Month: May 2020

Categories
Mental Health

Teletherapy: What It Is, Benefits and Uses

The ability to receive health services from a distance has been around ever since the telephone has existed. Even though it was available, however, there were not a large number of practitioners or patients who preferred it over the traditional office visit.

Telehealth services had started to receive more support over the past decade, as our population grew and the technology for it became more sophisticated. Now that the presence of COVID-19 has altered our way of life, there is an intensified focus on the applicability of utilizing telehealth to meet our physical and mental health needs.

Telehealth refers to the ability to gain insight and relief from consulting with a professional, without leaving the comfort of your home. If you have ever completed a digital screen form for your therapist or doctor, you have already participated in a form of telehealth.

When it refers specifically to receiving counseling and mental health therapy services, it is often referred to as telemental health therapy (or teletherapy). This terminology distinguishes it from other forms of health care, specifically from the type you might receive from your primary care doctor in regard to your physical well-being.

Benefits of Teletherapy

Proponents of teletherapy have long cited the benefits of it for those who have some kind of difficulty with participation in regular office visits. These may include those who:

    • Live out in rural areas
    • Struggle with transportation or mobility issues
    • Have very busy schedules

The availability of teletherapy means that such individuals do not have to miss out on receiving the benefits of mental health support simply due to logistics. With the COVID-19 pandemic and the necessity of social distancing, the difficulty of attending office visits has expanded throughout our entire population.

The social intimacy of sitting together with your therapist in a small office has been replaced by recommendations of staying at least six feet away from others, sanitizing surfaces, and wearing masks. Using teletherapy mediums eliminates the need for all of this type of extra precaution. Professionals and their clients can remain in the comfort of their homes, meaning that both physical protection and mental health support are attended to.

Delivery of Teletherapy

As already mentioned, the filling out of digital screenings, either online therapy or in the office while you wait to speak with your treatment team, is a form of participating in teletherapy. Another common form of receiving teletherapy is through phone interviews and assessments.

This typically takes place prior to arranging appointments for in-office sessions, or the phone interview which might occur before entering a treatment program for substance abuse disorders. Many people have already participated in smaller forms of teletherapy without having realized it.

Teletherapy services provide direct mental health intervention, support, and consultation through a variety of mediums, and these mediums can be catered to fit a variety of preferred learning styles. The most common medium is the telephone, which has been particularly utilized through the establishment of crisis hotlines over the years. This type of delivery system works great for those who find audio conversations to be beneficial.

For those who prefer to have visual interaction, many therapists have begun to use video conferencing programs to deliver clients an experience which most closely resembles an in-office teletherapy session. Clients and therapists who are able to clearly express themselves through writing may prefer to take advantage of the growing access to writing-based therapy sessions, such as through texting, emails and online messaging.

With any chosen medium, it is important that the therapist or counselor has ensured that your communication is secured in a way that protects your privacy. The Internet provides an ample playground for hackers, text messages are able to be intercepted, video conferencing software can be hijacked, and even phone conversations can be tapped.

Clients who are sharing their deepest feelings and most troublesome thoughts with a therapist need to be assured that this information will not be accessed by strangers. With COVID-19 rapidly increasing the need for access to telehealth services, regulatory bodies are grappling with increasing the ability to adequately secure client information.

Teletherapy Treatments

There are many mental health needs which can be efficiently met through utilization of telehealth services. The ease of access makes it a superb option for addressing immediate mental health crises – such as sudden psychotic breaks or anxiety attacks – as there is no traveling or sitting in a waiting room involved.

There are also specific treatment modalities which fit quite nicely into the structure of regularly scheduled, routine, telehealth sessions. These include (but are not limited to):

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy was developed in the early 20th century, and is still a popular choice for treating a long list of disorders. It is often referred to by its common name of “talk therapy,” which makes it a perfect fit for integration into the teletherapy landscape.

This therapeutic approach involves discussing, in depth, any and all content thoughts and feelings that a client wishes to bring to the table. Together with the therapist, the roots of problems are uncovered, and new perspectives and coping techniques are developed.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) became a popular treatment option in the mid 1990’s. It incorporates elements of psychotherapy, but increases focus on the deeply ingrained thought patterns which manifest as behaviors which don’t promote our well-being.

A CBT therapist will offer structured, traditional therapy sessions in a specific time frame for completion. Sessions are also often supplemented with assignments that a client completes on his or her own time. This combination of structured sessions and activities make CBT another good fit for teletherapy.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) was specifically designed to treat borderline personality disorder (BPD), but the benefits of the approach have spilled over into application for many other mental health disorders.

Like the others listed, DBT is a talk-based therapy, meaning that its benefits are easily translated into teletherapy services. The focus of DBT on teaching coping skills makes it extremely applicable to reducing the stress surrounding our current circumstances.

Categories
Mental Health

Simple Ways to Nurture Teens’ Mental Wellness During Quarantine

At first, being able to skip going to classes and avoid family gatherings may have sounded like a perfect teenage mental wellness getaway. Then, as time under quarantine and social distancing guidelines wear on, what started out as a vacation can start to feel like a prison sentence.

Not going to class can also mean not getting to experience sporting events, dances, or even a graduation ceremony. Not being able to leave the house can mean not getting to see any of your friends, and can result in an excessive amount of time spent holed up in a room. All the while, there is also a looming uncertainty of what the future will look like now that COVID-19 has entered the scene.

Experts are beginning to warn society about the stress that this social shutdown can have on teenagers. Teenagers are at a vital point in their life development. Teen years are spent finding out what life as an adult is going to consist of, and the current state of the world has spiraled that exploration of the future in an entirely new direction.

The world that teenagers of today are facing will be much different from the one that generations before were eased into, and no one is able to assure them of what to expect. This insecurity about the future can mean added stress on the developing teenage psyche, and requires that teens – and society at large – get creative with their self-care.
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Boost Mental Wellness Through Exercise

Being socially distanced doesn’t mean that you can’t get your exercise. Staying active is good for the brain, good for the mood, and good for the body. Physical activity can provide a break from mental tasks, allowing you to come back to a problem with renewed focus. It boosts your endorphins, which are a feel-good, natural, chemical.

These endorphins make it harder to feel negative feelings such as depression and anxiety while your blood is busy pumping them throughout your body. The physical actions of exercise increase circulation, build muscle tone, and can contribute to a better sense of self-esteem and improved body image.
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Engage in Backyard Activities

If you are lucky enough to have a swimming pool or a trampoline in your backyard, your access to outdoor physical activity is set. For others, setting up a makeshift basketball court on the patio or stringing a volleyball net across the lawn may do the trick. Don’t forget that projects like building a treehouse or hoeing up the ground for a garden count as physical exercise, too.
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Participate in Responsible Group Activities

While you can’t yet hit the gym for your workout needs, there are other ways to experience that camaraderie of group exercise while maintaining social distancing. Some fitness facilities have moved their classes online, meaning that you can keep both your exercise routine and your group support going from the comfort of home. There is also the opportunity to get friends and family involved in neighborhood exercise, which gets you out into the sunshine and ensures ample space for social distancing.
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Stimulate Creative Thinking Skills

If you have ever sat around and daydreamed what it would be like to be the next Tony Hawk or what it would feel like to be a kid on four-wheeled roller skates in the 1950’s, now is the time to make those types of daydreams a reality. Local stores may be closed, but online sales are still in full swing. Get yourself that new skateboard, pair of roller skates, pogo stick, or unicycle, and turn your exercise routine into learning a new skill.
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Stay Connected Through Virtual Interaction

If there is a silver lining to this shift into being a remote society, it is that there is no generation more prepared to do so than the current teenager population. While video chats and online banter cannot substitute for a warm hug from a friend, it can at least provide relief from feeling utterly socially isolated from peers. Social connection is one of the best safeguards against the development and exacerbation of many mental health disorders, and can even contribute to better physical health.
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Vlogs and Blogs

