LM Student Services Offers Tips for Handling Anxiety and Depression
Being a parent of a teen isn’t easy. Always wondering if we are being too hard on our kids, too easy, questioning too much or questioning too little. At Linn-Mar, we want to make sure that we get as much information in our parents’ hands as possible.
The more information we have or the more resources, the more we can empower ourselves and our children. On our home page of the Linn-Mar website, we have included a ‘Crisis Help’ tab. Within this tab, there are websites, numbers, addresses of local organizations and resources to assist with a multitude of crisis that may occur with our families.
This world can be a tough place for our kids; anxiety and depression in children is real. We want to make sure that families have the knowledge and the power to do everything possible to help their children. Mental health issues; such as anxiety and depression is on a rise with our youth. Thankfully, they are also treatable.
There are two links below that are an excellent resource on anxiety and depression. Not only do these two links provide descriptions, they also list signs and symptoms that parents can look for. The additional resources listed within each link are also excellent resources for families.
https://www.pleasepassthelove.org/copy-of-anxiety-3
https://www.pleasepassthelove.org/copy-of-depression-1
As educators, we may not have all the answers, but we are dedicated to supporting our families with helping them find the best resources. We also know the importance of talking with your children and asking some of those difficult questions. The link below is a video created by Mayo Clinic. In the video, teens describe the common signs when a teen is considering suicide and how to communicate directly with your child.
Coping skills are those daily strategies and activities that we use as people to help deal with, work through, or process our emotions. Coping skills help us get through difficult times. They can give us breaks from mental and emotional stress. Many of our counselors have found this document to be helpful when working with students on developing healthy coping skills. Feel free to look through this document and determine five coping skills that will work for you or your child.
Please know we are here for you and your child. If you have concerns about your child and are not sure where to start, we encourage you to contact your trusted adult at your child’s school.