Saturday, April 30, 2022
Allison Slater Tate This story discusses #suicide. If you or someone you know is at risk of #suicide please call the U.S. #NationalSuicidePreventionLifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources. When news broke in March that #Stanford senior and #soccer star #KatieMeyer, 22, died by #suicide, it was a gut punch for #parents who understood what Katie's mother Gina meant when she said she was living "a parent's worst nightmare" in her interview with NBC News' Stephanie Gosk on TODAY. A month later, University of Wisconsin-Madison track and field star #SarahShulze died by #suicide. “We suddenly and tragically lost our dear Sarah on Wednesday, April 13. She was surrounded by her loving family,” her #parents posted on April 15. The statement continued, “Sarah took her own life. Balancing athletics, academics and the demands of every day life overwhelmed her in a single, desperate moment.” Gina Meyer told Gosk she and Katie's father had no red flags leading up to her death and that she had been in good spirits on FaceTime with them just hours before. Katie's and Sarah's deaths leave questions about what #parents need to know about #mentalhealthsupport on campuses and how they can support their #children at #college, particularly now that #college #students seem to be struggling more than ever. According to the most recent #HealthyMindsInstitute data report from winter of 2021, 41% of #college #student respondents reported moderate or major #depression, and 13% reported having had #suicidalideation in the previous year. We asked experts in the #mentalhealth and higher education fields to weigh in with answers about what #parents can do. 1. Start working on self advocacy skills early Think about the skills people need in #college before your #children get to #college, Myrna Hernández, Vice President of Student Affairs at the College of Wooster in Ohio, told TODAY Parents. "While they are still in #highschool, figure out whatever it is your #child is dealing with, whether it's academic, #mentalhealth, or #anxiety," she suggested. "Then start building their self-advocacy skills," she said. "Ask them, 'What so you want to do about that, and how are you going to accomplish it?'" Hernández said those kinds of "training wheel exercises" while they are still in #highschool can be really important later when #students need to be able to speak up for themselves. 2. Ask about #mentalhealthresources When touring #college campuses, #parents and #students should ask about #mentalhealthservices the same way they would ask about meal plans or internship opportunities, experts said — even if their #students have never needed #mentalhealthsupport in the past. Know who to contact if there are issues. Know where the #student health center is. Know how to find #mentalhealth help, and make sure your college kids knows too. At Wooster, for example, Hernández said the #school has an "early alert system" in the form of their #college "Care Team" made up of #students, faculty, and staff members who can follow up if someone alerts them with concerns about a #student. Wooster offers counseling services through their #student wellness center, but Hernández noted that those services might have a wait time. She said Wooster and most colleges and universities also have emergency #mentalhealthsupport available 24 hours a day, seven days a week — which is important for #students to know. Other questions to ask colleges: How long do #students typically wait to see a #counselor? How many sessions are they given before they must seek help outside the university? What kind of support does the university provide if they do need to find a private #mentalhealthprovider? 3. Consider legal release forms What many #parents do not realize is that once #kids are older than 18, privacy laws limit #colleges in what they can communicate to #parents about their #students’ #mentalhealth. In some cases, #parents might want to submit signed documents from their #students giving the #college have more freedom to tell them if their #children suffer a medical issue on campus, either #mental or physical. These forms might include medical and/or financial power of attorney as well as HIPAA releases. "If a #student welcomes this, it’s not a crazy thing to have, just in case,” said Dr. Sarah Cain Spannagel, a licensed clinical #psychologist and faculty member at Case Western Reserve University. “My mom sent me to college with a Tupperware with things like a small sewing kit inside of it,” Spannagel noted. “Did I use any of those things? No. They sat in a storage block in the corner of my dorm room. But I had them if I needed them; and this is really no different, if it makes sense to everyone involved.” #James Donaldson notes: Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes. Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use. Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book, Celebrating Your Gift of Life: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy 4. Talk about #mentalhealth and have a plan When a #child goes away to #college, the dynamic between them and their #parents will change, said Hernández — and communication is important. Once a #student has been on campus for a few weeks, "Ask them, 'Who, besides your friends, is supporting you?'" she said. "Make sure they can point to someone. Even just one connection, like a coach or a professor or someone in the academic resource center is enough, but they need to be connected to someone." For #students who have had #mentalhealthsupport in their hometown, a "forthright plan for continuity of care" is also critical, said Spannagel, and not just in terms of counseling or medication. "Whatever your child's self care is at home, that needs to go with them somehow to #college," she said. "If they have a gym membership at home and working out helps them relieve #stress, make sure they know where they can do that on campus. If it's getting their nails done every week, then they should do that." 5. Work on noticing instead of judging Spannagel advised #parents to keep in touch regularly with their #kids at #college and to insist, sometimes, on hearing their voice or FaceTiming so they can see how they look. However, she warned that #parents should be "noticers" when observing their kids, and not pass judgment on them. If they are cranky from lack of sleep or if they aren’t eating enough — instead of criticizing them, be aware and notice if a #child seems to be eating, exercising, or sleeping more or less than usual, she said. Significant changes might be an early warning signal that something is off. One big tell that a #student could need help, Spannagel said: any mention of #hopelessness. Spannagel also said that even though #college #students need their independence, it is OK for #parents to decide to take something off their child's plate. "If you need to pick up their medication from the pharmacy and mail it to them at #school, who cares?" she said. "There's a million other opportunities at #college to be independent. If they need you to do that one thing to keep them on track, that's OK." 6. Tell your #children they are not alone if they struggle Samantha Arsenault Livingstone is an Olympic gold medalist in swimming who struggled with #depression and now works as a #mentalhealth educator and advocate. She knows too well the perfectionism and pressure Katie Meyer's #parents mentioned in their TODAY interview, both for high performing #athletes as well as the average person. Going off to #college as an elite athlete, she would have benefitted from knowing "other people struggled too," she told TODAY Parents. "I believed completely that I was the only one. Even after all my achievement, I felt like an imposter, and that for me was the driver into the depths of #depression, into that dark, dark, space, because I felt like I would be found out if I revealed any sort of struggle." Livingstone noted, "We don't need a diagnosis to be able to talk about #anxiety. Sometimes #kids feel they need permission to feel how they feel." Hernández said the #mentalhealthcrisis among #college #students is "generational," not just a byproduct of the #COVID-19 #pandemic. "We have to remember that it's being compounded now, because not only are #students having to deal with the disruption the #pandemic caused, but they’ve also grown up in #schools with #anxiety and #stress from active shooter drills and thinking about their personal safety every day just being in #school in general," she said. Related: This story was originally published in March 2022 and has been updated.
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/2022/04/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-6-things-parents-should-know-about-mentalhealth-before-sending-a-kid-to-college/
Allison Slater Tate
This story discusses #suicide. If you or someone you know is at risk of #suicide please call the U.S. #NationalSuicidePreventionLifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.
When news broke in March that #Stanford senior and #soccer star #KatieMeyer, 22, died by #suicide, it was a gut punch for #parents who understood what Katie's mother Gina meant when she said she was living "a parent's worst nightmare" in her interview with NBC News' Stephanie Gosk on TODAY.
A month later, University of Wisconsin-Madison track and field star #SarahShulze died by #suicide.
“We suddenly and tragically lost our dear Sarah on Wednesday, April 13. She was surrounded by her loving family,” her #parents posted on April 15.
The statement continued, “Sarah took her own life. Balancing athletics, academics and the demands of every day life overwhelmed her in a single, desperate moment.”
Gina Meyer told Gosk she and Katie's father had no red flags leading up to her death and that she had been in good spirits on FaceTime with them just hours before.
Katie's and Sarah's deaths leave questions about what #parents need to know about #mentalhealthsupport on campuses and how they can support their #children at #college, particularly now that #college #students seem to be struggling more than ever.
According to the most recent #HealthyMindsInstitute data report from winter of 2021, 41% of #college #student respondents reported moderate or major #depression, and 13% reported having had #suicidalideation in the previous year.
We asked experts in the #mentalhealth and higher education fields to weigh in with answers about what #parents can do.
1. Start working on self advocacy skills early
Think about the skills people need in #college before your #children get to #college, Myrna Hernández, Vice President of Student Affairs at the College of Wooster in Ohio, told TODAY Parents. "While they are still in #highschool, figure out whatever it is your #child is dealing with, whether it's academic, #mentalhealth, or #anxiety," she suggested.
"Then start building their self-advocacy skills," she said. "Ask them, 'What so you want to do about that, and how are you going to accomplish it?'" Hernández said those kinds of "training wheel exercises" while they are still in #highschool can be really important later when #students need to be able to speak up for themselves.
2. Ask about #mentalhealthresources
When touring #college campuses, #parents and #students should ask about #mentalhealthservices the same way they would ask about meal plans or internship opportunities, experts said — even if their #students have never needed #mentalhealthsupport in the past.
Know who to contact if there are issues. Know where the #student health center is. Know how to find #mentalhealth help, and make sure your college kids knows too. At Wooster, for example, Hernández said the #school has an "early alert system" in the form of their #college "Care Team" made up of #students, faculty, and staff members who can follow up if someone alerts them with concerns about a #student.
Wooster offers counseling services through their #student wellness center, but Hernández noted that those services might have a wait time. She said Wooster and most colleges and universities also have emergency #mentalhealthsupport available 24 hours a day, seven days a week — which is important for #students to know.
Other questions to ask colleges: How long do #students typically wait to see a #counselor? How many sessions are they given before they must seek help outside the university? What kind of support does the university provide if they do need to find a private #mentalhealthprovider?
3. Consider legal release forms
What many #parents do not realize is that once #kids are older than 18, privacy laws limit #colleges in what they can communicate to #parents about their #students’ #mentalhealth.