Being stuck at home means that a good amount of time can be spent browsing the Internet, searching out topics and people whom you really connect with. Vlogging platforms like YouTube have grown exponentially in popularity over the years, providing a smorgasbord of opportunity to connect with others. If video posts aren’t your thing, opportunities to express your individuality through text exist, as well. Documenting and sharing your experiences with others during life in quarantine can be a great way of relieving some stress.
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Video and Audio Chats

Gamers have known about the ease of online chat for decades. There are a myriad of digital programs which will allow you to stay in contact with your friends, even while you go about completing other tasks. Staying in connection with friends during your online classes can provide a sense of connection similar to what occurs in a classroom. Throw in a pair of wireless headphones, and you can even take your friends along with you while you move about the house.
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Texts and Phone Calls

At the beginning of all of these virtual connection mediums was the good, old, telephone. Grandma may not be able to figure out how to connect over Zoom, but she can still provide support and love through a regular phone call. Many in the older generations have even adapted to utilizing text messages, sometimes with hilarious results.
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Boost Mental Wellness Through More Laugher

When it comes to relieving stress and giving your mental wellness a boost, laughter can truly be the best medicine. If you need inspiration, the internet is ripe with memes, fail videos, and stand-up comedy routines. Whether you end up laughing by yourself, or sharing the funny with others, incorporating some laughing time into your daily routine will work wonders for your mood.

Categories
Prescription Drugs Substance Abuse

Teen Amphetamine Abuse Risk Factors and Early Warning Signs

According to statistics, up to eight percent of teens were abusing amphetamines by the end of high school in 2012. The number of reported instances by high school students had decreased by half as of 2019, but teen amphetamine abuse for those in middle school had nearly doubled. This means that young teens are more at risk than ever of abusing prescription medication.

What Are Amphetamines?

Amphetamines are a class of substance which produce stimulation to the central nervous system. They are medically prescribed to treat neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD).

In the absence of these disabilities, amphetamines produce a burst intense energy and focus for the user. A person under the influence of amphetamines may experience the ability to complete tasks more easily, or may be able to obsess for hours on a task without interruption.

The increase in mental focus comes at a cost. When amphetamines are not used in the precise way prescribed by a doctor, both physical and mental health problems can occur. Amphetamines are highly addictive, and can cause side effects such as restlessness, heart palpitations, seizures, agitation, and even psychosis.

Risk Factors for Teen Amphetamine Abuse

Teens with family members who are prescribed amphetamines for medical conditions – or who are already prescribed them, personally – are a primary source of supply for illegal distribution of prescription medication. Several campaigns have been launched over the years, warning parents of the trend of stealing pills from medicine cabinets. While easy access to medications are an obvious red flag, there are other factors which can be observed as contributing to a risk that a teen will be tempted to abuse prescription amphetamines.

Having Friends Who Use

It is a fact of developmental psychology that teens are influenced by their peers. The adolescent stage of life is all about teenagers learning how to separate from their parents in a way that supports eventual adulthood. As part of this process of development of adult identity, selected friends can begin to replace the role of the nuclear family when it comes to establishment of norms and behaviors. If the norms of a teen’s peer group includes amphetamine abuse, the temptation to join in will be high.

Purchasing of Other Drugs

There has been much debate about whether using other, less addictive, drugs provides increased risk of using the more dangerous drugs. While the verdict on so-called “gateway” drugs is still in dispute, what is more concrete is the fact that drug dealers often sell more than just one substance. The potential for exposure to drugs like amphetamines while scoring that next bag of weed or hit of ecstasy is likely, and increased exposure can result in a deterioration of willpower to resist giving amphetamines a try.

Lack of Parental Involvement

As with many other behavioral problems, a teen who is not monitored by parental figures is more likely to get into trouble. Studies examining the perceptions of parents when it comes to their teen’s behavior show that many parents are largely unaware of the activities that their adolescents are engaging in. Failing to educate teens on the responsible use of medications and not keeping track of the supply can be viewed as passive permission from a parent for the teen to pursue the behavior.

Mood Disorders

Years of data has consistently linked the tendency for substance abuse to the presence of other, diagnosable, mental disorders. Up to 75% of adolescents who abuse substances are simultaneously suffering from symptoms of depression, anxiety, psychosis, and trauma. For many, the drugs are viewed as a way to escape from the negative thoughts and emotions associated with such disorders. The dulling of emotions and distraction from introspection that amphetamines produce make this type of drug particularly attractive.

Lack of Future Goals

We have all heard something like, “the idle mind is the devil’s playground.” This antiquated phrase speaks to the tendency of human beings to get into trouble when we are not occupying our minds with worthwhile ideas, goals, and plans. A teen who is lacking in a clear direction for his or her future is at risk of not considering the consequences of using drugs for a short-lived escape.

Early Warning Signs of Teen Amphetamine Abuse

While the above areas can be viewed as precautions for the development of a substance abuse problem, the following are signs that teen substance abuse has already started. Parents are advised to follow up on any hunches regarding the possibility of their teen abusing substances, and not to wait until the problem gets out of control. These factors are just a handful of symptoms to be on alert for when identifying teen amphetamine abuse.

Odd Sleeping Patterns

Amphetamines are a stimulant, meaning that they trick the mind into thinking it does not need as much sleep. Depending on the dosages, a teen who is using amphetamines may be observed as staying up all night, and then being inexplicably during the daytime. He or she may also be observed as going multiple days in a row without conforming to a standard bedtime.

Weight Loss

Along with the need for sleep being decreased, stimulants such as amphetamines also trick the body into feeling a lack of hunger. This effect of amphetamines is so well known, that it was previously promoted as a diet drug. A teen misusing this medication may be observed as regularly skipping out on family meals, and may begin to show obvious signs of dropping weight.

Lying

A red flag which is common to all substance abuse behaviors in teens is that of lying. Lying is a reaction to the desire to avoid getting into trouble or to ensure that a disapproved behavior can continue without interference. A teen who is abusing substances will feel an urge to lie about being on the drugs, lie about what he or she is doing with her time, and lie about the people he or she is hanging out with.

Categories
Mental Health

Quaranteenager’s Guide to Overcoming Anxiety and Fears

Anxiety is a very useful human function. It is useful, that is, if the tools for overcoming anxiety are being used in the way that nature intended. The feeling of anxiety is actually the human flight-or-fight response to a dangerous situation. This survival response helps us to run quickly away from a predator, or to stand our ground and call upon superhuman strength to ward off an attacker. It is the body’s way of getting us geared up for action.

The problem with anxiety arises when our readiness for survival action is cued up, but there is no actual imminent danger. These leaves all of those pent-up levels of fight-or-flight hormone with no opportunity to be expended. Our bodies are not designed to be in a constant state of such alertness. Thus, when there is actually no physical danger, the result of staying so keyed up can mean development of a mental disorder.

Sources of Stress, Anxiety and Fears

There are always things that people can find to be anxious about. For teenagers, those common anxieties often include worries about school grades, worries about peer relationships, and worries about making a college or career choice after graduation. During this COVID-19 pandemic, these types of worries have intensified.

The ability to successfully complete school, at all, may be uncertain. Relationships have almost exclusively been moved to digital formats, which can make it harder to communicate in a way that produces desired results. College and career plans are up in the air, as society waits on how to operate in the months and years ahead.

Added to all of this is the worry that friends and family may become infected by the virus. Something that all of these anxieties have in common is that they are focused on an event that may – or may not – happen in the future. For example:

    • You may have trouble completing school, or you may end up passing your classes with high scores.
    • Your relationships may suffer during social distancing, but you may also find that your friends like your digital interactions.
    • You may not be able to enter college or start that job you were planning for, or you may end up having an ideal job fall into your lap.
    • You and your family may or may not become ill from the virus.

Anxiety is a biological-based attempt at fortune telling. True to the flight-or-fight response, anxiety is preparing us for a perceived danger which it thinks might be about to occur. This danger may be real, or it may be a figment of our imagination.

Once something has actually happened – or not happened – anxiety disappears. The prediction of danger is no longer necessary in the face of factual occurrence, and anxiety fades to the background once the event has come to pass.

