Anxiety

Our kids should not go back to normal

Why life Shouldn’t go Back to “Normal” When it Comes to our Kids’ Mental Health

Posted on by stephen

Most of America is coming out of over a year of lock down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The majority of schools are offering at least some in-person learning. Recreational sports are beginning to resume. Several states have started to drop mask mandates for vaccinated individuals. Large scale sporting events and even concerts are back on Spring and Summer schedules for many venues.

Things are finally getting back to normal.

We are hearing this phrase in many different settings. At the grocery store check-out line. At school drop off. At the end of work zoom calls. We smile as we say it – no doubt dreaming of the summer BBQ’s and beach vacations that may finally be within reach.

But when it comes to the mental health of our kids and teens, what if “getting back to normal” isn’t the best metric to meet?

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Overcoming Needle Phobia

Overcoming needle phobia before it’s your turn for the Covid-19 vaccine

Posted on by stephen

Needle phobia, also known as trypanophobia, is an extreme fear of medical procedures that involve injections or needles. If you have ever experienced anxiety prior to the flu shot, while watching others receive injections, or in some cases even hearing or reading about these procedures, you may have some level of needle phobia. Needle phobia affects around 20% of the adult population to such an extent that it can cause the avoidance of medical care.

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Woman thinking

Cognitive Strategies to Combat Covid Fatigue

Posted on by stephen

Covid fatigue, also known in popular media as pandemic fatigue, does not involve being physically tired. Rather, Covid fatigue is a complex group of emotions that involves any combination of the following:

  • Boredom
  • Loneliness
  • Sadness
  • Frustration
  • Anxiety
  • Fear
  • Anger
  • Resentment

It is important to realize that most of us will experience one or more of these emotions at different times throughout this challenging pandemic. This is normal and to be expected. Covid fatigue is only problematic when it leads to undesirable behaviors and actions that violate public health recommendations. For example, people who feel lonely and bored might seek out large social gatherings like large parties or crowded bars. People who feel anger and resentment at local health recommendations or restrictions might reject social distancing or mask guidelines.

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Depressed Teen

Suicide in Teens: Know the Warning Signs, Risk Factors, and Have a Prevention Plan

Posted on by stephen

September is National Suicide Prevention Month. All month, mental health advocates, prevention organizations, survivors, allies, and community members promote suicide prevention awareness. In the CoVid-19 environment, social isolation, anxiety, fear of illness, uncertainty, chronic stress, and economic problems may lead to an increase in suicidality in certain populations. Public health experts agree that adolescents are one such vulnerable population.

Suicide rates among teens have been steadily increasing in recent years, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2019). Every day, approximately 12 teens die by suicide. For every one death that occurs, 25 more suicide attempts are made.

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Cutting back on drinking

How and Why to Cut Back on Alcohol Intake

Posted on by stephen

Many people report an increase in alcohol intake when they are feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed. According to the 2015–2020 Dietary Guideline, moderate alcohol consumption is defined as having up to 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men.  You can find out more about what defines a standard drink here. Health providers recommend that if you find yourself consuming more than this guideline, you should consider reevaluating. Because alcohol consumption can become a habit that is sometimes hard to break, we provide a few recommendations here on how and why to cut back.

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