• Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
  • CCPA
  • Medical Disclaimer
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Jefferson County News Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Technology
    • Crytpocurrency
    • Gaming
    • Gadgets
  • Sports
  • Health
  • General
    • Business Services
  • Travel
  • Press Releases
  • Popular
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Technology
    • Crytpocurrency
    • Gaming
    • Gadgets
  • Sports
  • Health
  • General
    • Business Services
  • Travel
  • Press Releases
  • Popular
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home News

US Surgeon General Warns Parents Of National Youth Mental Health Crisis – WTTW News

us-surgeon-general-warns-parents-of-national-youth-mental-health-crisis-–-wttw-news
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is sounding the alarm on a youth mental health crisis.

A public health advisory from his office details how the pandemic has disrupted the lives of children, teens and young adults — causing them to inherit anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.

According to the advisory’s report, 25% of youth experienced depression while 20% experienced anxiety during the pandemic. A concerning finding shows a 51% increase in suicide attempts among girls compared to the 4% increase for boys. Most children included in the report have also lost a loved one to COVID-19.

“Girls are typically a bit more social than boys,” said Judith Allen, the clinical director and CEO of Communities In Schools of Chicago. “Girls are able to connect with others. You’ll walk into a middle school and find a group of girls crying next to a set of locker rooms every Tuesday. It’s that part of socialization and networking that girls have. Whereas boys tend to be [timid]. They tend to keep those emotions inside. So, girls are acting out more externally than internally. If girls are feeling disconnected alone, the escalation of social media as their only outlet, that can be a dangerous mix.”

Specialists and therapists are asking parents to not rely on social media to include regulations such as a feature that allows youth to take social media breaks. They are asking parents to consider regulating their children’s content.

“We need more studies to understand the [link between social media and children’s mental health],” Dr. Aron Jannsen, vice chair at Lurie Children’s Hospital’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health. “What we hear from kids is that there is a connectivity and helpfulness to some of the aspects of social media. But on the flipside, there’s this disconnection of constantly having to be on the [platform]. As clinicians, we need to educate parents on setting safe and appropriate guidelines, so that we are monitoring [content].”

Janssen says youth shouldn’t have to navigate the complexities the complexities involved in finding the right mental health care centers, in terms of having the funds for therapy services and finding the right therapist or specialist.

He also reiterated findings that youth of color are experiencing mental issues linked to anxiety and depression at a high rate.

“There are a number of groups that have experienced particular challenges [surrounding mental health], including LGBTQ and Black youth. We have seen increased rates of suicide [in these groups] over the last several years, and we don’t always have a great explanation for why this is because we need money to do research,” Janssen said. “We need more support, and we need more clinicians who are drawn from multiple communities, who can meet the needs, as they stand.”

While mental health specialists are trying to keep up with the demand from youth seeking mental health care, they ask parents to look out for key warning signs that their children might be experiencing depression and anxiety. 

Janssen and Allen said to look for changes in personality, irritability or despondency in their environment and disruptions in sleep patterns.

If someone meets these criteria, it’s advised to open a dialog about feelings of depression, anxiety, or thoughts of suicide to help work through their concerns and challenges.

If you know someone who is exhibiting any of the symptoms above, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.


Jefferson County News Online

© 2021 Jefferson COunty News Online

Navigate Site

  • Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
  • CCPA
  • Medical Disclaimer

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • DMCA Policy
  • Medical Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • CCPA
  • Terms of Use

© 2021 Jefferson COunty News Online

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT