Emily Rizzitano | Health and Parenting

Tags: #adolescent medicine, primary care, #suicide

#Teens face a wide variety psychosocial challenges during the extremely formative #adolescent years

Being a #teen is hard enough, but with the current #adolescent #mentalhealthcrisis, #parents should know about the psychosocial challenges — from #stress to #suicidalthoughts — #teens face nowadays.

We spoke with Nanci Ginty Butler, LICSW, director of #MentalHealthServices in the Division of #Adolescent and Young #Adult Medicine at Boston Children’s to learn more.

Ginty Butler explains that #behavioralhealthsymptoms like exhaustion, moodiness, and inattentiveness are often reactions or adaptations to #trauma or acute #stress.

1. Help your #teen regulate their “window of tolerance”

We have smart bodies — constantly scanning the environment around us for threats and safety, even when we aren’t aware we’re even doing it.

“When our body perceives a threat is happening, it responds in ways to keep ourselves safe,” explains Ginty Butler. “This means we might run away, avoid, fight, or choose to numb feelings. Sometimes these #behaviors are effective in the short run but turn out maladaptive in the long term.” It’s important to be aware of your #teen’s #stress response cycle, where they are in it, and how to help them stay inside their window of tolerance.

Our window of tolerance is the zone where we are at our best mental state to digest information and be present in social situations. “We are constantly cycling in and out of our windows of tolerance throughout the average course of the day,” Ginty Butler says.

When we are above our personal window of tolerance, we are filled with #anxiety and panic fueled by adrenaline. When we are below, we can feel emotionally numb or distracted. When we are functioning from inside our window of tolerance, we feel alert, calm, and present.

Teach your #teen effective tools to regulate and return to their window of tolerance – often called coping mechanisms – when they feel stressed:

- hydration

- rhythmic-patterned movement to soothe the nervous system (walking, dancing, tapping on the sides of their body)

- patterned breathing (like breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth)

- progressive muscle relaxation (flexing a certain part of the body, then releasing while noticing how those muscles feel)

- fresh air and sunlight

- exercise 

- journaling or another healthy distraction

2. Educate yourself about #mooddisorders

It’s normal for all people — especially #teens — to cycle through different moods. This usually occurs as they cycle in and out of their window of tolerance, depending on what’s going on at any given moment.

Earlier in the #pandemic, many people noticed feeling especially sensitive to changes in their environment — and increased feelings of #hopelessness or negativity were common in people of all ages. These are typical reactions to stressors. However, when mood changes begin to affect your teen’s daily life for longer than two weeks, they could be a sign of a #mooddisorder

“In real life, #mooddisorders do not look like how they are portrayed in media,” Ginty Butler explains. “#Depression in commercials often shows people laying in bed for an extended period of time. But in #teenagers, #depression often presents very differently.”

#Adolescents may still attend #school daily, go to their extracurriculars, or appear to be socializing “normally,” all while experiencing a #mooddisorder. In this age group, #mooddisorders like #depression often manifest as bouts of anger or extreme irritability, indecisiveness, memory problems, social withdrawals, and inattentiveness.

“#Teens often feel misunderstood by those around them when they have a #mooddisorder,” she says. “You might understandably become frustrated or impatient with them.” Ginty Butler urges #parents to foster open communication with their #teen so that they feel comfortable voicing their feelings.

“As #parents, we should try to be proactive rather than reactive. This means creating a positive environment to feel supported and finding the right care for our #teens.”

3. Be informed of #eatingdisorders

#Eatingdisorders are extremely difficult for both #teens and their families. New research has shown a spike in diagnoses and treatment for #eatingdisorders in #teenagers.

Common types of #eatingdisorders include #anorexianervosa, #bulimianervosa, #bingeeatingdisorder, and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder.

It’s important that a young person understands how an #eatingdisorder can damage different parts of their body. #Eatingdisorders negatively affect nearly every organ system. “#Eatingdisorders can affect cognition, hinder rational judgment and impulse control, impede the ability to see situations objectively, and stunt growth and development,” she says.

Each #eatingdisorder has severe physical health consequences. One of the several consequences of #anorexia is low bone density, leading to osteoporosis. Binge eating can lead to #highbloodpressure or type 2 #diabetes, among others. Bulimia nervosa causes serious electrolyte problems, leading to serious heart problems, among multiple other complications.

For these reasons, you should step in immediately if you see that your #child is losing weight or if you think your #child has an #eatingdisorder. Professional help is key. Be sure to approach this conversation with care and without any accusation or anger.

“The good news is that #eatingdisorders, like most #mentalhealthissues, are treatable,” explains Ginty Butler. “But they do require medical intervention. Do not hesitate to seek treatment if your #child is showing signs of an #eatingdisorder.”

4. Understand the risks of #suicide

Sometimes, your #teen might be dealing with even more serious #mentalhealthconcerns, like #suicidalthoughts.

Research shows that rates of #suicideattempts and other #mentalhealth emergencies have risen dramatically in #teens during the #COVID-19 #pandemic. That’s a good reason for #parents to be even more watchful for signs of #suicidalthoughts and to support their #teens as they go through challenging life stages.  

#Suicideprevention can include open communication with trusted #adults, so ask your #teen direct and non-judgmental questions to encourage them to share with you. If they aren’t willing to open up, get help through a professional #counselor as an outlet for your #teen to learn how to deal with challenges and implement positive coping methods.

If a #suicide has occurred in your community or to someone you know, prevention is even more crucial. After a #suicide occurs, the risk for #suicide increases among survivors, a phenomenon called #suicidecontagion.

If you or your #child is in crisis, call the #NationalSuicidePreventionLifeline at the new three-digit dialing code #988, or contact the #CrisisTextLine by texting HOME to 741741.

“Encourage open communication and be ready to hear what your #teen is thinking,” says Ginty Butler. “Offer reassurance and avoid judging the person that died. Don’t focus on the method or speculate on what may have triggered the #suicide.”

You should also seek help from a licensed #mentalhealthprofessional if your #teen seems to be struggling to process the experience.

#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/JamesMentalHealthArticleOrder your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,#CelebratingYourGiftofLife:From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy

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