Tips for Overcoming Anxiety

Instead of waiting for events to actually play out, you can get a head start on overcoming anxiety by using some simple coping techniques. These techniques involve taking control of your thought process and letting your body know that it is fine to just chill out. Calming your fight-or-fight response in this way can actually help you to make better decisions toward creating a better future scenario than the one that is feared.

Shift Unhealthy Thinking Patterns

Since anxiety is rooted in worries about the future, thinking more about the actual present can be the remedy. When anxiety strikes, try taking a few minutes to consider the details of your current situation. If you are here reading this, chances are you’re not in any immediate danger of losing anything essential.

You are still enrolled in school, and your friends have not ghosted you. You are not currently hospitalized with the virus. Focusing on the reality of your experience in the moment can help to quiet the “what if” scenarios that an anxious mind can surface.

Talk It Out (With Yourself)

While there are jokes made about people who talk to themselves, the fact is that we all do it, all the time. The conversations that we have with ourselves within our brains is how we make decisions about navigating the world. The mental voice of anxiety can be loud, persistent and obnoxious. Taking charge of that nagging voice through asserting your own rational voice can help.

Try giving your anxiety a silly name. Then, as a controlled and mature adult, talk back to your anxiety as though it is a whiny, bratty child. As the mature voice, you know that this current situation won’t last forever, and that there are as many opportunities for good things to happen in the future as there are bad.

Indulge in Some Old-Fashioned Fun

Sometimes, your only chance for overcoming anxiety is to quiet your mind for awhile. When your mental health testing and self-talk therapies aren’t doing the trick, you can drown out fears and worries with a little indulgence in distraction by:

    • Playing your favorite video game.
    • Watching your favorite on-demand show.
    • Going outside for some exercise.
    • Focusing on some other activity that brings you pleasure.

While this won’t fix the problem of anxiety permanently, it will give you a mental break. Giving ourselves mental breaks are a good way to come back with renewed determination to subdue the anxiety monster.

Practice Relaxation Strategies

Because anxiety is connected to our physical response to danger, it can also be tackled from the outside. Using techniques to relax your muscle tension and heart rate, increased by your flight-or-fight response, can actually trick your mind into calming down. Try to help your body relax by taking a hot bath or shower, practicing some yoga and meditation, or listening to music.

If You Need Help, Don’t Be Afraid to Ask

If your best efforts at getting a handle on overcoming anxiety aren’t working, help is always available. Mental health providers are increasingly offering telehealth services. Finding a professional to talk with about overcoming anxiety can lead to the development of new skills and perspectives, and can help you to keep your cool during these challenging times.

Categories
Mental Health

When Poor Self-Control Is Really an Impulse Control Disorder (ICD)

Everyone can have a bad day. Most people can recognize times when they were not acting like their best self, and when they have responded poorly to a situation or caused distress for others around them. It is part of human nature to lose our cool every once in awhile. When the inability to control ourselves becomes a pattern, however, we may be suffering from a clinically diagnosable problem.

The guiding document for clinicians is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). This book is published by leading experts in the field of psychology, and instructs clinicians in determining accurate diagnoses for those suffering from mental health problems. The most recent version – the DSM V – includes a new grouping of disorders. This category includes descriptions of behaviors which qualify a person for a diagnosis of an impulse control disorder (ICD).

Recognizing an Impulse Control Disorder (ICD)

The hallmark of an impulse control disorder (ICD) is the inability of a person to resist the urge to act out in ways which cause stress and harm for both the individual, and for those around. A person with an ICD experiences a compulsion toward behaving in a certain way. He or she will feel unable to stop the behavior, and may experience intense anxiety if the actions aren’t able to be carried out. Typical antecedents to impulsive behavior include situations which are tense or stressful.

