Emily Hale

Teen mental health is an important component of raising your teen. Since 2001, the number of young people that die by suicide has been on the rise, increasing each year. As more and more teens struggle with depression and anxiety, it’s more important than ever that we, as parents, are aware of their struggle, and that we know what to look for and how to help treat it.

While no one quite knows why these numbers have been on the rise, many experts believe that it’s due to the increased pressures at home and at school that adolescents face. Other’s speak to the advanced knowledge of parental problems and financial concerns. Added to the higher drug and alcohol use rates, as well as the added stress that social media presents, our children are at a higher risk than ever before of facing mental health struggles.

Research shows that every 100 minutes, a teen takes their own life. It also states that about 20 percent of teens experience depression before they turn 18, and that only 30 percent of those teens receive treatment for their depression.

What to Look For

If you’re unsure how to tell if your teen is struggling with depression, some signs to look for are:

• Frequent sadness or apathy
• Crying often, especially without being able to identify why
• Significant changes in appetite
• Significant weight changes
• Changes in sleep habits
• Loss of interest social activities
• Finding themselves easily irritated
• Gets angry quickly, and without reason
• Trouble concentrating on tasks that used to hold their interest
• Doubting their self worth
• They start isolating themselves from loved ones

You may also notice extreme behavior, such as engaging in promiscuity or unsafe sex, socializing with strangers instead of making connections with current friends and family members, risky behavior such as reckless driving or staying out all night, and the use of alcohol and drugs. These can all be signs of a teen trying to self medicate, or rather make themselves feel better by filling their lives by chasing a temporary high.

How to help

Left untreated, depression becomes more and more damaging. If you’ve noticed these signs in your teen, do not wait and hope that it will go away on its own. It will not. Start by having a conversation with your teen. Do not judge, or assume. Even if you’re not sure that your teen is living with depression, the things you’re noticing are real, and could be a sign of a deeper issue. Start by telling them (not accusing them) about the things that you’ve noticed. Explain why you’re worried, and give them a chance to respond. Do not interrupt or correct them; simply let them talk until they’ve said all they want to say. Try not to ask a lot of questions until they’re done. Focus on listening, and avoid lecturing. If they aren’t open to talking, be persistent. Even if they shut down, be aware that it might just be because they don’t know how to explain how they feel. Remain present, and reiterate that you’re there to listen, no matter how long it takes.

seeking professional help

If you’ve tried all of these things, and your child is still slipping deeper into depression, it’s time call a therapist. Involve your child in this choice. Have conversations with them about what their goals for therapy will be. Let them help choose a therapist. Many therapists have introductory videos or bios online that your child can check out ahead of time. Help them find someone that they feel comfortable with. Allow them to ask questions, both of you and of the therapist.

Don’t be afraid to ask for a phone consult prior to scheduling so that your child will feel comfortable.

Emily Hale is the intake coordinator at Mental Wellness Counseling, A Northern Michigan Counseling Practice, with two locations in Traverse City and the newest location in Manistee. Visit www.mentalwellnesscounseling.com for more information or call 231-714-0282.

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The family of Courtney Ross, the 19-year-old who died in the custody of the Memphis Police Department in early August, wants all footage from his death released and wants to know why officers from the department’s Crisis Intervention Team were not called.

The family, accompanied by their lawyer, noted civil rights attorney Ben Crump, spoke Friday morning alongside the family of Jarveon Hudspeth, who was shot and killed by a Shelby County Sheriff’s deputy and is another family Crump is representing.

“Y’all should’ve been able to talk to my son,” said Courtney Allen, Ross’ father. “You shouldn’t have had to run him down, and now he’s dead in your custody. He did not die in the hospital. My son died in your custody. We just want to know what happened. We just want to know the truth.”

Allen said that Ross struggled with mental illness and that the police in the area knew Ross since he lived a block away from where the large police scene was located, near the intersection of Madison Avenue and Auburndale Street.

“CIT was supposed to be called instead of aggressive police,” Allen said. “He was supposed to get medical help with the CIT.”

Scarlett Pickens, the mother of Courtney Ross, who died while in the custody of the Memphis Police Department, speaks about her son through tears as Courtney Allen, Ross’ father, closes his eyes during a press conference at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis, Tenn., on Friday, August 25, 2023.

