Written by: Meaghan Lightbody-Warner, LCSW
To say these are trying times for most is an understatement. Things are unpredictable, big key events are occurring and we are just expected to deal with them ourselves, and assist our children and family with dealing with them. The closing of schools last year around spring break was not what teens expected. Not returning to school and moving to remote learning this year was also not expected. If you live in the Houston area, you just got the scare of a large hurricane coming to the area as well. This has been so stressful for adults, and although the younger generation may not express it as much, the stress and anxiety is present among teens.
National 4-H Council issued a survey recently with The Harris Poll to explore teen’s perceptions and experiences around mental health, with shocking results. While there was a lot of relevant information in the full report, here are some of the key findings:
COVID is definitely impacting our teens. When teens become overloaded with stress it can lead to problems such as anxiety, aggression, isolation, depression, physical illness, and poor coping skills, such as alcohol or drug use. It is important to remember that teens are taking cues from adults in their life as we cope through these stressful times. Often times, our younger generations mimic how others around them respond. If we are having a difficult time managing our stress, our teens likely will as well. Letting our youth know that it is okay to struggle creates space needed for them to talk about what they are struggling with.
When we experience situations that are difficult or painful, there are changes that occur in the mind and body to prepare us to respond, oftentimes referred to as the “fight, flight, or freeze” response. The same mechanism that turns on our stress response can also turn it off. Changes occur again that show we are no longer in a stressful or dangerous situation. This is called the “relaxation response.” Teens that can develop a “relaxation response” and other stress management skills will respond more positively when faced with hard situations.
You can help your teen in the following ways:
There are several resources that have been developed to help parents and caregivers navigate this new environment.
The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine provides resources for parents and teens regarding COVID-19 and mental health coping.
Unicef provides 5 recommendations on how teenagers can protect their mental health during COVID-19. They are:
Unicef provides further details on what teens can do to practice self-care and look out for their mental health.
If you feel your teen’s mental health needs to be addressed further, it is recommended you reach out to your primary care provider. They can appropriately assess and refer out to a therapist or psychiatrist if needed.