Are the demands of school, homework, sports, and clubs contributing to anxiety and depression among teens? And what role is the pandemic playing in the increasing rates of teen anxiety and depression? What are the current rates of anxiety and depression for young people? And, most importantly, what can we do about it?
 
Dr. Stuart Slavin, physician and mental health researcher, joins Mart & Erin to share insights from recent research on teen anxiety and depression. He outlines the factors that contribute to mental health challenges among adolescents, including activities, demands, and sources of stress in their lives. He also highlights "problematic mindsets" and their contribution to mental health outcomes. Tune in to hear what the data show and what we can do about it.
 
WHAT CAN WE DO TO REDUCE THE RISKS OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AMONG TEENS?
What role do school, sports, clubs, and homework play in teen mental health? How can we address "problematic mindsets" in our children? What could you do to minimize the amplifying effects of social media?

 
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH?
❉ BREAKING THE STIGMA: A STORY OF CHILDHOOD ANXIETY, FROM PAIN AND SHAME TO STRENGTH AND HEALING. Bryan Piatt was a talented and popular TV journalist and news anchor with a calm and competent on-screen presence. But, inside, he struggled with the intense anxiety that had plagued him since childhood. When anxiety began to compromise his job performance, Bryan took the brave step of going public with his story so that others could benefit from what he had experienced and learned. He joins Mom Enough hosts Marti & Erin for a candid conversation about how anxiety affected his life from childhood to adulthood, the ways many adults missed the meaning of the signs Bryan was presenting, and what finally happened to put him on the path to strength and healing.

 

❉ CHILDHOOD ANXIETY: POSSIBLE CAUSES, HELPFUL STRATEGIES AND EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS. Does your child stress out in new situations, lose sleep over upcoming tests or become upset when things don’t go as planned? Childhood anxiety affects many children and often runs in families. But there are helpful steps you can take to ease your child’s anxiety and teach skills your child can use to manage his or her own stress. Psychiatrist Dr. Elizabeth Reeve brings her knowledge and experience with childhood anxiety to this lively discussion with Marti & Erin, who share a few stories of how anxiety shows up on their own family tree!

 

❉ SCHOOL ANXIETY: UNDERSTANDING CAUSES AND FINDING EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES. Many children of all ages experience school anxiety, whether stressing out about academic performance, fearing bullies on the bus or feeling overwhelmed by separation anxiety when it’s time to leave home. Clinical psychologist Dr. Jordan Hart shares practical, effective, evidence-based advice for how parents can help children overcome school anxiety and build skills that will help them meet challenges throughout their live in this episode of Mom Enough.

 

❉ SIGNS OF CHILDHOOD DEPRESSION: WHAT WE ALL SHOULD KNOW. Childhood should be a time of joy, discovery and positive connection with family and friends. So it’s difficult for most of us to imagine a child experiencing depression. But, depression can and does affect people of any age. And it’s up to teachers, parents and other caring adults to be alert to the signs of childhood depression and to make sure a child exhibiting those signs gets a proper evaluation and, as needed, appropriate treatment and support. Child and adolescent psychiatrist Elizabeth Reeve joins Marti & Erin to address the signs of childhood depression.

 

❉ UNDERSTANDING AND PREVENTING YOUTH SUICIDE WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SAVE. With so many young people experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety these days, parents often worry about the risk of youth suicide. And yes, suicide is the second leading cause of death among ages 15 – 24.