Police were initially called by a resident in the Midtown area around 10:55 a.m. on Aug. 11 who said a man on his property was “reportedly rummaging through boxes, retrieving poisonous bait used for rodents,” a MPD statement posted to Twitter at the time said. The statement also said there was another call to police about a man allegedly looking inside vehicles and mailboxes in the same area.

When police approached the man, who was later identified as Ross, police say he ran from them.

“Officers were able to apprehend the male in the area of Madison and Auburndale, at which time he began to resist being handcuffed,” the MPD statement said. “The male was taken into custody and placed in the rear of a squad car. Officers observed that the male appeared to be out of breath and exhausted from running. An ambulance was called to the scene to check the well-being of the male.”

Ross was then taken to Methodist University Hospital in critical condition and died around 1:20 p.m.

Ross’ mother, Scarlett Pickens, spoke briefly before breaking down into tears on the stage at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church Friday morning.

“He was funny,” Pickens said, remembering her son. “If you were having a bad day, Courtney was the kid that just made you laugh. He was silly, he loved to eat, he loved to have fun. He loved sports. He liked being with his family. He was smart, intelligent. He made honor roll… He was my baby.”

Scarlett Pickens, left, the mother of Courtney Ross, who died while in the custody of the Memphis Police Department, is consoled as a photo of Jarveon Hudspeth, who was shot and killed by a Shelby County Sheriff’s deputy is seen during a press conference for both families at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis, Tenn., on Friday, August 25, 2023.

Allen remembered his son as a “hard worker” with “a lot of talents.” Allen does lawn service work in Midtown and said Ross would join him for that work.

“My son has contributed to this community,” Allen said. “Everyone in their community knows me and my son. We have done a lot of good in Memphis.”

Lucas Finton is a criminal justice reporter with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at Lucas.Finton@commercialappeal.com and followed on Twitter @LucasFinton.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Family: teen that died in Memphis police custody needed mental health help

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A recent letter released by three major health care groups stated emergency room mental health visits by youths ages 18 and under has increased 30-fold over the past decade.

The ongoing crisis in mental health issues among children in Utah and across the nation has prompted three major health care groups to issue a joint letter warning of the “astronomical” increase in emergency room visits.

The policy letter, written and released Aug. 16 by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Emergency Nurses Association and American College of Emergency Physicians, stated emergency room mental health visits by youths ages 18 and under has increased 30-fold over the past decade. Every year, over half a million children are evaluated in emergency rooms across the nation, the letter said.

In addition, the report states emergency rooms are not equipped to handle the complex mental health problems and called for additional sources of funding to expand more services for pediatric mental and behavioral health issues.

“Utah is similar to the rest of the country in the fact that we have consistently seen a rise in youth presenting to the ER throughout the state for mental health crisis visits,” said Dr. Lisa Giles, director of behavioral health at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital. “As we look at all of our Intermountain hospitals in the state, we have seen volumes continue to rise.”

Giles said visits did decrease somewhat during the COVID-19 pandemic but then began climbing again in 2022. Some of the issues kids are dealing with include suicidal ideation, anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, ADHD, aggression, anger, refusal to go to school, oppositional behavior, temper tantrums and other concerns.

According to a study in February from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most common disorders diagnosed among U.S. children ages 3-17 are ADHD and anxiety, followed by depression and suicide in children 12-17.

One cause for the increase, the CDC stated, could stem from lockdowns during the pandemic, but other factors also play a role.

“I think one thing is better recognition,” Giles said. “We’re more willing to talk about it and acknowledge it, which stems from a decreased stigma in mental health, but there are also other reasons such as increased social media use, screen dependency, online bullying and losing more face-to-face interaction with other people.”

Giles said in addition, kids today are under a lot of pressure from world events. Decades ago, kids in school went through routine fire drills. Today, they have fire drills, earthquake drills, and active shooter/lockdown drills, which can drive anxiety issues.

“One thing we know for sure is the system is hard to access, so the ER becomes the front door for a crisis because people don’t know where else to turn. But we need to work on how to get them the right help at the right time and at the right place,” Giles said.

