Adolescents

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 most common rituals for this form of OCD is confessing thoughts to parents and seeking reassurance.  While this is the most distressing part for parents, the good news is that if the parents are involved, they can help their children.

Gratitude may be especially helpful for kids and teens who suffer from symptoms of anxiety and depression, given its ability to improve symptoms associated with both of these categories of mental health disorders.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been identified as a significant factor in the deterioration of mental health in children, but the long-term effects of COVID-19 on children's mental health has yet to be seen.

I’m a psychologist who treats OCD and Anxiety Disorders. When my patients get to a point in treatment when they shrug their shoulders and say to me, “Yeah, I had an intrusive thought, but ‘Whatever”, I know we have hit a home run.

Exercise can play a multifaceted role in alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety. Learn more in this blog post published in partnership with bodybuilding.com.

One of the biggest adversities children have faced in quarantine is social isolation from their peers. Schooling and extracurricular activities associated with long-term education plans were the first to go during the shutdown, as the highest priority was to protect children from the spread of the virus. While necessary for the safety of the public, this has shown to have devastating effects on pediatric mental health.

Aside from the logistics of getting all the right school supplies, managing uncertainty is likely going to be the greatest challenge for returning to in-person school this fall

It may feel like your social skills are a little rusty due to COVID-19. The activities that we used to do, such as attending a social gathering or sharing a meal, may feel awkward or anxiety producing. It is normal to feel this way in the context of the pandemic.

ADAA member Dr. Erika Vivyan writes..."Many families are managing anxious and depressive symptoms in their kids and teens who have been isolated for months. This increase in social anxiety and withdrawal in school-aged kids and teens during the COVID-19 pandemic may be best explained by the cycles that perpetuate these symptoms in “the new normal..."