Mental Health Struggles for Teens amid COVID-19 pandemic

Mental Health Struggles for Teens amid COVID-19 pandemic

ESPECIALLY HARD FOR TEEN-AGERS.AND IN THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES-- WE'RE COMMITTED TO SHAREINFORMATION TO HELP YOUREBOUND SUMMER.

THIS MORNINGWMAR 2 NEWS' MARK ROPER HAS ALOOK AT WHAT*CHANGES IN YOURCHILD'S BEHAVIOR TO LOOK FORAND WHEN TO BE CONCERNED.MOST KIDS HAVE GONE BACK TOSCHOOL BUT FROM HOME -- JUSTLIKE MANY OF US ARE WORKINGFROM HOME.

THE STRESS ANDANXIETY BROUGHT ON BY MANYCHANGES HAPPENING DURING THEPANDEMIC HAVE SOME YOUNGPEOPLE FEELING MORE DISTRESSTHAN USUAL.GOING BACK TO SCHOOL IN 2020FOR MANY KIDS MEANS MOSTSCHOOLS ARE CLOSED -- AND MANYAFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES ARECANCELLED.

With teens,especially with thedisruptions that are happeningaround us during the pandemic,is causing more anxiety, moreisolation, and one thing thatwe know is that isolation isnever a good thing forteenagers more so during apandemic SHEPPARD PRATTOUTPATIENT SERVICES MEDICALDIRECTOR DR. DEEPAK PRABHAKARCALLS RECENT DATA FROM THE CDCABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE -- APANDEMIC WITHIN THE PANDEMIC.one in four individualsbetween 18 and 24 arereporting serious thoughts ofsuicide about one in four isalso reporting eitherworsening or initiating newsubstance use three out offour are currently reportingsigns of mental health relatedissues, and two out of threeare reporting serious anxietyand depression THE TEENAGEYEARS CAN BE TOUGH ENOUGH --BUT DURING COVID-19 -- THEYBECOME EVEN MORE COMPLICATED.when you take these threethings together, disruption inschool schedule, disruption intheir social activities,isolation from others, theirpeer support network, all ofthese things are leading tohigher anxiety, and beingrelatively unsure about what'snext A CHANGE IN ATTITUDE ANDA CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR MAY BECRIES FOR HELP.

Totalisolation, staying in bed waytoo long, straight out comingout and saying that they arehaving thoughts of harmingthemselves sometimes inperson, sometimes broadcastingthese thoughts on social mediaPARENTS WITH MOODY TEENS MAYWONDER HOW MUCH MOODINESS ISRELATIVELY NORMAL AND WHENSHOULD IT BE A CAUSE FORCONCERN.

When we start seeingenduring depression, enduringanxiety, aggression, not justfor several hours a day butseveral days a week and thenseveral weeks a month at thatpoint, we probably need topause and ask ourselves maybethis is something else that weare observing in front of usAND AT THAT POINT -- DR,PRABHAKAR RECOMMENDS GETTINGPROFESSIONAL HELP OR CALLING911 IF SOMEONE TALKS ABOUTHURTING THEMSELVES OR OTHERS.FOR A LIST OF RESOURCES --LOOK FOR THIS STORY ON OURWEBSITE -- WMAR 2 NEWS DOTCOM.

MARK ROPER WMAR 2 NEWTHERE'S BEEN AN OUTBREAK OFTHE CORONAVIRUS ON THE