In some cases, #parents might want to submit signed documents from their #students giving the #college have more freedom to tell them if their #children suffer a medical issue on campus, either #mental or physical. These forms might include medical and/or financial power of attorney as well as HIPAA releases.
"If a #student welcomes this, it’s not a crazy thing to have, just in case,” said Dr. Sarah Cain Spannagel, a licensed clinical #psychologist and faculty member at Case Western Reserve University.
“My mom sent me to college with a Tupperware with things like a small sewing kit inside of it,” Spannagel noted. “Did I use any of those things? No. They sat in a storage block in the corner of my dorm room. But I had them if I needed them; and this is really no different, if it makes sense to everyone involved.”
#James Donaldson notes:
Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.
Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.
Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle
Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,
Celebrating Your Gift of Life:
From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy
4. Talk about #mentalhealth and have a plan
When a #child goes away to #college, the dynamic between them and their #parents will change, said Hernández — and communication is important.
Once a #student has been on campus for a few weeks, "Ask them, 'Who, besides your friends, is supporting you?'" she said. "Make sure they can point to someone. Even just one connection, like a coach or a professor or someone in the academic resource center is enough, but they need to be connected to someone."
For #students who have had #mentalhealthsupport in their hometown, a "forthright plan for continuity of care" is also critical, said Spannagel, and not just in terms of counseling or medication.
"Whatever your child's self care is at home, that needs to go with them somehow to #college," she said. "If they have a gym membership at home and working out helps them relieve #stress, make sure they know where they can do that on campus. If it's getting their nails done every week, then they should do that."
5. Work on noticing instead of judging
Spannagel advised #parents to keep in touch regularly with their #kids at #college and to insist, sometimes, on hearing their voice or FaceTiming so they can see how they look. However, she warned that #parents should be "noticers" when observing their kids, and not pass judgment on them.
If they are cranky from lack of sleep or if they aren’t eating enough — instead of criticizing them, be aware and notice if a #child seems to be eating, exercising, or sleeping more or less than usual, she said. Significant changes might be an early warning signal that something is off. One big tell that a #student could need help, Spannagel said: any mention of #hopelessness.
Spannagel also said that even though #college #students need their independence, it is OK for #parents to decide to take something off their child's plate.
"If you need to pick up their medication from the pharmacy and mail it to them at #school, who cares?" she said. "There's a million other opportunities at #college to be independent. If they need you to do that one thing to keep them on track, that's OK."
6. Tell your #children they are not alone if they struggle
Samantha Arsenault Livingstone is an Olympic gold medalist in swimming who struggled with #depression and now works as a #mentalhealth educator and advocate. She knows too well the perfectionism and pressure Katie Meyer's #parents mentioned in their TODAY interview, both for high performing #athletes as well as the average person.
Going off to #college as an elite athlete, she would have benefitted from knowing "other people struggled too," she told TODAY Parents. "I believed completely that I was the only one. Even after all my achievement, I felt like an imposter, and that for me was the driver into the depths of #depression, into that dark, dark, space, because I felt like I would be found out if I revealed any sort of struggle."
Livingstone noted, "We don't need a diagnosis to be able to talk about #anxiety. Sometimes #kids feel they need permission to feel how they feel."
Hernández said the #mentalhealthcrisis among #college #students is "generational," not just a byproduct of the #COVID-19 #pandemic.
"We have to remember that it's being compounded now, because not only are #students having to deal with the disruption the #pandemic caused, but they’ve also grown up in #schools with #anxiety and #stress from active shooter drills and thinking about their personal safety every day just being in #school in general," she said.
Related:
This story was originally published in March 2022 and has been updated.
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/?p=9248
Friday, April 29, 2022
#Latinos who have #mentalhealthillnesses oftentimes don't get the care — or even have access to the care — needed to address them. According to the #NationalAllianceonMentalHealth (#NAMI), just 33% of #Latino #adults with #mentalillness receive the treatment they need each year, compared to the 43% US average. And according to #MentalHealthAmerica (MHA), approximately 10 million US #Latinos report having a #mentalhealthcondition, with research suggesting that those numbers are continuing to grow. There are a number of reasons why the level of care received is disproportionate, with language barriers, financial inequities, misdiagnosis, medical racism, and legal status all playing their part. But one of the biggest challenges many #Latinos must face when addressing their #mentalhealth is the #stigma around the illnesses themselves. #James Donaldson notes: Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes. Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use. Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book, Celebrating Your Gift of Life: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy Netflix While many #Latino #parents and guardians do try as hard as they can to understand what their #kids are going through, others simply just do not get it or understand it. It's time to break down this #stigma, so we asked the #Latinos of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us the toxic things they've been told by their #parents when addressing #mentalhealth. Here are 25 of their stories/phrases they've heard over and over again: Warning: This post contains mentions of #suicide, self-harm, and disordered eating. 1."Like all #parents, #Latino #parents want what’s best for their #kids and are very dedicated to providing that. But with #mentalhealthissues, a lot of the messaging was about how lucky our family was to be here, and things like #depression were more about having the 'wrong' perspective. Considering how hard immigrant families have to work to get ahead, and their suspicion of the medical profession due to things like the well-documented racism in the field, that kind of response isn’t surprising." —Anonymous 2."I’ve always been a shy and introverted #kid. I was about 11 or 12 when my pediatrician noticed signs of #depression in me and sat my #parents down to talk about it and what options were available to me. My #dad let my #doctor finish explaining and then told her that I’ll be okay, I’m a strong #girl. Didn’t even think to look into the matter, or get me help, or even ask me about it. My mom told me to just pray and God will help me. I’m 28 now and have never gotten the help I needed. Truth be told, I’ve been living with and burying that #depression (and now #anxiety) for years because I didn’t want to disappoint my #parents and be their 'strong' #girl. I'm finally actively looking for professional help now that I don’t live with them." —leidat2 3."My dad when I was three, and as I got into my #teen years a lot of major events started to take place — like a quinceañera and proms, etc., and all my friends dads were there, but mine wasn’t. I started to get really down about it and having outbursts of anger and crying and told my mom I needed to see someone. She said I was fine and doing that would hurt me in the future. Took a lot of fighting, but she finally caved and I am so thankful she did. Therapy is still a regular part of my #adult life and honestly I don’t think I’d still be here if it wasn’t for it." —beckyc4104b26ca 4."Huevona levántate." —jalexla "Get up lazy girl." 5."According to my dear Mama, my #depression stems from lacking a relationship with Jesus. Without religious meaning in my life, she’s not surprised I’m having an existential crisis. It couldn’t be because my spouse was falling out of love with me, I held up the house and took care of everything my late father did for her? I love her, but prayer cards don’t hold a candle to Zoloft." —Anonymous 6."Neither of my #parents had the vocabulary to define #mentalhealth, so I had to provide it for them. To them, my #anxiety was me being 'afraid of everything for no reason.' My #depression was just a 'phase' or me 'having a bad day.' This is how it was defined to them as #children, and so they were trying to project that onto me. Their own #mentalwellness was ignored for so long, that they then didn't even know how to begin addressing mine. In many ways, I am like their #parent now, guiding them through their own unresolved issues as I try to navigate mine. We are all healing together now and I just wish this could have happened sooner for all our sakes." —Anonymous 7."'Have some food, you’re just hungry.'" —buzzfeed1003 8."My mom will believe in demons, angels, and ghosts — but when it comes to my #anxiety — it just doesn't exist to her." —Anonymous 9."My mother would always tell me I was just being lazy, 'Get up and do something.' It’s even worse right now as an #adult because I moved away and don’t really have anyone. I lost someone recently that was very close to me and she expects me to bounce back as if nothing happened, which is the reason why I hardly speak to her or the rest of my family these days." —nikiek2020 10."As a #teen I was told the books I read put bad ideas into my head. Calling me fat, and I ended up starving myself. When someone reported my self-harm and the #nurse called them, they said they would take care of it and instead decided prayer was the way to go. It took me many years to forgive them and we are better now, but there was a lot of harm done." —Anonymous 11."I used compulsive shopping as a mechanism for #depression and all my dad said was, 'Oh, you're addicted to buying shit but not addicted to working?' GTFO." —rigop2 12."My #parents have told me, 'Es por que no haces nada,' as if I'm not working a part-time job while also going to #school full-time. They also take it as a personal attack each time I say I'm struggling. They weaponize the sacrifices they've made for me as a reason for why I should be happy. I love them and am grateful for everything they do for me, but this ain't it." —Anonymous "It's because you don't do anything." 13.“'Todos nos ponemos tristes de vez en cuando, lo importante es no dejarse pensar mucho en eso.' 'We all get sad sometimes, the important thing is to not think about it too much' — about my #depression." —christianflinn 14."My mom just said that even #psychiatrists are 'crazy' and that she knew of one that just committed #suicide. I told her that I’m having trouble sleeping and she immediately told me that she never has any issues sleeping, as if this 'problem' I’m going through is not because of her. I sat in front of her for an hour, crying uncontrollably. She never once looked at me and continued to play solitaire on her laptop while I bawled." —Anonymous 15."'Estas muy chiquita para saber como se siente eso.'" —Anonymous "You're too young to know how that feels." 