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Unfortunately, this means abandoning the popular view that a return to “normal” for children – face-to-face education, cutting off masks – will reverse these trends. In fact, such measures can increase the stress many students are already feeling, says Lisa Fortuna, UCSF chief of psychiatry at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. And an estimated 200,000 children in the US who have lost a parent or guardian to Covid-19 may need additional support. Screening for depression and anxiety in schools and pediatricians’ offices is crucial because the symptoms associated with these conditions are easier to manage and less damaging when addressed early. For adolescents, substance abuse, eating disorders, and suicidal thoughts can be complications of both anxiety and depression.
Fortuna says depression in pre-adolescents can present itself more as irritability and irritability than sadness. For all ages, withdrawal from routine activities is a warning sign, as is excessive anxiety. Symptoms vary greatly, but in general, depressed girls may become withdrawn, whereas boys may fight or take action, for example, being labeled a behavior problem rather than a mood disorder. “Clinically, I see a lot of young men presenting with depressive symptoms,” Fortuna says. This is despite the decline in male visits to the emergency room, the CDC found. “They’re still there,” she says. “They may not be presenting that loud.”
It is very important to open a dialogue with children about how they are feeling and to listen without judgment. Anita Everett, director of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center for Mental Health Services, said: I encourage you to ask.” “We encourage people to ask about suicide,” she adds. Doing so does not place the idea. If there is a problem, do not ignore it and hope that it will pass. “A kind of way forward is important,” says Everett.
This path can be tough. A recent survey in the Annals of Family Medicine found that 85 percent of patients primary care practices are struggling to access evidence-based mental health services for children. At the national level, some children wait six months to a year for help, Fortuna says. She recommends getting advice from a primary care doctor or school counselor first. this The SAMHSA website includes a cure finder, and churches and other community groups can be valuable resources. Everett urges caregivers to ensure that guns, especially guns and medicines and other hazardous materials, are safely kept in any home where there will be a child. And, he says, parents should seek support for themselves. Knowing that it will not be difficult to find others whose children struggle and others who struggle themselves can be as helpful as it is tragic.
If you have suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). You can find a list of additional resources at TalkOfSuicide.com/resources.
Kim Tingley is a contributing author to the magazine.
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