3 things you can do to help your teen's mental health

Youth mental health has been of great concern, even before the Coronavirus pandemic. 

• From 2009 to 2019, the proportion of high school students reporting persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness increased by 40%. 
• Between 2011 and 2015, youth psychiatric visits to emergency departments for depression, anxiety, and behavioral challenges increased by 28%.

• Early estimates from the National Center for Health Statistics suggest there were tragically more than 6,600 deaths by suicide among the 10-24 age group in 2020.

But there is hope. 

On December 7, 2021, The Surgeon General issued an Advisory on Youth Mental Health. The advisory is a public statement that calls the American people’s attention to urgent public health issues and provides recommendations for how they should be addressed. 

Research from the Surgeon General's Advisory shows us that protective factors can alleviate some of the damage caused by trauma and help with healing. Research also showed that some youth experienced positive outcomes from extra time spent with family and less academic stress. 

If you are worried about your teen's mental wellness, here are three things you can do to help them. 

1. Encourage them to invest in healthy relationships and healthy screen-time limits

 Social media was one of the only ways teens could stay connected to others during the pandemic. Now that restrictions are lessening, we need to help teens re-engage with the outside world. You can model healthy screen time limits by putting down your own devices and having intentional family time.

• Try to have a screen-free meal with your teen 3 times a week. We know teens are busy in the evenings which makes dinner time a struggle. Try making them breakfast and spending time with them before school.

• Encourage them to do a device-free activity with their friends. Here is a list of some of the best tech-free activities to do in Dayton year-round. 

• Encourage them to invite their friends over to the house so you can meet them. This could lead to your teen becoming more comfortable with opening up to you about their friendship challenges. 

• Practice having meaningful conversations with them. Check out this On Our Sleeves Conversation Starter sheet for some ideas to get the conversation going. 

2. Inspire them to volunteer and give back to the community

Volunteering can give your teen a sense of purpose. It also improves self-worth. Try to inspire your teen to consider volunteering by:

• Encouraging them to find volunteer opportunities at their school.

• Talk to them about offering to help an elderly neighbor with yard work as the weather starts to warm up. 

• Talk with them about volunteering at a local food bank, animal shelter or other non-profit organization that sparks their interest. 

• Explore volunteer opportunities at Dayton Children's hospital

3. Learn and practice coping strategies

Help your teen come up with coping strategies to utilize when they are feeling overwhelmed and stressed. 

• Join the On Our Sleeves movement to get access to coping strategy resources like deep breathing and positive thinking. 

• Look up a progressive relaxation script and try it out together. 

• Encourage your teens to continue with stress-relieving hobbies so they have ongoing self-care. Some examples are reading, taking walks, writing, or doing yoga. 

While encouraging your teen to care for their mental wellness, stay alert for these signs that they might need more than just at-home strategies. Seek professional help for your teen if you notice: 

• Your teens display a lack of interest in activities they once were actively participating in. Remember, however, that it is a natural developmental milestone for your teen to outgrow and lose interest in old hobbies. If you notice your teen is not engaging in anything at all, across the board this might be a sign to seek help. 
• Your teen withdraws from their social support system. Being moody and not wanting to talk with parents or other adults may be typical for your teen but if they're not interacting with a sibling they were once close with or a group of friends they are always around, this might be important to take note of and seek help. 
• Your teen has significant changes in appetite and sleep patterns. Teens are often known to be more sleepy than usual and may change their eating habits. But a consistent pattern of extreme changes in their activities is a sign to seek help. 

If you're wondering where to look to get more support or help for your teen, visit our local resources page or our mental health resources directory. 

Get help now: If you or your child need immediate help due to having suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text the Crisis Text Line by texting "START" to 741-741. If there is an immediate safety concern, call 911 or go the nearest emergency room.

If you’re looking for more ways to support others and discuss mental health, join the movement of On Our Sleeves. We believe that no family should struggle alone in their journey with mental health. Check out more resources and guides, here.  

Ways to get involved:

• Become an advocate

• Join our e-community

• Partner with us

• Donate to the cause

• Share your story