Giles said there are several resources in Utah to turn to. Primary Children’s Hospital has a behavioral health assessment, referral and consultation service where a team of specialists answers calls and conducts a triage to decide what services are needed and how they can be accessed as close to home as possible. The number is 801-313-7711. Another service available is SafeFam Utah, a stabilization and mobile response service where teams can go into the home and respond to the situation and provide help. The free service is available in most counties and can be reached at 1-833-723-3326. Anyone can call or text 211 to find available resources as well, and 988 is the national suicide prevention hotline to call 24/7.

“These resources can really help people work through those difficulties and make sure they have a connection with ongoing health services,” Giles said. “I always like to remind folks that kids are resilient. We need to continue to try to connect them to the resources in our schools and in our communities and get them the care they need. Help is available and I am optimistic that things are moving forward.”

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DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) – Three out of every four Texas children with depression don’t receive any mental health treatment, according to Mental Health America. Pair that with the severe shortage of mental health professionals in Texas schools and the picture is clear. Texas students are not getting the mental health help many desperately need.

Dylan Crow’s struggles with mental health started when he was 15 years old, a freshman in high school. Crow said he was feeling depressed, suicidal, and started having hallucinations. He was eventually diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder – a mental condition with symptoms of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. 

“I was scared because it wouldn’t go away,” Crow said. “I didn’t know what was going on.”

Over the course of five years, Crow attended five different high schools with long stretches in-between at mental health facilities. Crow said every time he attended a new school, there wasn’t the help he needed until he went to Linda Tutt High School in Sanger, a public school that emphasizes mental health.

“Without this school I don’t think I would be alive,” Crow said. “Other schools tried to have the resources but there are just so many kids … I know this sounds hard to do but maybe they could hire more counselors.”

Dylan Crow

Crow family

According to American School Counselors’ Association, for every 10,000 students there needs to be 40 counselors. In Texas schools, according to Texas Education Association staffing data, there’s 25. 

The National Association of School Psychologists recommends for every 10,000 students, there needs to be 20 school psychologists. According to T.E.A. data, in Texas schools there are less than 4.

Outside of school, finding mental health help in Texas is often just as difficult. Eighty percent of Texas counties are designated as mental health professional shortage areas. 

“I’m not sure if we’ll ever get to where we don’t have any mental health care worker shortage in Texas,” said Dr. David Lakey, the head of the Texas Child Mental Health Consortium.

Lakey said one way the state is trying to make sure all students get the mental health help they need is by offering telehealth services through the Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) program.

Started in 2019 in response to the Santa Fe High School shooting, TCHATT is now in more than 600 school districts across the state and has been used by more than 20,000 students – many who otherwise might not have had any access to mental health services. 

“The standard waiting period to get into to see a child/adolescence psychiatrist in the state of Texas is about six months. We are able to get these services to kids right away,” Lakey said.

Despite the state offering TCHATT services for free to Texas schools, nearly 400 school districts have still not signed up for it. 

Lakey told the CBS Texas I-Team he is concerned about those districts but added the state is working to educate school officials on the benefits of the program and expects more to enroll as they see how the program is implemented in other districts.

Dr. David Lakey, the head of the Texas Child Mental Health Consortium

CBS News Texas

Even in districts that have enrolled in TCHATT, local school officials say the state program alone can’t solve all the issues caused by the mental health professional shortage. So, many districts are looking for additional solutions.

In Sanger ISD, a small rural district about 60 miles north of Dallas, school officials this year will launch two new programs – a teen court program at the high school and a peer-to-peer mediation program at the middle school.

Ann Hughes, the district’s director of emotional behavior and student intervention, said the new programs will help teach students to resolve minor problems themselves and thus free up the schools’ counselors and mental health professions to work with students with bigger needs.

“We need more of the situations to be resolved peer to peer in a structured manner, in a healthy manner, than always having to have adults come in to do the solving for them,” Hughes explained. “Having those programs will also open the door for counselors to spend a lot more time on the really involved students who need more professional guidance.”

Ann Hughes with Sanger ISD

CBS News Texas

Hughes, who has worked with Sanger ISD for 23 years, looks for new ways every year to improve students’ mental health. One year, she started a student-run free grocery store.  Another year, she turned traditional classrooms into a stress-reducing “movement” and “chill” rooms.

These efforts have helped students, like Dylan Crow, who is set to graduate from high school in the spring.

“We have to do what we can with what we have,” Hughes said. “That’s just the reality of any profession.  And then we need to try and find ways that are creative and innovative to meet the gaps.”

