Author: Kelly Montgomery

Depression, Anxiety, And Other Emotional Health Issues Of Teens In Quarantine

Humans are inherently social beings. And the coronavirus pandemic has made it harder for us to fulfill our social needs. Because we need to stay at home to keep ourselves physically healthy, we have pulled away from our friends and loved ones. This quarantine and the uncertainty have taken a toll on our teens’ emotional health, affecting how they act and behave at home. 

Watch out for these emotional health issues that your teen may be facing in quarantine.

Depression

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News about the global effects of the coronavirus pandemic has been plaguing both the internet and the television. Because our teens have access to this information, it can make them overstressed and depressed. Signs of depression include:

• low mood
• sleep issues – oversleeping or insomnia
• lack of interest in doing things that they usually enjoy
• sudden increase or decrease in weight
• restlessness

Teenage depression may also lead to suicide ideation. Contrary to the idea that talking about suicide influences your teen to do it, it would be best to speak to them about how they feel when you notice these symptoms.

Katherine Nguyen Williams, Ph.D., further shares, “Studies after studies have shown that asking about suicide does not increase the risk of suicide. Rather, asking about suicide can decrease the risk and potentially saves lives.”

Anxiety

Teens tend to feel emotions more intensely than adults and children. It happens due to the hormonal and physical changes, among others, that their body is going through in puberty. If you, as the parents, feel anxious because of the pandemic, your teen is feeling worse. Symptoms of an anxiety disorder include:

• nervousness or restlessness
• panic
• trouble concentrating
• gastrointestinal problems
• cold sweat
• hyperventilation

Feeling anxiety is normal, especially in these stressful times. When you notice these signs in your teens, talk to them about it, and offer reassurance. Limiting screen time and finding other activities to focus on can also help them.

Social Isolation

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There is an implementation of quarantine guidelines that aim to keep us physically safe and healthy, but it may also fuel your teen’s loneliness. Because they are out of their usual routine of seeing friends, they may start to withdraw from the family. Social isolation is cutting off contact with other people due to loss of mobility, depression, and other health issues.

It is important to note that social isolation can make your teens lonelier. When you notice that they are withdrawing from family time or locking themselves in their rooms, you may need to talk to them about it. You may also ask them to unplug from social media and encourage them to exercise more often.

Emotional Exhaustion

Constantly feeling no control over life can make your teens emotionally exhausted. Before this pandemic, when teens feel overstressed, they can go out and have fun with their friends. Now that they cannot do this, they are more susceptible to feeling emotionally drained. It may result in insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

When you notice that your teen is unmotivated, absent-minded, having trouble sleeping, and overfatigued, you must help them deal with it. Eating healthy and exercising can release happy hormones in the body.

Aggression And Irritability

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Stress impacts your teen’s patience making them more irritable and aggressive. Being cooped inside the house for a long time also aggravates the stress, affecting their patience. Your usually mellow teen may suddenly become hostile towards you or their sibling for no reason. Although that is unhealthy, you need to address their emotions with understanding.

Your teen’s anger is also affected by the sudden loss of their usual routine and lack of control over their current situation. When they suddenly become enraged, let them calm down first them talk to them about it. You may also need to help them to channel their aggression towards other activities like exercising and journal writing.

The most important thing to remember when dealing with your teen’s emotional health problems is to keep an open mind and heart. They will need you more now than ever because there is so much happening around the world that they cannot fully understand and control. Be ready to listen and talk to your teens and help them be emotionally healthy while in quarantine.

How To Support A Sexually Abused Victim

The 2019 Stop Abuse Event did not only talk about the realities of sexually abused victims but also provided tips to loved ones who care. Admit it or not, we don’t know how to approach these people. Do we walk on glass with everything we say or do we lend an ear and say nothing at all? With these in mind, here are some of the things that you should know, and a few tips you can apply when consoling them.

Listen To What They Have To Say

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Each victim has their own story. There are times that they might feel a little awkward about what has happened to them. If they are ready to talk, however, then make sure to listen to their story. Let them express their fear, frustration, anger, and sadness in their struggles. At the same time, do not try to butt in when they’re in the middle of their story as they might only feel judged.

Show Empathy, Not Sympathy

Most sexually abused victims prefer receiving empathy as compared to sympathy. They want to feel loved and understood. Some of the phrases that you can utter are the following:

• “You’re so courageous to be able to talk about this.”

• “I believe in you.”

• “You have done nothing wrong to deserve this.”

• “It will never be your fault.”

• “You are not alone.”

• “I am here to listen and help in every way I know how.”

• “This should not have happened to you.”

