not good enough.
What are the symptoms of major depression in a teen?
Accidents account for nearly one-half of all teenage deaths. As a category of accidents, motor vehicle fatality is the leading cause of death to teenagers, representing over one-third of all deaths.
Many parents say that the toughest teen years are around 14 to 16.
Know the 5 signs of Emotional Suffering
Typical teen behavior might include: Spending more time with friends and less time with family. Spending more time in their room alone. Trying out different personal styles (clothing, hair, makeup, etc.).
For teens, everything feels more intense, whether it's good or bad. And crying can help a teen process and move through those emotions. Teenage crying isn't necessarily a warning sign. However, a teenager crying all the time, for no apparent reason, may be experiencing an underlying mental health disorder.
Several factors play a role in an individual's propensity to cry. Gender differences in crying, for example, have been explored for decades and across the world, and all of the studies reached the same conclusion: Women cry more than men.
For most teens, mood swings begin around puberty, typically between ages 11 and 13, and gradually settle as they move into their late teens and early 20s. By this time, hormonal fluctuations stabilize, and the brain's emotional regulation systems — particularly the prefrontal cortex — continue to mature.
Crying excessively for unknown reasons can be a symptom of depression, and consulting a mental health professional can provide valuable support.
In children with ADHD this often looks like a quick temper, low frustration tolerance, long recovery after upset, sudden tears or anger, and mood swings that interfere with daily functioning. These are not character flaws — they are expressions of brain and skill differences that can be taught and treated.
Validate her feelings, but remove the attention from crying. Focus instead on redirecting her behavior towards the goal, and ignore additional outbursts. Lavish praise for attempting or accomplishing the goal. Don't do this: Say, “I'll go to the store and buy the cereal bars you want,” and ignore her upset feelings.
Five key warning signs of mental illness include significant mood changes (extreme highs/lows, persistent sadness), withdrawal from friends/activities, major changes in sleep or eating habits, difficulty coping with daily problems or stress, and thoughts of self-harm or suicide, alongside other indicators like substance abuse, confusion, or changes in hygiene. These signs often represent a noticeable shift in behavior, functioning, and emotional state that impacts daily life.
You can only be given medication after an initial 3-month period in either of the following situations: You consent to taking the medication. A SOAD confirms that you lack capacity. You haven't given consent, but a SOAD confirms that this treatment is appropriate to be given.
Physical symptoms can include: