West Newsmagazine 5-20-20

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WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM
May 20, 2020
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE
I 35
MENTAL HEALTH, from page 27
this increased interest in examining mental
health resources coincides with an increasing
number of individuals scheduling visits
to explore remediation opportunities at
home or starting the process of finding a
therapist or psychologist.
And adults are not the only ones asking
for help.
The impact of anxiety on kids
After schools closed in April, students of
all ages suddenly found themselves adapting
to a new form of classroom learning,
all while remaining socially isolated from
friends and peers.
According to Dr. Delene Musielak,
dual-boarded internist and pediatrician
at St. Luke’s Hospital, there has been an
increase in both patients and parents of
adolescents who have reached out during
quarantine about mental health resources,
therapists and psychologists. While some
of these patients have a history of anxiety
or depression, others do not.
For young children, feelings of increased
stress and anxiety can manifest through
mood swings, irritability, acting out, crying,
temper tantrums, complaints of not feeling
well or self-initiated isolation.
“We have to remember that most of our
children have never been through a situation
like this,” Musielak said in an email
interview with West Newsmagazine. “It is
all new to them.”
Sometimes these feelings of distress can
be so intense that children will experience
them in forms of physical discomfort. This
can include stomach pains, nausea, headaches
and even vomiting.
“As adults, we can even experience these
symptoms,” Musielak said.
As for mitigating stress levels for preteens
who may already be experiencing
changes in demeanor as a result of
puberty or other factors, Musielak said
that maintaining open channels of communication
can help parents discern
normal mood changes from more severe
stress symptoms.
“Allow your children to express their
feelings and emotions about the current
situation freely,” Musielak said. “Do not
undermine their feelings and sensitivity.
Communication is key. When puberty hits,
most kids don’t want to talk about it. That’s
why it is important to establish a good relationship
even before that time. Your child
will be more approachable and not think that
you’re just trying to get into their business.”
This open dialogue can also help parents
make sure their own stress levels remain in
check and that their concerns or anxieties
are not being transferred to their children
or teens.
“Another important aspect is leading by
example,” Musielak said. “If you are a
worrywart and anxious about the current
situation, your children will sense that. As
a result, those emotions can transfer to your
children. The current pandemic does make
most people worried. It’s normal, but you
don’t want that anxiety to start affecting
your quality of life and happiness, because
then it will affect your children’s quality of
life.”
For teenagers, signs of intense anxiety
may manifest in the form of mood swings,
irritation, crying, isolation, complaints of
pain or even a decrease in performance in
academic or extracurricular activities. This
is also a time where individuals may turn to
outlets such as drugs or alcohol.
“Do not ignore warning signs,” Musielak
said. “If you feel that your child is
depressed, anxious or stressed, please seek
the appropriate help. Even though a lot of
facilities have limited in-person visits, telemedicine
visits through video or by telephone
are available. Early intervention is
always better!”
For every age group, including adults,
one of the best ways to facilitate a sense
of normalcy during turbulent times is to
find a routine and stick to it. These include
dedicated mealtimes, sleep schedules and a
balanced amount of chores or assignments
per day.
“Keep a good balance,” Musielak said.
“Life gets difficult when it’s skewed.”
Personal mental health check-ups
According to Muhammad, there are multiple
measures individuals of all ages can
take at home to help minimize stress.
“The first thing you should try to do, if
you can do it safely, is get out in nature,”
Muhammad said.
She also recommends people try to be
more cognizant of any emotional patterns,
especially negative ones. Individuals of all
ages, especially those in complete isolation,
should also find ways to reach out to
loved ones via phone or video-conferencing
applications for safe human contact.
“Figuring out if you can carve out a few
minutes a day to chat with that person
over the phone is a good way to keep your
mental health intact,” Muhammad said.
“Finally, if you’ve done all those things and
you still feel overwhelmed, we really suggest
that you call 211 and tell them what’s
going on and see what kind of support they
can offer.
“We don’t talk about mental health
enough in our culture, and this pandemic
has really given us the opportunity to all be
mental health advocates. It’s one thing to
read about what’s it’s like to feel anxious or
depressed, but it’s another thing to experience
it.”
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