Mental Health: A Presentation for Parents

1. Mental Health: A Presentation for Parents Presented by Breanna Glasser and Helen SwansTon-Hickie

2. Overview of Stress, Depression, and Anxiety • Stress – Our response to: change, difficult situations, threatening situations. • Anxiety – A general term for several disorders that cause nervousness, fear, apprehension, and worrying. These disorders affect how we feel and behave and can cause physical symptoms. Mild anxiety is vague and unsettling, while severe anxiety can seriously affect day-to-day living. • Depression – A mood disorder characterized by low mood, a feeling of sadness, and a general loss of interest in things.

3. Common stressors for youth/teens • School • Sports • Other extracurricular activities • Work • Increased responsibility at home • Getting drivers licence • Preparing for university/college/workforce • Preparing to move out • Social life

4. Social Media Use • Use of Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook have been proven to lead to increased feelings of depression, anxiety, poor body image, and loneliness, stemming from: • Indirect communication • Lowering the risk of emotions • Cyberbullying • Stalking • What Can Parents Do?

5. How Stress Affects the Body • Physically – Changes in sleep & appetite, upset stomach, pounding heart, cold hands and feet, perspiration, restlessness, muscle tension, headaches. • Emotionally – Irritable, frustrated, worried, nervous, discouraged. • Cognitively – Difficulty concentrating, negative self-talk, criticism, complaining, catastrophizing. • Behaviourally – Isolating, lashing out at others, risky decision making.

6. How anxiety affects the body • Physically – Feeling tense/the inability to relax, rapid heart beat, dizziness, headache, sweating, tingling, numbness, nausea, vomiting, aches, pains, restlessness, tremors. • Emotionally – Apprehension/feeling unable to cope • Cognitively – Introspection, poor concentration, fear or death of self or other, can vary from mild unease to extreme terror. • Behaviourally – Avoidance, reassurance seeking,

7. How Depression affects the body • Key Symptoms – Persistent low mood/sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, decreased energy and/or increased fatigue. • Physically – Disturbed sleep, appetite disturbance, decreased energy. • Emotionally – Tearfulness, irritability/agitation, lowering of mood, loss of interest/enjoyment. • Cognitively – Reduced concentration & attention, self esteem, and self confidence, bleak & pessimistic views of the future. • Behaviourally – Slowing of movements, ideas and/or attempts of self harm or suicide, decreased libido.

8. Fight/Flight/Freeze Response • When we are faced with a situation that causes us anxiety or fear, we react and either want to fight what we are faced with, or want to run away (flight). • This is also known as the fight/flight/freeze response. • This reaction is helpful when we are faced with an actual danger or threat (ex. Coming across a wild animal) • It is not helpful when we are faced with less threatening fears, like anxiety before a test, or a conflict between family members or friends.

9. Negative thoughts • Negative emotions • Negative actions

10. Self Harm • Majority of self harm occurs between 11-25 years old. • Why do youth and teens self harm? To control mood, a way of expressing themselves, control/punishment – a form of trauma re-enactment. • Types: cutting the skin, burning the skin, punching your own body, hair pulling, interfering with wound healing, ingesting toxic substances or objects, misusing alcohol or drugs, eating disorders (anorexia nervosa or bulimia), wreckless driving, unsafe sex

11. Suicide • Ideation – is a medical term for thoughts about, or an unusual preoccupation with, suicide. • Protective factors – supportive family & friends, hobbies, sports • High risk of suicide – current untreated severe mental illness, alcohol misuse, previous suicide attempts, family history of suicide

12. Problems Vs. Worries • Problems can be fixed • Worries can be coped with

13. Problems • Is it a real problem I am concerned about right now? • Is it something that is happening right now?

14. Examples • There have been so many terror attacks lately, what if one happens here? • My grandparent was just diagnosed with cancer; what if I get cancer when I am older? • I am always later wherever I go; I don’t like being late. I feel rushed, unorganized, and flustered when I show up late to an event. • I have a big assignment due, I have to study for a test, and I have a basketball tournament this weekend. I don’t know how I can get everything done.

15. Resiliency • Resiliency refers to an individual’s natural tendency to cope with stress and adversity; an individual’s ability to ‘bounce back’ from stressors/stressful events. • Tips for Parents: • Prepare children for changes ahead of time • Create a sense of calm and safety • Increase adult supports • Give your child attention before they demand it

16. Stress management and coping • Take care of basic needs • Establish routines • Social support • Self-care • Relaxation • Mindfulness Exercises • Listening to music • Exercise • Limit social media use • Help children to take risks • Warm Bath • MODEL POSITIVE COPING SKILLS

17. Mental Imagery • Includes visualizing a calming scene in the mind to relax.

18. Progressive muscle relaxation

19. Thought Stopping • 1. Sit in a comfortable spot. If people are around make sure they know what you may be doing. • 2. Set a timer (loudly can be better) for 1-3 minutes. • 3. While the timer is on think about the worrisome thought. When the timer goes off, empty your mind and try to keep it empty of any thoughts for 20 seconds. • 4. As you continue to practice you can lengthen the time you are able to keep your mind clear and you can even trying shortening the time you have to think about the worrisome thought. • 5. You can also shout “Stop” (but you may not want to do that in public).

20. Thought Journal • Keep track of symptoms. • Keep track of emotions. • Include dates and times.

21. Deep Breathing • Breathing is an automatic function. • Benefits of deep breathing: focusing on your breath, gaining control over your breath, takes mind off of stressor. • To practice deep breathing: • Sit comfortably • Close eyes • Inhale through nose • Exhale through mouth. Imagine breathing through a straw, pursing lips together. • Practice for 2 minutes.

22. 5 Senses

23. When to Seek Help For your child • If you feel as though your child is suffering from more than day-to-day stressors. • If you notice the warning signs listed in previous slides, consistently. • If you are unsure of if your child needs to speak to a professional – it is better to ask for help and not need it, than not ask at all.

24. Telephone Resources • For Referrals: • Rural Mental Health Intake – 1(866) 367-8743 • School Counsellor • For Emergencies: • 911 • 811 (has a mental health professional on staff 24/7) • Mobile Crisis – 1(306) 757-0127 (After 5 pm – 1(306) 569-2724) • Kids Help Phone (24h) - 1(800) 668-6868 • Local Hospital

25. Online Resources • Centre for Clinical Intervention: https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/ • www.AnxietyBC.ca • www.DepressionHurts.ca • U of R Online Therapy Unit: www.OnlineTherapyUser.ca

26. Questions?

27. Sources • https://childmind.org/article/how-using-social-media-affects-teenagers/ • https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/anxiety • https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/kc/depression-causes-symptoms-treatments-8933 • https://www.walkalong.ca/PMRExercise • Parent’s Handbook on Reducing Anxiety by Christine Lummis • PPT Presentation: Parent/Carer Mental Illness and the potential impact for dependant children by Vicky Finch and Jo Farthing-Bell • PPT Presentation: Mental Wellness by Amy Benko • Google images