16."I don’t think they have, but I never get to tell my mom that I have #depression. She might just dismiss it and ignore it. Besides that, I’ve just worked everything out myself." —Anonymous 17."Pues deja de pensar en eso." —Anonymous "Well, just stop thinking about that." 18."Well, I am a #Latin #American person. I was born and lived all my life in Uruguay hoping to be old enough to study abroad because Uruguay is a small country with no opportunities for artists. Although it is an open-minded country (equal marriage and abortion have been legal for years), its citizens are more closed, and my #parents show it. My mom grew up raising her siblings and says she "never needed a #psychologist," and my dad says with the number of murders on the continent, it's better to kill yourself. Such is life every day. My #parents believe that just because they survived a difficult life, I can do the same. This is a problem that can exist everywhere, but almost all my friends go through something similar. #Latino #parents are sweet, but they can hurt too much since they lived through a difficult #childhood. Obviously I know how horrible it was, but they don't understand that #mentalhealth is not just about how you live." —Anonymous 19."I would have some signs of #anxiety and #depression when I was a #teen. My mom would say, 'You have no right to feel that way. You should have no worries right now, especially since you are not very smart and make mistakes every day.' Or she would say that I was saying that as an excuse to get out of things and that my #anxiety was something that only "crazy people would experience". Thankfully I have opened her eyes to the real meaning and importance of #mentalhealthissues some years ago and she FINALLY gets it." —Anonymous 20."'Just pray and it will go away. There is no such thing as that, just toughen up.'" —Anonymous 21."They completely ignore the fact that most, if not all, my body and self-esteem issues have been caused by their constant jokes and comments since I was four. My mom has basically been my biggest bully and has put a lot of pressure on me being perfect, but won’t support me when I’m feeling depressed or anxious. I went through a really rough time when I was completely burnt out because of grad school and financial issues, and she said it was because I didn’t put enough effort into doing things well. When I had a miscarriage, she basically said it was my fault for not losing weight and not going to church enough, and that I didn’t need to get depressed about it. She thinks therapy is for 'crazy people' and pointless, and refuses to accept that her own #childhood trauma made her a narcissist. Even my own #therapist told me I should just not even try talking to my #parents about deep issues because they hurt my #mentalhealth." —Anonymous 22."I was diagnosed with a severe #depression — had tried to end my life more than once. And my mom's answer was to read a book and pray to get better." —Anonymous 23."The last time I tried to seek therapy for my #depression, my mom forced me to see a priest instead. #Depression isn't just some demon you can exorcise." —Anonymous 24."Being handed a mop and a broom when I said I wasn't feeling great mentally and getting told, 'Ponte a limpiar tu cuarto para que no piensas de esas cosas.' I don't think they fully understand just how damaging that kind of reaction is, but I've been trying to get them to understand me more as the years go by and I'm getting through to them little by little." —Anonymous "Clean your room so you can stop thinking about those things." 25."I think what many #Latinx #parents need to learn is that they need to respect their #children as human beings, period. This idea that their #children owe them respect no matter what for being the #parents, while at the same time barely acknowledging the kids' basic rights, is outdated and toxic." —kljflam Note: some submissions may have been edited for length/clarity. The #NationalAllianceonMentalIllness helpline is 1-888-950-6264 (#NAMI) and provides information and referral services; GoodTherapy.org is an association of #mentalhealthprofessionals from more than 25 countries who support efforts to reduce harm in therapy. The #NationalSuicidePreventionLifeline is 1-800-273-8255. Other international #suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org. The Trevor Project, which provides help and #suicideprevention resources for #LGBTQ #youth, is 1-866-488-7386. The National Eating Disorders Association helpline is 1-800-931-2237; for 24/7 crisis support, text “NEDA” to 741741.
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/2022/04/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-25-toxic-things-latino-parents-need-to-stop-saying-to-their-kids-when-it-comes-to-mentalhealth/
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/2022/04/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-25-toxic-things-latino-parents-need-to-stop-saying-to-their-kids-when-it-comes-to-mentalhealth/
When taking a break is helpful (and when it's not) Rae Jacobson What You'll Learn What are #mentalhealthdays?When should #kids take them — and when shouldn't they?How can you help #kids make the most of #mentalhealthdays? Quick ReadFull ArticleWhat are #mentalhealthdays?How to decide when a #mentalhealthday is a good ideaWhen are #mentalhealthdays not a good idea?When are #mentalhealthdays a good choice?Making a #mentalhealthday countSetting limitsWhat to do when #kids push for moreWhen to be concerned A #mentalhealthday is a day off from #school to rest and recharge. Giving #kids the chance to take them — within reason — can have big benefits. Here are some tips on when you should, and shouldn’t, let #kids take a day off. And advice to help them get the most out of it when they do. When your #child asks to stay home, have a talk about why. Are they feeling sad? Overwhelmed? Did something bad happen at #school? Once you know more, you’ll be able to decide if a day off is the best solution. #Mentalhealthdays shouldn’t be used to avoid a touch assignment or a problem at #school. Skipping tests or hiding from conflict ends up making the problem bigger, not better. And avoiding things that make #kids anxious makes the #anxiety worse. Also, #kids — especially younger #children and #kids with #ADHD or learning differences — may need the support the #school routine provides. On the other hand, a #mentalhealthday might be the right choice for a #child who’s emotionally raw after a breakup. Likewise, #kids might need some time to recover after finishing a big project, or a test that required a lot of studying. #Children who’ve worked hard to overcome #anxiety or learning challenges can benefit from taking breaks. But keep in mind that #mentalhealthdays should be one day, once in a while. Set limits and be clear about when #kids can, and can’t, take a day off. If you do agree to a #mentalhealthday, make sure it’s spent doing things that benefit your child’s #mentalhealth. For example, reading a relaxing book or taking a walk. #Mentalhealthdays should not be to catch up on outstanding assignments or sink into #socialmedia. The goal is to help your #child learn the skills to care for their #mentalwellbeing. “I don’t want to go to #school!” “Please, can I just stay home? Please.” The please-don’t-make-me-go plea is a common refrain of #childhood. So when #kids start asking to stay home or give a little hopeful cough it can be tempting to roll your eyes, hand their back pack over, and point them out the door. But, when your #child begs to stay home or asks for a day off, they may be trying to tell you that what they really need is a #mentalhealthday. #James Donaldson notes: Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes. Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use. Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book, Celebrating Your Gift of Life: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy What are #mentalhealthdays? Letting a #child who isn’t physically ill stay home, especially after so much disruption and #school loss, might feel wrong to most #parents. But in the wake of the #pandemic an unprecedented number of #children and #teenagers are struggling with #mentalhealthissues. And caring for #kids’ emotional well-being is as important as caring for their health. Taking #mentalhealthdays — that is, time at home to rest and recharge — can be an important tool to help protect and manage #mentalhealth. And giving kids the chance to take them — within reason — can have big benefits. But it can be hard to know when you should, and shouldn’t, let your #child take a #mentalhealthday, and how to help them get the most out of it when the do. Here is some advice from our experts. How to decide when a #mentalhealthday is a good idea When #kids ask to stay home, #parents should use it as an opportunity to check in, and do a little detective work. Talking through your #child’s reason for asking to take a break will help you get a better idea of what they’re going through and make it easier to decide if a #mentalhealthday is the best solution. For example: Are they feeling overwhelmed?Did something happen at #school that was upsetting, like a fight with a friend or an embarrassing moment in class?Are they worried about their schoolwork?Have they just finished a big, difficult assignment. For example, long paper, or a big test that required a lot of studying?Are they feeling anxious, sad or stressed?Is something happening at home that is adding #stress, like the illness or loss of a loved one, the death of a pet, a big move, or a divorce? Once you know more about what your #child’s needs are, you’ll be in a better position to decide whether taking the day off is the right choice. When are #mentalhealthdays not a good idea? “#Mentalhealthdays can be positive for any #child,” says Allison Dubinski, a LCSW at the #ChildMindInstitute, “as long as they’re done in a way that’s not reinforcing avoidance or #anxiety.” We want to teach #kids that prioritizing our #mentalhealth and taking care of ourselves is important, Dubinski says, “But if #kids are asking for a day off because they’re trying to get out of something that they’re anxious about, staying home may end up reinforcing that #anxiety.” Jerry Bubrick , PhD, a clinical #psychologist at the #ChildMindInstitute agrees. “I’m a big advocate for #mentalhealthdays,” he says But #parents need to be conscious of making sure #kids aren’t using them to avoid schoolwork. “This isn’t because you want to get an extension on a paper or miss a test — then it’s just a procrastination day.” Not to mention that skipping tests, dodging schoolwork or hiding from conflict often ends up making the problem bigger, not better. “The goal is to give #kids the coping skills they’ll need to manage #anxiety, and sometimes that means pushing through even when it’s difficult,” says Dubinski. Likewise, #kids — especially younger #children and #kids with #ADHD or learning differences — might really need the consistency and support the #school routine provides. Or they could end up feeling more anxious because they’ve missed something important in class. A #mentalhealthday might be appropriate for something specific like a breakup or recovering from a long hard week. But if #kids are experiencing ongoing issues, like problems with friends, or #anxiety about #school, says Stephanie Ruggerio, PsyD a clinical #psychologist at the #ChildMindInstitute, an occasional day off isn’t a fix. “#Mentalhealthdays are more likely to be a band-aid than a solution.” When are #mentalhealth days a good choice? But when a #child has been pushing through challenges and is feeling drained, a break is not only a good idea, it’s necessary. “#Mentalhealth is health,” says Dr. Bubrick. “Think of it like this: If you were exhausted and feeling sick, pushing yourself to keep going, to work or to #school, would probably be a bad decision.” #Children who struggle with #depression, #anxiety or other #mentalhealth and learning issues or even kids who’ve just had a rough week — for example facing their fears about reading in front of the class, going to #school even though they’re having trouble with a friend, or just facing down everyday #school #anxiety — may need some time to recuperate and recharge. Making a #mentalhealthday count If you do agree to a #mentalhealthday, especially for #teens and tweens, help them make it meaningful, says Dr. Ruggerio. “This means they’re doing things that benefit and protect their #mentalhealth.” For example, she explains, #kids shouldn’t use the day to catch up on outstanding assignments or sink into #socialmedia. The other experts agree. “If we’re taking a #mentalhealthday we should be thinking about that day in a #mentalhealth way,” says Dr. Bubrick. Some #mentalhealthday activities could look like: Taking a walk outside, or spending time in natureBaking, drawing, painting or other activities that your child finds calmingTaking some time to practice mindfulness activitiesExercisingListening to music or reading a book (or listening to an audiobook) #Parents can help #kids be intentional about using their #mentalhealthday to rest and care for themselves. This doesn’t mean overscheduling, or pushing #kids to talk about their feelings. The goal is to help your #child learn what they need to do to care for their #mentalwellbeing. Setting limits It’s important to let #kids know that though you support taking #mentalhealthdays, they aren’t always appropriate or available. #Mentalhealthdays should be just that — a day. “We’re not having a #mentalhealth two-days, we’re not having a #mentalhealthweek…” says Dr. Bubrick. Settling clear limits can help avoid pleas for “Just one more day…” Some examples of limit-setting could be: Agreeing on a set number of #mentalhealthdays per year (and sticking to it). For example, two per semester, or five per #school year.Working with your #child to plan ahead. For example, if you know they’ve got a big project coming up, agreeing that they’ll take a day off to wind down when it’s finished.Deciding on black-out days. For example, if Mondays tend to be packed with important information, or if Thursdays your child has a class they’re behind in, those days can’t be used for a break. If #kids need a break, but taking a whole day seems like too much. Dr. Ruggerio suggests offering smaller, targeted breaks that can help #kids recharge without falling behind. “For instance, give your #child the chance to sleep in or take a half day. It’s less disruptive, but they’ll still get some time to rest.” What to do when #kids push for more Even with limits, some #kids may still ask for more days off than you’re willing to give. If your #child is asking to stay home often or faking sick, use it as an opportunity to have a conversation about why they are feeling anxious or upset. “We want kids to be honest,” says Dr. Ruggerio. “Let your #child know you take their #mentalhealth as seriously as their physical health. There’s no need to resort to lying or pretending.” When kids do lie or push back, try to keep your cool and remember that what they really trying to say is that they’re feeling down, anxious, upset, or stressed. Instead of getting angry or upset, invite your #kid to talk to you. With younger #children you could say: “I know you’re not sick in your body, but I can tell you’re feeling really upset. Can we make a time to talk about what’s going on after #school?” Of course, #kids may not want to share what they’re feeling or may not know what to say, and that’s okay. Asking questions and modeling good habits by taking care of your own #mentalhealth will help #kids know you’re taking their feelings seriously, and that the door is always open when they are ready to talk. When to be concerned #Mentalhealthdays are not a substitute for treatment or a long-term solution. If your #child is faking sick or crying or begging to stay home frequently, breaks won’t get to the heart of the problem. There may be a serious issue at #school, like #bullying or an undiagnosed #learningdisorder. Or they could be struggling with a #mentalhealthissue like #depression. “If the issues are ongoing, it’s time to have a bigger conversation,” says Dr. Ruggerio. Talking to your child’s #teacher, connecting with the #school #counselor, or reaching out to #mentalhealthprofessional will help your #child get the care and help they need. Rae Jacobson is senior content and marketing writer at the #ChildMindInstitute.
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/2022/04/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-should-kids-take-mentalhealthdays-2/
When taking a break is helpful (and when it's not)
Rae Jacobson
What You'll Learn
- What are #mentalhealthdays?
- When should #kids take them — and when shouldn't they?
- How can you help #kids make the most of #mentalhealthdays?
- Quick Read
- Full Article
- What are #mentalhealthdays?
- How to decide when a #mentalhealthday is a good idea
- When are #mentalhealthdays not a good idea?
- When are #mentalhealthdays a good choice?
- Making a #mentalhealthday count
- Setting limits
- What to do when #kids push for more
- When to be concerned
A #mentalhealthday is a day off from #school to rest and recharge. Giving #kids the chance to take them — within reason — can have big benefits. Here are some tips on when you should, and shouldn’t, let #kids take a day off. And advice to help them get the most out of it when they do.
When your #child asks to stay home, have a talk about why. Are they feeling sad? Overwhelmed? Did something bad happen at #school? Once you know more, you’ll be able to decide if a day off is the best solution.
#Mentalhealthdays shouldn’t be used to avoid a touch assignment or a problem at #school. Skipping tests or hiding from conflict ends up making the problem bigger, not better. And avoiding things that make #kids anxious makes the #anxiety worse. Also, #kids — especially younger #children and #kids with #ADHD or learning differences — may need the support the #school routine provides.
On the other hand, a #mentalhealthday might be the right choice for a #child who’s emotionally raw after a breakup. Likewise, #kids might need some time to recover after finishing a big project, or a test that required a lot of studying. #Children who’ve worked hard to overcome #anxiety or learning challenges can benefit from taking breaks.
But keep in mind that #mentalhealthdays should be one day, once in a while. Set limits and be clear about when #kids can, and can’t, take a day off.
If you do agree to a #mentalhealthday, make sure it’s spent doing things that benefit your child’s #mentalhealth. For example, reading a relaxing book or taking a walk. #Mentalhealthdays should not be to catch up on outstanding assignments or sink into #socialmedia. The goal is to help your #child learn the skills to care for their #mentalwellbeing.
“I don’t want to go to #school!” “Please, can I just stay home? Please.”
The please-don’t-make-me-go plea is a common refrain of #childhood. So when #kids start asking to stay home or give a little hopeful cough it can be tempting to roll your eyes, hand their back pack over, and point them out the door.
But, when your #child begs to stay home or asks for a day off, they may be trying to tell you that what they really need is a #mentalhealthday.
#James Donaldson notes:
Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.
Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.
Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle
Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,
Celebrating Your Gift of Life:
From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy
What are #mentalhealthdays?
Letting a #child who isn’t physically ill stay home, especially after so much disruption and #school loss, might feel wrong to most #parents. But in the wake of the #pandemic an unprecedented number of #children and #teenagers are struggling with #mentalhealthissues. And caring for #kids’ emotional well-being is as important as caring for their health.
Taking #mentalhealthdays — that is, time at home to rest and recharge — can be an important tool to help protect and manage #mentalhealth. And giving kids the chance to take them — within reason — can have big benefits.
But it can be hard to know when you should, and shouldn’t, let your #child take a #mentalhealthday, and how to help them get the most out of it when the do. Here is some advice from our experts.
How to decide when a #mentalhealthday is a good idea
When #kids ask to stay home, #parents should use it as an opportunity to check in, and do a little detective work. Talking through your #child’s reason for asking to take a break will help you get a better idea of what they’re going through and make it easier to decide if a #mentalhealthday is the best solution.
For example:
- Are they feeling overwhelmed?
- Did something happen at #school that was upsetting, like a fight with a friend or an embarrassing moment in class?
- Are they worried about their schoolwork?
- Have they just finished a big, difficult assignment. For example, long paper, or a big test that required a lot of studying?
- Are they feeling anxious, sad or stressed?
- Is something happening at home that is adding #stress, like the illness or loss of a loved one, the death of a pet, a big move, or a divorce?
Once you know more about what your #child’s needs are, you’ll be in a better position to decide whether taking the day off is the right choice.
When are #mentalhealthdays not a good idea?
“#Mentalhealthdays can be positive for any #child,” says Allison Dubinski, a LCSW at the #ChildMindInstitute, “as long as they’re done in a way that’s not reinforcing avoidance or #anxiety.”
We want to teach #kids that prioritizing our #mentalhealth and taking care of ourselves is important, Dubinski says, “But if #kids are asking for a day off because they’re trying to get out of something that they’re anxious about, staying home may end up reinforcing that #anxiety.”
Jerry Bubrick , PhD, a clinical #psychologist at the #ChildMindInstitute agrees. “I’m a big advocate for #mentalhealthdays,” he says But #parents need to be conscious of making sure #kids aren’t using them to avoid schoolwork. “This isn’t because you want to get an extension on a paper or miss a test — then it’s just a procrastination day.”
Not to mention that skipping tests, dodging schoolwork or hiding from conflict often ends up making the problem bigger, not better. “The goal is to give #kids the coping skills they’ll need to manage #anxiety, and sometimes that means pushing through even when it’s difficult,” says Dubinski. Likewise, #kids — especially younger #children and #kids with #ADHD or learning differences — might really need the consistency and support the #school routine provides. Or they could end up feeling more anxious because they’ve missed something important in class.
A #mentalhealthday might be appropriate for something specific like a breakup or recovering from a long hard week. But if #kids are experiencing ongoing issues, like problems with friends, or #anxiety about #school, says Stephanie Ruggerio, PsyD a clinical #psychologist at the #ChildMindInstitute, an occasional day off isn’t a fix. “#Mentalhealthdays are more likely to be a band-aid than a solution.”
When are #mentalhealth days a good choice?
But when a #child has been pushing through challenges and is feeling drained, a break is not only a good idea, it’s necessary.
“#Mentalhealth is health,” says Dr. Bubrick. “Think of it like this: If you were exhausted and feeling sick, pushing yourself to keep going, to work or to #school, would probably be a bad decision.”
#Children who struggle with #depression, #anxiety or other #mentalhealth and learning issues or even kids who’ve just had a rough week — for example facing their fears about reading in front of the class, going to #school even though they’re having trouble with a friend, or just facing down everyday #school #anxiety — may need some time to recuperate and recharge.
Making a #mentalhealthday count
If you do agree to a #mentalhealthday, especially for #teens and tweens, help them make it meaningful, says Dr. Ruggerio. “This means they’re doing things that benefit and protect their #mentalhealth.” For example, she explains, #kids shouldn’t use the day to catch up on outstanding assignments or sink into #socialmedia.
The other experts agree. “If we’re taking a #mentalhealthday we should be thinking about that day in a #mentalhealth way,” says Dr. Bubrick.
Some #mentalhealthday activities could look like:
- Taking a walk outside, or spending time in nature
- Baking, drawing, painting or other activities that your child finds calming
- Taking some time to practice mindfulness activities
- Exercising
- Listening to music or reading a book (or listening to an audiobook)
#Parents can help #kids be intentional about using their #mentalhealthday to rest and care for themselves. This doesn’t mean overscheduling, or pushing #kids to talk about their feelings. The goal is to help your #child learn what they need to do to care for their #mentalwellbeing.
Setting limits
It’s important to let #kids know that though you support taking #mentalhealthdays, they aren’t always appropriate or available. #Mentalhealthdays should be just that — a day. “We’re not having a #mentalhealth two-days, we’re not having a #mentalhealthweek…” says Dr. Bubrick. Settling clear limits can help avoid pleas for “Just one more day…”
Some examples of limit-setting could be:
- Agreeing on a set number of #mentalhealthdays per year (and sticking to it). For example, two per semester, or five per #school year.
- Working with your #child to plan ahead. For example, if you know they’ve got a big project coming up, agreeing that they’ll take a day off to wind down when it’s finished.
- Deciding on black-out days. For example, if Mondays tend to be packed with important information, or if Thursdays your child has a class they’re behind in, those days can’t be used for a break.
If #kids need a break, but taking a whole day seems like too much. Dr. Ruggerio suggests offering smaller, targeted breaks that can help #kids recharge without falling behind. “For instance, give your #child the chance to sleep in or take a half day. It’s less disruptive, but they’ll still get some time to rest.”
What to do when #kids push for more
Even with limits, some #kids may still ask for more days off than you’re willing to give. If your #child is asking to stay home often or faking sick, use it as an opportunity to have a conversation about why they are feeling anxious or upset. “We want kids to be honest,” says Dr. Ruggerio. “Let your #child know you take their #mentalhealth as seriously as their physical health. There’s no need to resort to lying or pretending.”
When kids do lie or push back, try to keep your cool and remember that what they really trying to say is that they’re feeling down, anxious, upset, or stressed. Instead of getting angry or upset, invite your #kid to talk to you. With younger #children you could say: “I know you’re not sick in your body, but I can tell you’re feeling really upset. Can we make a time to talk about what’s going on after #school?”
Of course, #kids may not want to share what they’re feeling or may not know what to say, and that’s okay. Asking questions and modeling good habits by taking care of your own #mentalhealth will help #kids know you’re taking their feelings seriously, and that the door is always open when they are ready to talk.
When to be concerned
#Mentalhealthdays are not a substitute for treatment or a long-term solution.
If your #child is faking sick or crying or begging to stay home frequently, breaks won’t get to the heart of the problem. There may be a serious issue at #school, like #bullying or an undiagnosed #learningdisorder. Or they could be struggling with a #mentalhealthissue like #depression.
“If the issues are ongoing, it’s time to have a bigger conversation,” says Dr. Ruggerio. Talking to your child’s #teacher, connecting with the #school #counselor, or reaching out to #mentalhealthprofessional will help your #child get the care and help they need.
Rae Jacobson is senior content and marketing writer at the #ChildMindInstitute.
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/?p=9231
Thursday, April 28, 2022
Matt Richtel M, a #teenager struggling with #depression, on their phone in a Minneapolis suburb, on Oct. 29, 2021. One evening last April, an anxious and free-spirited 13-year-old girl in suburban Minneapolis sprang furious from a chair in the living room and ran from the house — out a sliding door, across the patio, through the backyard and into the woods. Moments earlier, the girl’s mother, Linda, had stolen a look at her daughter’s smartphone. The #teenager, incensed by the intrusion, had grabbed the phone and fled. (The #adolescent is being identified by an initial, M, and the #parents by first name only, to protect the family’s privacy.) Linda was alarmed by photos she had seen on the phone. Some showed blood on M’s ankles from intentional self-harm. Others were close-ups of M’s romantic obsession, the anime character Genocide Jack — a brunette #girl with a long red tongue who, in a video series, kills #highschool classmates with scissors. In the preceding two years, Linda had watched M spiral downward: severe #depression, self-harm, a #suicideattempt. Now, she followed M into the woods, frantic. “Please tell me where u r,” she texted. “I’m not mad.” #American #adolescence is undergoing a drastic change. Three decades ago, the gravest public health threats to #teenagers in the #UnitedStates came from binge drinking, drunken driving, #teenage pregnancy and smoking. These have since fallen sharply, replaced by a new public health concern: soaring rates of #mentalhealthdisorders. In 2019, 13% of #adolescents reported having a major depressive episode, a 60% increase from 2007. Emergency room visits by #children and #adolescents in that period also rose sharply for #anxiety, mood disorders and self-harm. And for people ages 10-24, #suicide rates, stable from 2000-07, leaped nearly 60% by 2018, according to the #CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention. The decline in #mentalhealth among #teenagers was intensified by the #COVID-19 #pandemic but predated it, spanning #racial and #ethnic groups, urban and #ruralareas and the socioeconomic divide. In December, in a rare public advisory, the U.S. surgeon general warned of a “devastating” #mentalhealthcrisis among #adolescents. Numerous hospital and #doctor groups have called it a national emergency, citing rising levels of #mentalillness, a severe shortage of #therapists and treatment options, and insufficient research to explain the trend. “Young people are more educated; less likely to get pregnant, use drugs; less likely to die of accident or injury,” said Candice Odgers, a #psychologist at the University of California, Irvine. “By many markers, #kids are doing fantastic and thriving. But there are these really important trends in #anxiety, #depression and #suicide that stop us in our tracks.” “We need to figure it out,” she said. “Because it’s life or death for these #kids.” The crisis is often attributed to the rise of #socialmedia, but solid data on the issue is limited, the findings are nuanced and often contradictory, and some #adolescents appear to be more vulnerable than others to the effects of screen time. Federal research shows that #teenagers as a group are also getting less sleep and exercise and spending less in-person time with friends — all crucial for healthy development — at a period in life when it is typical to test boundaries and explore one’s identity. The combined result for some #adolescents is a kind of cognitive implosion: #anxiety, #depression, compulsive #behaviors, self-harm and even #suicide. This surge has raised vexing questions. Are these issues inherent to #adolescence that merely went unrecognized before — or are they being over-diagnosed now? Historical comparisons are difficult, as collection of some data around certain issues, such as #teen #anxiety and #depression, began relatively recently. But the rising rates of ER visits for #suicideattempts and self-harm leave little doubt that the physical nature of the threat has changed significantly. As M descended, Linda and her husband realized they were part of an unenviable club: bewildered #parents of an #adolescent in profound distress. Linda talked with #parents of other struggling #teenagers; not long before the night M fled into the forest, Linda was jolted by the news that a local #girl had died by #suicide. “You have no control over what they’re thinking,” Linda said. “I just want to tell people what can happen.” #James Donaldson notes: Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes. Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use. Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book, Celebrating Your Gift of Life: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy ‘A Typical Outpatient’ M is one of dozens of #teenagers who spoke to The #NewYorkTimes for a yearlong project exploring the changing nature of #adolescence in the #UnitedStates. The Times was given permission by M and the family to speak with M’s #school #counselor; M’s medical records were shared with the Times and, with the family’s permission, reviewed by outside experts not involved in M’s care. “This is a typical outpatient,” said Emily Pluhar, a #child and #adolescent #psychologist at Harvard University, describing M as “an internalizer.” M, now 14, is tall, with red hair and blue eyes, and has a younger sister and older half brother. By turns shy and outspoken, M has thought extensively about pronouns and currently prefers “they.” At the beginning of seventh grade, M also asked to be called by the name of a popular Japanese anime character, whose first name starts with M. “I think we’re similar in that she’s, like, quiet and smart and plays electric bass, and I really like bass and guitars,” M said. When M was 4, a #psychologist the family consulted to assess M’s #school readiness concluded that their “intellectual ability is in the very superior range,” according to the report. M was enrolled in kindergarten as one of the younger class members. At 10, M got a smartphone. Linda and her husband, Tony, both of whom had busy work schedules, worried that the device might lead to heavy screen time, but they felt it was necessary to stay in touch. At 11, M hit another #adolescent milestone: puberty. Over the past century, the age of puberty onset has dropped markedly for #girls, to 12 years old today from 14 years old in 1990; the age of onset for #boys has followed a similar path. Experts say this shift probably now plays a role in the #adolescent #mentalhealthcrisis, although it just one of many factors that researchers are still working to understand. When puberty hits, the brain becomes hypersensitive to social and hierarchical information, even as media flood it with opportunities to explore one’s identity and gauge self-worth. Laurence Steinberg, a #psychologist at Temple University, said that ability to maturely grapple with the resulting questions — Who am I? Who are my friends? Where do I fit in? — typically lags behind. The falling age of puberty, he said, has created a “widening gap” between incoming stimulation and what the young brain can process: "They’re being exposed to this deluge at a much earlier age.” M’s first hint of trouble came in sixth grade, with challenges focusing in class. The #school called a meeting with M’s #parents. One #teacher suggested testing M for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but Linda and Tony were skeptical. The number of #ADHD diagnoses in the #UnitedStates rose 39% from 2003-16, according to the #CDC, and M’s #parents, both scientists in biomedical fields, were concerned that consulting an #ADHD specialist would tilt the scales toward that diagnosis. Instead, Linda tried to help M stay organized with an app that #parents and #students used to track assignments, test scores and grades. M felt put under a microscope. “She would say, ‘Can you bring me your iPad so we can check Schoology?’” M recalled about Linda. “I would literally have an #anxiety attack because I was so scared.” By the fall of 2019 — seventh grade — M was struggling socially, too. A close friend got popular, while M often came home from #school and got into bed. “I felt like a 'plus one,'” M said. “I just wanted to be unconscious.” Other times, M said, “I just sat in my room and cried.” The #behavior seemed alien to Tony, who had lived a different childhood. As an #adolescent in Vermont in the 1980s, he fished and played outdoors. By 15, he had his first serious girlfriend; in 1990, the summer before their senior year, he got her pregnant. Their son was born that December, and Tony and the mother shared custody. Times have changed. Federal research shows that 38% of #highschool-age #teenagers report having had sex at least once, compared with roughly 50% in 1990. The #teen birthrate has plummeted. So has cigarette and #alcohol use. In 2019, 4% of #highschool seniors reported having a cigarette in the last 30 days, down from 26.5% in 1997. #Alcohol use by high schoolers hit 30-year lows at the same time. Use of OxyContin and other illicit drugs among high schoolers is down sharply over the past 20 years. Vaping of both nicotine and marijuana has risen in recent years, although both dropped sharply during the #pandemic. Experts cite multiple factors: public awareness campaigns, anti-smoking laws, parental oversight and a changing social lifestyle that is no longer strictly in-person. Nora Volkow, director for the National Institute on Drug Abuse, described #drug and #alcohol use as “very much of a group dynamic.” She added: “To the extent that #kids are not in the same place, one would expect a decrease in the #behavior.” A Virtual Crush In the spring of 2020, M retreated further. Bewildered by online classes, M lied about participating, felt guilty and watched YouTube instead, devouring an anime series called “Danganronpa.” It is set in a high #school where students learn from the evil headmaster, a bear, that the only way to graduate is to kill a peer. M became enamored of one of the characters, Genocide Jack (sometimes known as Genocide Jill), who is described on one fan site as a witty “murderous fiend” who “kills handsome men” using scissors. One night after dinner, M was upstairs and used scissors to cut both ankles. “I was mad at myself for not doing homework,” M said. “I was kind of thinking, ‘Oh, the pain feels good,’ like it was better than being stressed.” M couldn’t recall where the idea came from: “I wanted to hurt myself with anything.” M’s #parents noticed superficial scratches on M’s thighs that resembled cuts but did not raise the subject. Linda worried about the screen time, but “it was #pandemic,” she said. When #school ended for summer break, M’s mood improved. Over the summer, M discovered the mobile version of the Danganronpa video game and how to override the parental screen limits. M played all day. “I was in front of my screen staring at Jack,” M said. “Then I was playing Trigger Happy Havoc, and I was, like, more in love.” “I was kind of just lonely,” M said. M fantasized about the future with Jack: “I’d want her to almost kill me but not, and then we could spend the rest of our lives together.” An obsession with a virtual character is not uncommon, experts said. “This is a #kid who is a bit lonely, a bit caught up in these narratives,” said Nick Allen, a #psychologist at the University of Oregon. “There’s nothing new in coming up with stuff that freaks out their #parents.” Nonetheless, he added, “extremely powerful” online experiences such as these can encourage users to think, “That is going to be my identity, my sense of the future, my sense of where I belong socially,” at a time when one’s identity is a work in progress. Pluhar of Harvard noted that “the challenge and the progress” of modern #adolescence “is there are so many types of identity” — more choices and possibilities, which in turn could be overwhelming. Among the factors shaping #mentalhealth, Pluhar said, is the mind’s churning and obsessing: “Rumination is a big piece of it.” M had a name for the main source of their #mentalhealthchallenges: “#Loneliness.” Elaniv Health experts note that, for all its weight, the #adolescent crisis at least is unfolding in a more accepting environment. #Mentalhealthissues have shed much of the #stigma they carried three decades ago, and #parents and #adolescents alike are more at ease when discussing the subject among themselves and seeking help. Indeed, Linda had begun having conversations with other #parents who wondered whether the challenges their #adolescents were facing represented typical moody #teen #behavior or something pathological. A colleague told Linda about her daughter’s #eatingdisorder. A mother named Sarah confided that her middle #school-age #daughter was in therapy for #anxiety and #depression. “I told her, ‘I understand where you’re at way better than you think,’” Sarah recalled. In a nearby suburb, the #parents of Elaniv Burnett were struggling to understand their daughter’s desperation. As a young #child, Elaniv had been joyful, an eager #student and graceful gymnast, her father, Dr. Tatnai Burnett, a gynecological surgeon at the Mayo Clinic, recalled: “The kind of #kid where you go, ‘Huh, we should have more #kids.’” But in 2014, when Elaniv was 9, her parents’ marriage began to fracture, and Elaniv injured her ankle; she developed chronic pain, which sidelined her from gymnastics, and she went through a dark period. Then, in 2016, Dr. Burnett, who is #Black, was held at gunpoint at home by the #police, in full view of the family, after officers responded to a call of a possible intruder. Recent research has found that wealth, education and opportunity do not shield #Black families from #mentalhealthissues to the same degree they do for white families. From 1991 to 2017, #suicideattempts by #Black #adolescents rose 73%, compared with an 18% rise among #white #adolescents. (The overall #suicide rate remains higher among white adolescents.) The #suicide rate leaped particularly for #Black #girls, up 6.6% per year on average from 2003-17, new research shows. In the fall of 2019, Elaniv was diagnosed with major depressive disorder. In a poem in her journal, she wrote: “Thoughts like race cars zoom constant in my head / Self-hate and worthlessness / Perpetual, they speed ahead.” Elaniv began therapy, took medications and enrolled in an outdoor inpatient program in Utah. “We worked on ourselves, worked on our parenting, we changed so many things to try to help meet Elaniv where she was,” Burnett said. “We controlled electronics, monitored friendships.” Elaniv’s mother, Tania Gainza, a clinical #socialworker, saw a generational trend. She had counseled an #adolescent for years who was terrified of not meeting expectations. She heard about a local boy who killed himself seemingly without warning. “There’s something different about this era or generation that makes them much more susceptible or vulnerable,” Gainza said. “There’s not that community, I guess.” A rise in #loneliness is a key factor, experts said. Recent studies have shown that #teenagers in the #UnitedStates and worldwide increasingly report feeling lonely, even in a period when their internet use has exploded. “They’re hanging out with friends, but no friends are there,” said Bonnie Nagel, a #psychologist at the Oregon Health & Science University. “It’s not the same social connectedness we need and not the kind that prevents one from feeling lonely.” Often, she said, online social connections amount to seeing “pictures of people hanging out, flaunting it, as if to say, ‘Hey, I’m very socially connected’ and ‘Hey, look at you by yourself.’” The #Pandemic Factor One day in the fall of 2020, with the #pandemic in full swing and eighth grade having gone fully remote, Linda found M sobbing in bed. M confessed to wanting to die. Linda found an online #therapist. After several sessions, “the #therapist broke confidentiality,” Linda said. “She said, ‘You need to know about the knife.’” In M’s night stand, Tony found a pocketknife and a box knife with a cat’s paw image on the handle that M had surreptitiously bought on Amazon and was using to self-harm. One night, M went further, tightening a red hair tie around their neck. “I was trying to see how far I could take it,” M said. The following February, M entered full-day group therapy. A #psychiatrist at the clinic notified the family that M had admitted to being unable to stop cutting, medical records show. Linda “de-knived the house,” she said, and hid all the pills. Then M engaged in a different kind of self-harm: hitting their head with an 8-pound workout barbell. Linda recalled feeling stunned: “Oh, now I have to get rid of the blunt objects, too.” M was discharged with a diagnosis of #depression and a prescription for antidepressants. From 2015-19, prescriptions for antidepressants rose 38% for #teenagers compared with 15% for #adults, according to Express Scripts, a major mail-order pharmacy. Subsequently, M also received a diagnosis of #attentiondeficitdisorder, not #ADHD, and given a prescription for methylphenidate, the generic name for medications including Ritalin and Concerta. “I’m still not sure I believe it,” Linda said. M’s middle #school has a trained #mentalhealthcounselor. In March 2021, M visited him for the first time. During that visit, on a scale of 0 to 10, M ranked #hopelessness and #anxiety at 9, expressing terror at returning to #school, a fear of falling behind and a wish to die. But M’s mood improved; at a meeting a month later, M ranked #hopelessness and sadness at 5 and anxiousness at 2. M felt therapy was crucial but wasn’t sure the medications helped; the #school #counselor credited M’s improvement to family support and getting back to #school. He cautioned the #parents, though, that the pendulum could swing back. Into the Forest Around that time, Linda heard through the grapevine that a #girl named Elaniv Burnett had died following an overdose. “I’m sorry, I can’t take it anymore,” Elaniv wrote in a note. Her mother rushed her, still conscious, to the hospital, where Elaniv expressed regret at the overdose and described her terror. She died four days later, at age 15. The news was still on Linda’s mind a few weeks later when M fled into the forest. M’s family had recently returned from visiting both sets of grandparents. One set criticized M’s pronouns, the other M’s heavy screen use. Linda said she felt judged. She stole a look at M’s phone and saw the troubling photos. “Let’s go for a walk,” she said to M and went upstairs briefly. When she returned, M had vanished, so she followed M into the woods, texting as she frantically looked for flashes of M’s white dress. Finally, M texted back: “I don’t want to talk to you.” Linda returned home, and Tony went out. He found M along a commonly used trail. They walked, mostly in silence. “Then they were ready to come home,” he recalled. The #school year ended, and M improved, the #anxiety ebbing. M took joy spending time with a friend, in person, walking home, strolling the forest. But a few weeks later, a hurtful text from the friend plunged M into despair again, “like I was back to having no friends.” M used an exfoliating blade to cut both ankles. “I don’t know how to stop it,” M said. “I can bet $20 that I’ll be in the hospital next year.”
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/2022/04/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-its-life-or-death-the-mentalhealthcrisis-among-u-s-teens/
Matt Richtel
M, a #teenager struggling with #depression, on their phone in a Minneapolis suburb, on Oct. 29, 2021.
One evening last April, an anxious and free-spirited 13-year-old girl in suburban Minneapolis sprang furious from a chair in the living room and ran from the house — out a sliding door, across the patio, through the backyard and into the woods.
Moments earlier, the girl’s mother, Linda, had stolen a look at her daughter’s smartphone. The #teenager, incensed by the intrusion, had grabbed the phone and fled. (The #adolescent is being identified by an initial, M, and the #parents by first name only, to protect the family’s privacy.)
Linda was alarmed by photos she had seen on the phone. Some showed blood on M’s ankles from intentional self-harm. Others were close-ups of M’s romantic obsession, the anime character Genocide Jack — a brunette #girl with a long red tongue who, in a video series, kills #highschool classmates with scissors.
In the preceding two years, Linda had watched M spiral downward: severe #depression, self-harm, a #suicideattempt. Now, she followed M into the woods, frantic. “Please tell me where u r,” she texted. “I’m not mad.”
#American #adolescence is undergoing a drastic change. Three decades ago, the gravest public health threats to #teenagers in the #UnitedStates came from binge drinking, drunken driving, #teenage pregnancy and smoking. These have since fallen sharply, replaced by a new public health concern: soaring rates of #mentalhealthdisorders.
In 2019, 13% of #adolescents reported having a major depressive episode, a 60% increase from 2007. Emergency room visits by #children and #adolescents in that period also rose sharply for #anxiety, mood disorders and self-harm. And for people ages 10-24, #suicide rates, stable from 2000-07, leaped nearly 60% by 2018, according to the #CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention.
The decline in #mentalhealth among #teenagers was intensified by the #COVID-19 #pandemic but predated it, spanning #racial and #ethnic groups, urban and #ruralareas and the socioeconomic divide. In December, in a rare public advisory, the U.S. surgeon general warned of a “devastating” #mentalhealthcrisis among #adolescents. Numerous hospital and #doctor groups have called it a national emergency, citing rising levels of #mentalillness, a severe shortage of #therapists and treatment options, and insufficient research to explain the trend.
“Young people are more educated; less likely to get pregnant, use drugs; less likely to die of accident or injury,” said Candice Odgers, a #psychologist at the University of California, Irvine. “By many markers, #kids are doing fantastic and thriving. But there are these really important trends in #anxiety, #depression and #suicide that stop us in our tracks.”
“We need to figure it out,” she said. “Because it’s life or death for these #kids.”
The crisis is often attributed to the rise of #socialmedia, but solid data on the issue is limited, the findings are nuanced and often contradictory, and some #adolescents appear to be more vulnerable than others to the effects of screen time. Federal research shows that #teenagers as a group are also getting less sleep and exercise and spending less in-person time with friends — all crucial for healthy development — at a period in life when it is typical to test boundaries and explore one’s identity. The combined result for some #adolescents is a kind of cognitive implosion: #anxiety, #depression, compulsive #behaviors, self-harm and even #suicide.
This surge has raised vexing questions. Are these issues inherent to #adolescence that merely went unrecognized before — or are they being over-diagnosed now? Historical comparisons are difficult, as collection of some data around certain issues, such as #teen #anxiety and #depression, began relatively recently. But the rising rates of ER visits for #suicideattempts and self-harm leave little doubt that the physical nature of the threat has changed significantly.
As M descended, Linda and her husband realized they were part of an unenviable club: bewildered #parents of an #adolescent in profound distress. Linda talked with #parents of other struggling #teenagers; not long before the night M fled into the forest, Linda was jolted by the news that a local #girl had died by #suicide.
“You have no control over what they’re thinking,” Linda said. “I just want to tell people what can happen.”
#James Donaldson notes:
Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.
Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.
Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle
Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,
Celebrating Your Gift of Life:
From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy
‘A Typical Outpatient’
M is one of dozens of #teenagers who spoke to The #NewYorkTimes for a yearlong project exploring the changing nature of #adolescence in the #UnitedStates. The Times was given permission by M and the family to speak with M’s #school #counselor; M’s medical records were shared with the Times and, with the family’s permission, reviewed by outside experts not involved in M’s care.
“This is a typical outpatient,” said Emily Pluhar, a #child and #adolescent #psychologist at Harvard University, describing M as “an internalizer.”
M, now 14, is tall, with red hair and blue eyes, and has a younger sister and older half brother. By turns shy and outspoken, M has thought extensively about pronouns and currently prefers “they.” At the beginning of seventh grade, M also asked to be called by the name of a popular Japanese anime character, whose first name starts with M. “I think we’re similar in that she’s, like, quiet and smart and plays electric bass, and I really like bass and guitars,” M said.
When M was 4, a #psychologist the family consulted to assess M’s #school readiness concluded that their “intellectual ability is in the very superior range,” according to the report. M was enrolled in kindergarten as one of the younger class members.
At 10, M got a smartphone. Linda and her husband, Tony, both of whom had busy work schedules, worried that the device might lead to heavy screen time, but they felt it was necessary to stay in touch. At 11, M hit another #adolescent milestone: puberty.
Over the past century, the age of puberty onset has dropped markedly for #girls, to 12 years old today from 14 years old in 1990; the age of onset for #boys has followed a similar path. Experts say this shift probably now plays a role in the #adolescent #mentalhealthcrisis, although it just one of many factors that researchers are still working to understand.
When puberty hits, the brain becomes hypersensitive to social and hierarchical information, even as media flood it with opportunities to explore one’s identity and gauge self-worth. Laurence Steinberg, a #psychologist at Temple University, said that ability to maturely grapple with the resulting questions — Who am I? Who are my friends? Where do I fit in? — typically lags behind.
The falling age of puberty, he said, has created a “widening gap” between incoming stimulation and what the young brain can process: "They’re being exposed to this deluge at a much earlier age.”
M’s first hint of trouble came in sixth grade, with challenges focusing in class. The #school called a meeting with M’s #parents. One #teacher suggested testing M for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but Linda and Tony were skeptical. The number of #ADHD diagnoses in the #UnitedStates rose 39% from 2003-16, according to the #CDC, and M’s #parents, both scientists in biomedical fields, were concerned that consulting an #ADHD specialist would tilt the scales toward that diagnosis.
Instead, Linda tried to help M stay organized with an app that #parents and #students used to track assignments, test scores and grades. M felt put under a microscope.
“She would say, ‘Can you bring me your iPad so we can check Schoology?’” M recalled about Linda. “I would literally have an #anxiety attack because I was so scared.”
By the fall of 2019 — seventh grade — M was struggling socially, too. A close friend got popular, while M often came home from #school and got into bed. “I felt like a 'plus one,'” M said. “I just wanted to be unconscious.” Other times, M said, “I just sat in my room and cried.”
The #behavior seemed alien to Tony, who had lived a different childhood. As an #adolescent in Vermont in the 1980s, he fished and played outdoors. By 15, he had his first serious girlfriend; in 1990, the summer before their senior year, he got her pregnant. Their son was born that December, and Tony and the mother shared custody.
Times have changed. Federal research shows that 38% of #highschool-age #teenagers report having had sex at least once, compared with roughly 50% in 1990. The #teen birthrate has plummeted.
So has cigarette and #alcohol use. In 2019, 4% of #highschool seniors reported having a cigarette in the last 30 days, down from 26.5% in 1997. #Alcohol use by high schoolers hit 30-year lows at the same time. Use of OxyContin and other illicit drugs among high schoolers is down sharply over the past 20 years. Vaping of both nicotine and marijuana has risen in recent years, although both dropped sharply during the #pandemic.
Experts cite multiple factors: public awareness campaigns, anti-smoking laws, parental oversight and a changing social lifestyle that is no longer strictly in-person.
Nora Volkow, director for the National Institute on Drug Abuse, described #drug and #alcohol use as “very much of a group dynamic.” She added: “To the extent that #kids are not in the same place, one would expect a decrease in the #behavior.”
A Virtual Crush
In the spring of 2020, M retreated further. Bewildered by online classes, M lied about participating, felt guilty and watched YouTube instead, devouring an anime series called “Danganronpa.” It is set in a high #school where students learn from the evil headmaster, a bear, that the only way to graduate is to kill a peer.
M became enamored of one of the characters, Genocide Jack (sometimes known as Genocide Jill), who is described on one fan site as a witty “murderous fiend” who “kills handsome men” using scissors.
One night after dinner, M was upstairs and used scissors to cut both ankles. “I was mad at myself for not doing homework,” M said. “I was kind of thinking, ‘Oh, the pain feels good,’ like it was better than being stressed.” M couldn’t recall where the idea came from: “I wanted to hurt myself with anything.”
M’s #parents noticed superficial scratches on M’s thighs that resembled cuts but did not raise the subject. Linda worried about the screen time, but “it was #pandemic,” she said.
When #school ended for summer break, M’s mood improved. Over the summer, M discovered the mobile version of the Danganronpa video game and how to override the parental screen limits. M played all day.
“I was in front of my screen staring at Jack,” M said. “Then I was playing Trigger Happy Havoc, and I was, like, more in love.”