Avoid saying statements like “Don’t cry.” or “Cheer up.” Let them process their feelings and show your support by understanding what they’re going through.

Regularly Check Up On Them

Even if they experienced these sexual assaults a long time ago, you should still check them regularly. Although it’s in the past already, it does not mean that it’s entirely gone. Always ask how they are to remind them that there are still a lot of people who care for their wellbeing.

Know Your Resources

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You’re a reliable and consistent supporter, but you must know how to manage these situations. To be able to validate their feelings, you must educate yourself using reliable resources on the internet. 

Ways To Create An Emotionally Supportive Home For Your Kids Amidst The COVID-19 Outbreak

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It has been an incredibly challenging time for all of us as the pandemic continues to hit numerous countries around the world. It has affected many families, threatened job security, and overwhelmed health care systems. Many feel the stress and anxiety brought by the uncertainties of the pandemic. Parents now have a definitive role in maintaining a safe and supportive home for their children.

Children may deal with their emotions in different ways. With the schools closing, events getting postponed, or being separated from their friends, they are going to need support as they cope with the sudden changes in their lives. They may not directly express their feelings, but they are facing the same stress, and anxiety parents probably feel these days.

It’s important that in times like this, children feel comfortable sharing their emotions and understand that they are not alone. Here are some ways parents can create an emotionally supportive home for their children amidst the ongoing global crisis:

Inform Your Children Thoroughly

Keeping secrets from your children never helps. It is important to inform children by discussing what is COVID-19 pandemic while engaging them in a calm conversation. Answer their questions truthfully and explain the reasons why they are experiencing unexpected shifts.

Avoid using words that may scare them as they have the same worries just like you have. Creating a relaxed atmosphere can motivate them to tell you if ever they’re not feeling well. You can also comfort your kids by informing them about the generally mild health risks to children and young adults.

Melissa Merrick, Ph.D., and Robert Sege, MD, Ph.D., advised to, “Explain why physical distancing, staying at home, not playing outside with their friends, and canceling school are personal sacrifices that they (and we) make for the good of all of us.” You can also initiate to them a sense of responsibility in keeping everyone safe. Remind your kids that we all must think about the people around us, too and that staying at home can help limit the spread of the virus.

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Let Your Children Process Their Feelings

Do not dismiss the emotions of your children. Their issues may feel small to you, but they can be a great deal for your children. While some children may quickly get by with the situation, some may have difficulty dealing with this unique situation. Be supportive of their emotions, help them cope by reminding them that being frustrated is normal. Support them and convey empathy to their problems.

Stick To An Organized Routine At Home

Children can feel the days are passing by if they’re productive throughout the day. You can encourage your family to create a new structured schedule for them to follow daily. Make timetables for their activities so that everyone can monitor them. For example, plan when they should be doing schoolwork, playing, connecting with their friends online, or do chores.

For children aged ten and above, it will be ideal for getting them involved in shaping their day. Ask them about the things they want to prioritize so they can have a sense of ownership of their schedule. Your children can find great relief when there is consistency, predictability, and time management.

Check Where They Are Getting The News

Misinformation on the internet is rampant. When your children take in such news without proper guidance, it may create more panic and induce stress. Check-in with what they hear about the pandemic, and debunk the wrong information they received.

It’s not adequate to give them accurate facts. You must discover what they already grasp and work from there. If you don’t, your children might mix up the misinformation with the truth. Keep a calm demeanor in discussing with your kids the importance of receiving reliable news.

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Make Delightful Distractions

To help your kids balance their emotions, welcome new activities that everyone in the family can enjoy. Distractions give your kids relief from feeling stress and unsettled. Have a family game night, make arts and crafts projects, cook meals and exercise together, or do chores.

Encourage Communication From Other People

Communication plays a huge role in regulating children’s moods. Let them use social media to stay connected virtually. It can make them feel less alone during this crisis.

Children model their behavior from their parents. If they feel that you are panicking, they may also feel worried. They rely on you for a sense of balance and security. As much as you’re probably in a state of panic and shock, too, you must manage your anxiety and stress. Your children need you to be reliable, so stay healthy and remain open with your family’s emotional struggles.

How To Help Your Teen Cope With Her Pregnancy

The 2017 Teenage Pregnancy Summit further promotes the society’s roles in helping teens cope with their pregnancies. More so, families—as the smallest unit of society—have a definitive role in assisting teenagers as they manage the changes in their lives. As much as the news of your teenage daughter’s pregnancy shattered your heart, it is best to move forward and support her in her trying times.

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Teenage pregnancy can have a profound impact on your daughter’s life. As parents, you have to be strong for yourself and your child. You can help your daughter cope with her pregnancy by making her understand her options, health risks, and the possible difficulties ahead.

