Children and teens are facing unprecedented mental health challenges. The right kinds of support and interventions early in their lives can make a big difference. Four licensed child and adolescent psychologists from Children’s Hospital Colorado recently held an online town hall to help families improve mental health in children. They discussed ways to manage anxiety and stress, as well as suicide prevention.
Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes. Children can get stuck in a cycle of anxiety and avoid things that cause anxiety, such as tests or social situations.
The town hall reviews ways to break the cycle and improve mental health in children, including cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, medication and relaxation skills. Our expert offers two specific ways to cope with anxiety in daily life: square breathing and the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique.
Stress is mental strain, emotional strain or tension from troubling or hard times. Helpful stress can motivate children to do things, but unhelpful stress can become overwhelming. It can lead to avoidance, procrastination, panic and anxiety. Signs that stress is becoming overwhelming include increased moodiness, self-consciousness, procrastination, distraction or lack of focus, trouble sleeping or needing reassurance.
Families can help children cope with anxiety by listening, validating children’s feelings, being nonjudgmental and modeling their own resilience. Helpful techniques include paced breathing, identifying solutions, leaning on social supports and naming worries. Healthy habits also can lessen stress, such as balanced eating, good sleep, regular exercise, realistic expectations and downtime.
To prevent youth suicide, it’s important to have conversations about it. These conversations don’t make someone more likely to think about or attempt suicide. They actually decrease the likelihood of a suicide attempt by creating a safe space to talk about mental health. Our expert recommends short, regular conversations, rather than one big sit-down lecture. She encourages parents to listen, be nonjudgmental and make conversations developmentally appropriate. She offers specific ways to start these conversations.
If you suspect that a child is having suicidal thoughts, you can help keep them safe by safely storing firearms, medications and cleaning supplies. The town hall reviews signs that a child needs more immediate support.
If you would like to learn more about how you can support your child, or others in your community, please visit: https://www.childrenscolorado.org/conditions-and-advice/parenting/mental-health-family-resources/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mental_health
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