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As parents we don’t like or want to see our children struggling. But worries, fears and anxieties are a natural part of life, and we have to understand that children go through these processes just like adults do. But as parents and caregivers, we should also be in tune with the degree, severity, frequency, and nature of our children’s fears and worries and know when a child might need some help.

In a world where technology seamlessly integrates into our daily lives, how does one raise a safe, healthy child given these omnipresent social media influences?

Often times, people struggling to move on from a breakup inadvertently act in ways that amplify their emotions of love towards the person, but these urges usually make us feel worse in the long term. So, what can we do? Enter “Opposite Action.”

Disastrous news gets delivered in a highly emotional way – often on purpose – and while having strong feelings for the victims of war, floods, earthquakes, mass shootings or horrific accidents is justified, we also have to be logical and in tune with our own emotional processes when interpreting the news.

The headlines and the CDC report are indeed alarming, but they should serve as a wakeup call to all of us. Yes, we should think seriously about why we are seeing a steep decline in the mental health of teenage girls, but we have to come together now as parents, family, friends, educators, clinicians, providers, and as a society to support, enhance and establish more preventive measures for our youth.

Peer-to-peer online communities can be helpful when they are done in a sensitive, informative, and respectful way. That’s why we have partnered with Health Unlocked to host online mental health communities, promote patient empowerment, and allow for sharing experiences and personal stories.

These generous people lend us their voices, their stories and experiences, and help us shed light on underreported issues like male body dysmorphia and the traumatic effects on the family and friends of a person who died by suicide. Some even use their incredible talents in sports to reach individuals around the world. 

Wherever you and your kid fall on the continuum of "I hope you never leave" to "I can't wait until you move out," your child's sudden absence is likely to stir up some stuff. I am a parent and a psychologist. I went to school longer than I needed to and spent the last 20-plus years working with college students. Here's what I've learned about how to handle this change.

The digital natives we child-focused clinicians work with are simply incredible. Not only do they know their way around technology far better than many adults, but they’re also often fluid with their identity: openly embracing either their or their peers’ diverse ancestry, gender identity, sexual orientation, religions, family background, financial standing, as well as neurodivergence and disabilities in themselves and others.

If your child has seen coverage of such an event, make sure you talk with them about what they think about it and how they think it impacts their life and the world around them.  

 

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a bitter reminder that there is no end to the horrific suffering that humans are sometimes willing to inflict on others.