Before engaging in the behavior, a person with ICD will typically be experiencing unpleasant feelings. The behaviors which follow the negative emotional experience will provide the person with a sense of temporary relief. Acting out on a compulsion brings a person excitement, pleasure, or a peaceful feeling. Sometimes, a feeling of euphoria will persist for a period of time following the behavior, similarly to how a drug high operates. Following these good feelings which arise from engaging in destructive actions, a person suffering from ICD may feel:

    • Exhausted
    • Guilty
    • Depressed
    • Remorseful

Depending on the results of the event, there may also be dire consequences involved, such as school expulsions or legal ramifications. In order to qualify for a diagnosis of ICD, these patterns of behavior need to manifest without the influence of a chemical substance, and without the presence of other diagnosable conditions which can account for the inability to control negative behavior. Cognitive and emotional problems to rule out before providing a diagnosis of an ICD include:

    • Mood disorders
    • Attention disorders
    • Intellectual disabilities

Types of Impulse Control Disorders

Because of the varying factors which can contribute to a person acting impulsively, diagnoses of impulse control disorders are often delayed until the point that a clinician is able to effectively eliminate other emotional, situational, or cognitive diagnoses. ICD diagnoses are made on the basis of observed behaviors, and are most often treated through the use of behavior-oriented approaches. This is in contrast to the typical treatments for mood disorders, which tend to focus on thought restructuring and medication intervention. The following are descriptions of the most common types of impulse control disorders:

Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED)

In order to qualify for a diagnosis of IED, a child must be at least six years old. This is so that the typical toddler behaviors of testing limits and expressing displeasure through throwing temper tantrums are accounted for. After this developmental period, a diagnosis of IED can be ascribed at any age. A person with IED will display a pattern of angry and aggressive outbursts, often resulting in assault on others or destruction of property. These expressions of anger must be out of proportion to the actual circumstances, and will seem to come out of nowhere. The impulsive nature of IED means that the acts of verbal or physical aggression are not premeditated.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

This behavior disorder is another one that can be recognized in childhood. A child who is frequently observed as being easily angered, resentful, and argumentative with both family members and at least one person outside of the family is at risk for this diagnosis. If the child consistently disregards the rules set by authority figures, deliberately annoys other people, refuses to be accountable for his or her actions, or is vindictive, the diagnosis becomes even more likely. Parental intervention is considered highly effective for treating the symptoms of ODD.

Conduct Disorder

Conduct disorder is often viewed as a continuation of ODD, and is most often assigned during the adolescent years. In addition to the characteristics found with ODD, a person with Conduct Disorder will progress to the point of bullying and threatening others. He or she will have had a history of physically harming other people, torturing or killing animals, destroying property, or stealing. There is often little expressed guilt or remorse for these actions, and the adolescent will justify the behaviors on the basis of blaming others for his or her reactions.

Anitsocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)

After the age of 18, ICD diagnoses which have been assigned during childhood can be adjusted to reflect that of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). Unlike with the diagnoses of ODD or Conduct Disorder, a personality disorder is considered to be a trait which defines a person’s permanent orientation to the world. A person with ASPD will consistently disregard the rights of others, will refuse to conform to societal expectations, and will lie or become aggressive in order to promote his or her own agenda.

The impulsive nature of the disorder means that the individual does not effectively plan ahead before engaging in such actions, and the characteristic of lack of remorse means that there will be little reflection on the consequences. A large portion of those diagnosed with this disorder will find themselves incarcerated. A person with this disorder will often fail to acknowledge that there is a problem, and will not actively seek treatment. As such, rehabilitation rates for ASPD tend to be low.

Categories
Mental Health Stress

How to Survive Teen Stress, Depression and Social Isolation

Teenagers are among the highest demographic group to experience mental health disorders. Surveys have shown that at least one in five – or 20% – of all teens suffer from a diagnosable mental health condition.

During this current time of COVID-19, teen mental health stability may be even more hard to come by. The best defenses against teen stress and mental illness are arming yourself with information, making adjustments where you can, and seeking help when you don’t know what to do.
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Social Isolation Triggers of Teen Stress During COVID-19

While mental health concerns are always looming, the current pandemic has supplied some extra fuel for that potential fire. Personality factors, home life, disruptions to routine, and personal losses as a result of COVID-19 influence can all play a role in triggering unhealthy psychological responses to teen stress.