“I was kind of just lonely,” M said. M fantasized about the future with Jack: “I’d want her to almost kill me but not, and then we could spend the rest of our lives together.”
An obsession with a virtual character is not uncommon, experts said. “This is a #kid who is a bit lonely, a bit caught up in these narratives,” said Nick Allen, a #psychologist at the University of Oregon. “There’s nothing new in coming up with stuff that freaks out their #parents.”
Nonetheless, he added, “extremely powerful” online experiences such as these can encourage users to think, “That is going to be my identity, my sense of the future, my sense of where I belong socially,” at a time when one’s identity is a work in progress.
Pluhar of Harvard noted that “the challenge and the progress” of modern #adolescence “is there are so many types of identity” — more choices and possibilities, which in turn could be overwhelming. Among the factors shaping #mentalhealth, Pluhar said, is the mind’s churning and obsessing: “Rumination is a big piece of it.”
M had a name for the main source of their #mentalhealthchallenges: “#Loneliness.”
Elaniv
Health experts note that, for all its weight, the #adolescent crisis at least is unfolding in a more accepting environment. #Mentalhealthissues have shed much of the #stigma they carried three decades ago, and #parents and #adolescents alike are more at ease when discussing the subject among themselves and seeking help.
Indeed, Linda had begun having conversations with other #parents who wondered whether the challenges their #adolescents were facing represented typical moody #teen #behavior or something pathological. A colleague told Linda about her daughter’s #eatingdisorder. A mother named Sarah confided that her middle #school-age #daughter was in therapy for #anxiety and #depression. “I told her, ‘I understand where you’re at way better than you think,’” Sarah recalled.
In a nearby suburb, the #parents of Elaniv Burnett were struggling to understand their daughter’s desperation. As a young #child, Elaniv had been joyful, an eager #student and graceful gymnast, her father, Dr. Tatnai Burnett, a gynecological surgeon at the Mayo Clinic, recalled: “The kind of #kid where you go, ‘Huh, we should have more #kids.’”
But in 2014, when Elaniv was 9, her parents’ marriage began to fracture, and Elaniv injured her ankle; she developed chronic pain, which sidelined her from gymnastics, and she went through a dark period. Then, in 2016, Dr. Burnett, who is #Black, was held at gunpoint at home by the #police, in full view of the family, after officers responded to a call of a possible intruder.
Recent research has found that wealth, education and opportunity do not shield #Black families from #mentalhealthissues to the same degree they do for white families. From 1991 to 2017, #suicideattempts by #Black #adolescents rose 73%, compared with an 18% rise among #white #adolescents. (The overall #suicide rate remains higher among white adolescents.) The #suicide rate leaped particularly for #Black #girls, up 6.6% per year on average from 2003-17, new research shows.
In the fall of 2019, Elaniv was diagnosed with major depressive disorder. In a poem in her journal, she wrote: “Thoughts like race cars zoom constant in my head / Self-hate and worthlessness / Perpetual, they speed ahead.”
Elaniv began therapy, took medications and enrolled in an outdoor inpatient program in Utah. “We worked on ourselves, worked on our parenting, we changed so many things to try to help meet Elaniv where she was,” Burnett said. “We controlled electronics, monitored friendships.”
Elaniv’s mother, Tania Gainza, a clinical #socialworker, saw a generational trend. She had counseled an #adolescent for years who was terrified of not meeting expectations. She heard about a local boy who killed himself seemingly without warning.
“There’s something different about this era or generation that makes them much more susceptible or vulnerable,” Gainza said. “There’s not that community, I guess.”
A rise in #loneliness is a key factor, experts said. Recent studies have shown that #teenagers in the #UnitedStates and worldwide increasingly report feeling lonely, even in a period when their internet use has exploded.
“They’re hanging out with friends, but no friends are there,” said Bonnie Nagel, a #psychologist at the Oregon Health & Science University. “It’s not the same social connectedness we need and not the kind that prevents one from feeling lonely.”
Often, she said, online social connections amount to seeing “pictures of people hanging out, flaunting it, as if to say, ‘Hey, I’m very socially connected’ and ‘Hey, look at you by yourself.’”
The #Pandemic Factor
One day in the fall of 2020, with the #pandemic in full swing and eighth grade having gone fully remote, Linda found M sobbing in bed. M confessed to wanting to die.
Linda found an online #therapist. After several sessions, “the #therapist broke confidentiality,” Linda said. “She said, ‘You need to know about the knife.’”
In M’s night stand, Tony found a pocketknife and a box knife with a cat’s paw image on the handle that M had surreptitiously bought on Amazon and was using to self-harm. One night, M went further, tightening a red hair tie around their neck. “I was trying to see how far I could take it,” M said.
The following February, M entered full-day group therapy. A #psychiatrist at the clinic notified the family that M had admitted to being unable to stop cutting, medical records show. Linda “de-knived the house,” she said, and hid all the pills. Then M engaged in a different kind of self-harm: hitting their head with an 8-pound workout barbell.
Linda recalled feeling stunned: “Oh, now I have to get rid of the blunt objects, too.”
M was discharged with a diagnosis of #depression and a prescription for antidepressants. From 2015-19, prescriptions for antidepressants rose 38% for #teenagers compared with 15% for #adults, according to Express Scripts, a major mail-order pharmacy.
Subsequently, M also received a diagnosis of #attentiondeficitdisorder, not #ADHD, and given a prescription for methylphenidate, the generic name for medications including Ritalin and Concerta. “I’m still not sure I believe it,” Linda said.
M’s middle #school has a trained #mentalhealthcounselor. In March 2021, M visited him for the first time. During that visit, on a scale of 0 to 10, M ranked #hopelessness and #anxiety at 9, expressing terror at returning to #school, a fear of falling behind and a wish to die.
But M’s mood improved; at a meeting a month later, M ranked #hopelessness and sadness at 5 and anxiousness at 2. M felt therapy was crucial but wasn’t sure the medications helped; the #school #counselor credited M’s improvement to family support and getting back to #school. He cautioned the #parents, though, that the pendulum could swing back.
Into the Forest
Around that time, Linda heard through the grapevine that a #girl named Elaniv Burnett had died following an overdose. “I’m sorry, I can’t take it anymore,” Elaniv wrote in a note. Her mother rushed her, still conscious, to the hospital, where Elaniv expressed regret at the overdose and described her terror. She died four days later, at age 15.
The news was still on Linda’s mind a few weeks later when M fled into the forest.
M’s family had recently returned from visiting both sets of grandparents. One set criticized M’s pronouns, the other M’s heavy screen use. Linda said she felt judged. She stole a look at M’s phone and saw the troubling photos.
“Let’s go for a walk,” she said to M and went upstairs briefly. When she returned, M had vanished, so she followed M into the woods, texting as she frantically looked for flashes of M’s white dress.
Finally, M texted back: “I don’t want to talk to you.”
Linda returned home, and Tony went out. He found M along a commonly used trail. They walked, mostly in silence. “Then they were ready to come home,” he recalled.
The #school year ended, and M improved, the #anxiety ebbing. M took joy spending time with a friend, in person, walking home, strolling the forest.
But a few weeks later, a hurtful text from the friend plunged M into despair again, “like I was back to having no friends.”
M used an exfoliating blade to cut both ankles. “I don’t know how to stop it,” M said.
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/?p=9226
Wednesday, April 27, 2022
by Cynthia Gould New program to help #teens and young #adults talk about #mentalhealth. (#SeizetheAwkward) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r47l4eUU1bc&ab_channel=AdCouncil #Mentalhealth organizations say we must '#SeizetheAwkward.' No question talking about #depression and #suicide are hard conversations. Now a new campaign encourages young #adults and #teenagers to open up to each other. It's a conversations that's more important than ever with more than half of #parents concerned about their children's #mental well being. Attempted #suicides rising 51% among #adolescent #girls. Advocate and storyteller Donovan Beck reaches thousands on #socialmedia and uses his platform to help and encourage others. Like so many he's struggled. "In my own journey, throughout my life, I have suffered from #anxiety and #depression and as an artist I use those experiences today," explains Beck. He works to create spaces online to talk openly. "75% percent of young people admit it's easier to talk to a peer than #adult," says Beck. #James Donaldson notes: Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes. Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use. Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book, Celebrating Your Gift of Life: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy Seize The Awkward Video Clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r47l4eUU1bc&ab_channel=AdCouncil WBMA '#SeizetheAwkward' gives #teens and young #adults conversation starters when they notice something isn't quite right with a friend. "It doesn't have to be in-depth. You as a friend know the way they act. Are they eating less, sleeping way more and haven't been coming to as many events?" remarks Beck. He advises the best thing you can do is offer space, community and support. The campaign also features videos from popular artists like Billie Eilish sharing their stories. "We all have #mentalhealth just like we have physical health. It waxes and wanes over time based on lots of factors," says Dr. Christine Yu Moutier, Chief Medical Officer at the #AmericanFoundationforSuicidePrevention. She explains most importantly we have to get rid of the #stigma. Four in 0 young #adults report they experienced persistent sadness or #hopelessness during the past year. The added disruption, uncertainty and isolation could have a lasting impact. "This is not just going to go away," warns Dr. Yu Moutier. Beck says simply letting someone know you care can be a game changer. "That can change the entire narrative from I'm alone in this, no one cares, to I'm feeling I have people who care and we can work through this," remarks Beck. Advocates say we can't be afraid to take that first step worrying we will offend someone. Leading medical experts have declared a national emergency for #youth #mentalhealth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r47l4eUU1bc&ab_channel=AdCouncil
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/2022/04/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-seizetheawkward-helps-teens-and-young-adults-open-conversations-about-mentalhealth/
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