If you or someone you know needs any kind of mental health support, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or chat online with a counselor at www.988lifeline.org.

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Brian New has been a member of the CBS 11 News team since 2013. In 2017, he was awarded the Lone Star Emmy for best investigative reporter. This is one of 10 Emmy awards Brian has been honored with during his career.

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The famous Waterstones in London’s Piccadilly is a modernist/art deco building. It started life as a menswear store and has the feel of that sort of traditional shop that is fast disappearing. But this bookshop, like many others, is enjoying a very modern sales boost from social media.

Groups of teenage girls regularly gather here to buy new books and meet new friends, both discovered on the social media app TikTok. Recommendations by influencers for authors and novels on BookTok – a community of users who are passionate about books and make videos recommending titles – can send sales into the stratosphere.

But while very much an online phenomenon, BookTok is having a material impact on the high street, with TikTok now pushing people to buy their books from bricks-and-mortar booksellers through a partnership with bookshop.org, which allows people to buy online and support independent bookshops at the same time.

Last year, Waterstones Piccadilly hosted a BookTok festival. One sales assistant told the Observer: “I can’t stress how much BookTok sells books. It’s driven huge sales of YA [young adult] and romance books, including titles such as The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and authors such as Colleen Hoover.

“The demographic is almost exclusively teenage girls, but the power it has is huge. We have a ‘BookTok recommended’ table – and you can tell which books are trending by the speed at which they sell.”

Caroline Hardman, a literary agent at the Hardman & Swainson agency, says: “It’s driving the appetite for romance and ‘romantasy’ in a really big way, so it’s having a strong effect on what publishers look for too.”

BookTok was established in 2020 but this year brings new developments to a community which has so far been an organic phenomenon. This month, the winners of the inaugural TikTok book awards will be unveiled.

Users of the platform voted on a shortlist announced in May, with contenders for BookTok Book of the Year including Honey & Spice by Bolu Babalola, Lies We Sing to the Sea by Sarah Underwood, Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart and Maame by Jessica George.

There are also awards for BookTok influencers, independent bookshops, books to end a reading slump, and crucially, Best BookTok Revival, which has brought older novels to a new audience. The finalists in the revival category include One Day by David Nicholls, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four.

James Stafford, a general manager at TikTok UK, calls the shortlist “a true celebration of the variety of literature that resonates with the TikTok community”.

Book awards typically boost authors’ profiles and can lead to higher sales. As BookTok is already providing remarkable publicity, it will be interesting to see how these awards affect the shortlisted authors’ sales.

In April, TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, also filed a trademark for a book publisher – 8th Note Press. The company has appointed Katherine Pelz, formerly from Penguin Random House, as acquisitions editor. Her specialist area is romance. Nothing is yet known about plans for 8th Note Press, although some self-published romance writers have said they have been approached about book deals.

According to the New York Times, the new publisher will focus on digital books until TikTok launches an online retail platform – something the company plans to do in the US later this year.

There is concern in the publishing industry that BookTok could become focused on books from ByteDance’s own publishing house. If the company can also sell the books direct to its users, that has repercussions for bookshops as well as publishers.

But could TikTok replicate the magic it has wrought in influencing book sales with its own products? Alice Harandon, who owns the St Ives Bookseller, isn’t sure. Her small but busy shop in the Cornish seaside resort regularly gets shoppers coming in to buy BookTok recommendations. The Secret History by Donna Tartt is a frequent request, as is A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas and Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

“When traditional publishers try to muscle in on the BookTok market, it never seems to work out quite the same way as an organic, viral recommendation,” she says. “It works best when a good book that has already been out in the world for a while – and is genuinely good – finds a natural following rather than trying to write books for the market. It starts to look very commercial, and will turn some people off.”

Rhea Kurien is editorial director at Orion Fiction, one of the biggest traditional publishers in the UK. She’s interested to see if TikTok can become more than a marketing tool for authors. “If the BookTok effect on consumer buying behaviour wears off, what will they be offering their authors that other publishers aren’t?

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“What has been interesting for me is looking at the self-published authors who are doing incredibly well because of TikTok. They’ve established demand for their books and, as traditional publishers, we can then get them out to even more readers. This is especially the case for authors whose books are very big in the US but less so in the rest of the world. That’s where UK publishers can help. I’m also just not sure the TikTok generation is one that wants to be steered this much by publishers.”

