Start Talking: It's Mental Health Month
Did you know that nearly 1 in 5 American adults will have a diagnosable mental health condition in any given year? In fact, fifty percent of lifetime mental health issues show their signs by age 14, making the teen years an important time to talk about mental health.
One of the most important keys to mental health is to have open communication with your family. Mental health is health, but families are often afraid to talk about mental health. Yet, talking about mental health is one of the most important ways to prevent crisis.
Create space for hard conversations and be willing to talk about feelings of depression, anxiety, stress, and isolation. Let your teen know that all feelings are okay. Talking and listening to one another can ease feelings of isolation and create opportunities to address challenges positively and proactively before crisis happens.
Here are some engaging resources to support your family’s mental health conversations—this month and all year long.
Well Beings/PBS Community Outreach Tour- a series of outstanding virtual panels on a variety of youth mental health topics. Watch with your teen and start a conversation!
Child Mind Institute’s Dare to Share Campaign - hear from kids and adults talking about what they do to help their mental health.
As a family, you can also commit to keeping physically active, being in nature, getting enough sleep, and practicing mindfulness to support your mental health wellness. Additionally, keeping a journal can be an effective tool for calming your mind and gives you time to slow down and process feelings.
While we know social media can be a valuable for connecting and engaging, it’s important to track social media usage and its impact. Does it increase your anxiety or your child’s anxiety or does usage decrease it? Researchers are finding a link between frequent social media use and young mental health issues.
Sometimes social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat can put more pressure on teenagers in regard to body image, status symbols, as well as online bullying that can occur on these platforms. Not all social media is negative, though! Here’s a great list of Instagram accounts to boost your mood that you can share with your family.
When you’re open to raising awareness and creating opportunities for proactive and positive conversations about mental health in your family, your teen knows that it’s okay to not be okay and that your home is a safe space to be vulnerable.
Here are some valuable mental health resources for both parents and teens to explore and share with others.
Crisis Text Line: Text “START” to 741741 in USA
National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-NAMI
National Eating Disorder Association: 1-800-931-2237
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Trevor Project (or LGBTQ Youth): Call 866-488-7386 or Text START to 678-678
Are you looking for ways to better support the tweens or teens in your life?
Navigating adolescence can be tough. That’s why Lucero has expertly created a safe space for tweens and teens to just be themselves. Give them the tools to develop healthy habits that last a lifetime in a way in which they enjoy.