    • Personality and behavior: The effects that social distancing orders have on an individual are likely to vary with the person’s personality bend. Teens who are more introverted tend to have an easier time with a lack of socialization opportunities, while extroverted teens may feel trapped, depressed, and anxious without their typical outlets being available. If you are curious about whether you are an introvert or extrovert, you can get an idea by taking a free personality test.
    • Social isolation and connection: Human beings are creatures of habit. We find comfort in knowing what we are going to be doing from day to day. With all of the daily changes surrounding COVID-19, our routines have been disrupted multiple times, and the end of these changes is nowhere in sight. There is constant talk of more restrictions, less restrictions, getting back to work and school, and staying in place.
    • Life events and milestones: There are certain events that many teenagers anticipate as hallmarks of their high school years. There are proms and formals, shows to perform, and the capstone event of walking across the stage at graduation. This pandemic has disrupted all of those plans. In addition to having to establish new routines, teens may also be having to cope with disappointment surrounding the loss of important milestones.
    • Family functioning and resilience: The shelter-in-place orders have many of us spending more time with our immediate family. If the family is already on friendly terms, this can be a great opportunity to reconnect and spend some quality time together. If the family is not so prone to get along, being cooped up with each other for this amount of time can feel like a prison sentence. Patience for each other can grow short, and arguments can become more frequent.
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Warning Signs and Risk Factors for Adolescent Emotional Distress

A sudden change in routines and habits can be stressful on everyone. We can expect to feel even more stress as everything slowly shifts into the “new normal” that we will eventually be living in. The following are some common signs that all of these changes are taking a toll on your mental health.

Teen Anxiety

Anxiety involves worry and fear about the future. Teens already have a lot on their plate when it comes to dealing with future unknowns, and the pandemic isn’t helping. Plans for the next school year are still up in the air, families are worried about finances, and career options after graduation may have been altered. While feeling some measure of anxiety over all of this can be considered normal, levels of anxiety which keep you from completing basic tasks or enjoying simple pleasures are cause for concern.

Teen Depression

Some feelings of sadness and loss are normal during this time of adjustment. Clinical depression occurs when those feelings don’t go away, and when they begin to rob you of the ability to find pleasure in anything. People who are depressed may not want to think about the future, and will lose interest in activities that were once enjoyed. In extreme cases, a depressed person may even think about ending it all through suicide.

Teen Substance Use and Abuse

There are a few factors which tend to contribute to the development of a substance abuse disorder. Existing mental health issues is one. Boredom is another. The conditions created by the social distancing orders can include an increase in both of these areas. If you throw in a chaotic home life, the temptation to escape through drugs or alcohol can be even more intense. As most former addicts can tell you, giving in to this temptation is never worth it.
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Preventing and Preparing for a Teen Mental Health Crisis

While teen stress responses to our current circumstances can be extreme, there are healthy ways that we can take that edge off. Being proactive about your mental health can put you back in control of where your life is heading. The following are a few ways to take charge of the situation.

    • Create healthy and productive routines: During a time when the world has lost its daily routine, it is very important that you take charge in creating your own. In addition to setting up some daily rituals toward completing your school  or chore tasks, make sure to include some habits which bring you a sense of peace or comfort. Popular self-care routines include spending a few minutes a day in meditation, treating yourself to a long bath or shower, or setting a daily time to connect with friends.
    • Embrace technology: Young people are often chastised for how much they rely on the internet and social media. For once, they are being encouraged to use more of it. Use your technological expertise to create unique ways to connect with friends over virtual platforms, and share your knowledge with family members who may not have wanted to dive into the tech world before the pandemic. This might even be a great time to finally start up your own blog or channel.
    • Ask for help when/if/as needed: One of the most important skills in navigating life is knowing when we need to ask for help. In addition to an increase in services for many local agencies, there is also increased promotion of national mental health support services. Methods of receiving this type of support include phone calls, video chats, and texting. These types of services can be used while in crisis, and beforehand.
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