Provide Her With Constant Support

As much as it shocked you, your child is experiencing anxiety and fears as well. It is best if you ask her about her feelings, comfort her with your presence, and nourish her with love now more than ever. You can also give her tips regarding the changes in her body, such as morning sickness, and assist her in scheduling prenatal appointments. 

It’s also best to remember that forcing your opinions on your child regarding her pregnancy won’t do any good. It will be better to have an open and understanding communication with each other in discussing her and the baby’s future.

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Discuss With Your Teen Her Options Regarding Her Pregnancy

A pregnant teen does have various options to consider, such as the following:

• Keeping the baby. In case your daughter decides to keep the baby, you have to discuss with her the responsibilities she will now have. Be realistic and practical so that your teen can visualize the whole picture.
• Placing the baby up for adoption. If your teen decides to give the baby up for adoption, discuss with her the types of services available. Come with her in consulting with professionals and talk about the emotional impact it entails.

During this time, it’s best not to be judgmental and let your teen make her own decisions. Your role as her parents is to guide, not to dictate.

Encourage Proper Prenatal Care

Teenage pregnancies are considered high risk as their body is just starting to grow and are not yet fully matured. Encourage your teen to inquire about prenatal care, get tested for sexually transmitted infections, eat healthily, and stay physically active.

Teenage Pregnancy: Keeping The Baby

The issue of teenage pregnancy is something that people need to be serious of. Unfortunately, there are still many areas all over the world wherein sex education is not provided to the teenagers. Some countries are still conservation, which is why the topics about sex are considered taboo in an educational institution. The effect of this is that many young individuals fail to take into consideration the consequences when they engage in unprotected sex.

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What It Is Like To Date A Drug Addict

Nowadays, there are already many changes in the dating world. The truth is that a lot of things have changed over the past few years. Because of these, it becomes more complicated for many people to get to know one another or to bring the relationship to the next level. One of the issues that usually come up in the dating cycle is realizing that you had a wrong first impression of the other person. A great example of this is meeting someone you like who, unfortunately, is a drug addict.

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Tips On Helping A Spouse Deal With Alcoholism

Are you aware that many people consider addiction as a regular occurrence in their lives? These individuals believe that being addicted to something is only typical. Because of this, they fail to see the adverse effects that addiction brings.

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Cognitive Behavior Therapy For Addiction

Are you struggling with addiction and needing therapy? The availability of drugs, narcotics, cigarettes, and alcohol all over the world has made it easier for many individuals to suffer from substance addiction. When a person becomes dependent on certain substances or items, it becomes difficult on his part to quit vices.

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Understanding The Relationship Between Addiction And Therapy

However, this does not indicate that it is not possible at all. With proper guidance and assistance from counselors, individuals may recover through Addiction Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of many disorder treatments you can look into when addressing addiction. Let’s learn more about the effective treatment here in this article.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for addiction is among many types of clinical psychology counseling. From its name, it can be implied that cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on looking into how the actions of individuals or negative thought patterns are involved. Its primary goal is to change the individual’s maladaptive thinking or behavioral expression to get over substance addiction and start treating depression, adolescent substance abuse, maladaptive behavioral patterns, addictive behaviors, and other mental health disorders that impacts a pleasant activity schedule.

“Since a high percentage of people we see in our practice is dealing with some anxiety (social anxiety, health or illness anxiety, etc.), being able to gently challenge people to face their fears and develop new ways of relating to their own thoughts is a central part of the work,” Martin Hsia, PsyD, says. “Cognitive behavioral therapy gives us the tools to encourage people to do something highly unpleasant: confront the things they have been avoiding.”

How Cognitive Behavioral Therapies For Addiction Help Manage Challenges

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Only counselors can perform techniques and methods under the cognitive-behavioral therapy approach. One fundamental principle is that engagement by patients and counselors depends on the severity of the addiction. It can be five months up to ten months or even longer.

According to the American addiction centers, individuals who are suffering from substance abuse are required to attend cognitive behavior therapy for addiction, which is usually scheduled once a week. Addiction counselors will help and enhance motivation in individuals examine different processes and how it affects how the person acts.

Ben Martin, PsyD, said, “During this time, the client and therapist are working together to understand what the problems are and develop new strategies for tackling them. Cognitive behavioral therapy introduces patients to a set of principles that they can apply whenever they need to, and that’ll last them a lifetime.”

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – Addiction Treatment

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has proven to be an effective way of helping individuals recover from addictive disorder. This method is also useful for relapse prevention in recovering individuals who once dealt with substance misuse and drug and alcohol dependence. Because of this, it is proper to conclude that cognitive therapy is indeed essential in dealing with the cognitive distortions and mental problems of several people.

Therapy for Addiction: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

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Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Treatment Really That Important For People With Substance Abuse?

If you believe that you need a counselor to get over substance use disorders, cognitive behavioral interventions are perfect for cognitive behavioral treatment and the Affordable Care Act, according to the Mental Health Services Administration. Quitting the use of drugs or narcotics is difficult, most importantly if you find comfort in doing it. However, it is now time to regain clarity in your life. Be sure to find your preferred counselor who could make you understand why you can’t control your use of prohibited substances. Let that professional know that you are more than willing to participate in sessions that are meant for treating mental psychological disorders or other mental health conditions and common co-occurring disorders like anxiety disorders, mood disorders, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, drug addiction, drug and alcohol abuse, substance use disorders.

“Given that CBT can be a more direct style of therapy, it may not feel helpful for someone seeking that kind of deep, relational work. Having said that, many skilled [cognitive behavioral] therapists who practice cognitive behavioral therapy are very flexible and can adjust to meet the needs of a variety of clients,” wrote licensed clinical therapist Ryan Howes, Ph.D., ABPP.

Insights And Takeaways

When it comes to Beck Institute or National Institute on Drug Abuse treatments and meta-analyses, the first thing that you need to be aware of to stay sober is the fact that cognitive-behavioral strategies and treatment providers help only work if you will cooperate. You cannot expect counselors to do all your heavy work and give you all the coping skills training to reduce negative thoughts, boost positive emotions, and take away painful memories or painful thoughts or automatic thoughts about past experiences. Instead, make an effort to appear during your sessions and objective evidence treatment. Moreover, try to be honest at all times whenever you are communicating with your counselor. As long as you know how to find counselors who specialize in CBT techniques, you are good to go.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy FAQs

How Does The Cognitive Approach Explain How To Treat Addiction?

The cognitive approach to addiction treatment focuses on identifying and challenging distorted beliefs and thought patterns related to substance use. It involves cognitive restructuring to replace irrational beliefs with rational ones, developing coping strategies to manage cravings and triggers, and building self-efficacy to resist substance use. This approach also addresses underlying psychological issues and emphasizes relapse prevention.

What techniques are used to treat substance abuse?

Substance abuse treatment integrates diverse techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy CBT, Motivational Interviewing (MI), contingency management, 12-Step Programs, Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), holistic therapies, family therapy, dual diagnosis treatment, peer support, and mental health education. These approaches collectively combat addiction and promote lasting recovery.

Which psychotherapy is most effective for substance dependence?

What Is The Most Effective Intervention For Substance Abuse If Online Therapy Doesn’t Help With Addiction Recovery?

If online therapy doesn’t prove effective for addiction recovery, there are several alternative interventions to explore. The most effective approach may vary from person to person, but options include in-person therapy with a licensed counselor, residential or outpatient treatment programs, support groups like AA or NA, medication-assisted treatment, family therapy, holistic approaches, specialized treatment centers, and long-term aftercare programs. The choice of intervention depends on individual needs, the severity of drug addiction or alcohol addiction, and co-occurring issues. It’s important to seek guidance from healthcare professionals to determine the most suitable treatment plan.

What Is A Treatment Plan For Substance Use Treatment?

What Are Three Options For Drug Abuse Treatment Centers?

How can we prevent addiction through behavioral experiments?

What are the six components of addiction?

How does cognitive behavioral therapy for addiction work?

What are examples of cognitive behavioral therapy interventions?

What is the first phase of CBT? Who needs cognitive behavioral therapy?

What are the benefits of cognitive behavioral therapy?

What happens during a CBT session?

How long does CBT therapy last?

What questions are asked in cognitive behavioral therapy?

Teenage Pregnancy And Psychiatry

One of the worst things that you may encounter in this life is to find out that your teenage daughter is pregnant. Once you discover about this, your heart will inevitably break. This is only normal, especially when you want nothing else but the best for your child. However, focusing on the problem will only make the recovery process more difficult on your part. As such, the right thing to do is to accept the situation and deal with it, as any mature individual would do. 

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Help A Partner Get Over Substance Abuse

Many kinds of challenges may come in every marriage. Some of these obstacles are just small, which is why they can be resolved almost instantaneously. On the other hand, some issues are too significant in that they require immediate attention as well as the constant effort from both spouses. One of these serious issues in a marriage is finding out that your spouse has been doing too much. Of course, you want to help him get over this negative situation in life. The question now is: How can you make it happen? 

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