The reaction of BookTok’s key market will be crucial to success. The most recent Publishers Association research says that BookTok is overwhelmingly a factor in Gen Z reading habits. In a poll of more than 2,000 16- to 25-year-olds, almost 59% said that BookTok had helped them discover a passion for reading.

The report says: “BookTok and book influencers significantly influence what choices this audience make about what they read, with 55% of respondents saying they turn to the platform for book recommendations.”

One in three use it to discover books they wouldn’t otherwise hear about. It encourages diversity, with one in three readers polled saying they discovered books by authors from different cultures, and almost 40% being introduced to new genres by the app.

An image from a BookTok influencer. Photograph: raynaslibrary/TikTok

Bluemoose Books, based in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, is an independent publisher that first put out The Gallows Pole by Ben Myers, recently made into a BBC drama. Founder Kevin Duffy thinks that a new publisher entering the market is a positive step, but sounds a note of caution.

“My concern is that a bigger slice of the publishing pie will go to celebrities who already have huge social media profiles, and further reduce the opportunities of talented but under-represented writers to see their work published.”

BookTok has had a major effect on how the traditional publishing model works, and while Kurien acknowledges the fears of the creation of a small, elite group of celebrity TikTok authors, she thinks it’s a challenge the industry needs to rise to. “The disadvantage to TikTok’s influence is simply that it’s taking up so many slots on our bestseller lists, tables in bookshops and spaces in supermarkets,” she says.

“The rise of BookTok titles has meant less visibility for other titles, whether they’re longstanding authors or debuts. But I think it’s good for our industry to be shaken up at times, for us to reconsider what we think our readers want and to make way for these new trends.”

Judging by Waterstones Piccadilly, BookTok has created both online and real-life communities that warm the hearts of the booksellers. Waterstones says: “Girls are meeting up and having bookshop days out. They save up their money and come into the shop in gaggles, getting really excitable about what they want to buy. Their energy is amazing and their friendships are really strong, They’ve bonded over books and the things they love, and that’s awesome.”

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Juggling school work, relationships with peers, after-school jobs, or extracurriculars can be overwhelming enough for high school students, both physically and mentally. When you add in not speaking the same language as many of the other students in your class, or being new to the country, students face a slew of other challenges that can negatively affect academic performance and mental health.

When Ypsilanti Community High School (YCHS) student Nancy* came to the United States from Guatemala eight months ago, a language barrier between herself and her peers was only one of many struggles she faced. But when she found out about the Latinx Teen Empowerment Group at YCHS, she was curious and excited to get to know other students who shared her experiences.

“I wanted to learn how it was to form relationships in this country with a group of people,” says Nancy, translated from Spanish. “We had some beautiful conversations with each other.”

The Latinx Mental Health Collaborative (LMHC) at the Washtenaw County Health Department in partnership with YCHS piloted the Spanish- and English-speaking group to help immigrant students, as well as students from families of mixed immigration status, build lasting relationships with one another. The group also teaches skills to help students navigate anxiety, depression, and systems that affect Latinx immigrant families’ lives.

In addition to partners at YCHS, Ann Arbor Latinx community health organization Buenos Vecinos, the University of Michigan (U-M) School of Social Work, and Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti Latinx mental health collective Amplify Colectivo were all involved in facilitating the group.
U-M School of Social Work Assistant Professor Fernanda Cross.
U-M School of Social Work Assistant Professor Fernanda Cross says the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted mental health needs in all Washtenaw County youth. But the immigrant student population that the LMHC caters to has a unique set of challenges on top of isolation and other pandemic-related barriers.

“These youth have had to navigate additional challenges, hardship, and marginalization because of their immigration experiences and coming to the US,” Cross says in an email interview. “We have been intentional about leading the groups in Spanish with Latinx facilitators who have shared lived experiences.”

After the success of the initial pilot group at the end of the 2021-2022 academic year, a second pilot just finished meeting in June at YCHS. Each meeting saw an average of 12 students, who were able to participate in group therapy sessions focusing on “racial healing and empowering, restorative storytelling,” according to Cross. Students also played games and participated in sports like soccer, and food was available for them at each meeting.

The group also aided students in building trust not only with one another, but with group facilitators from U-M and Buenos Vecinos. Buenos Vecinos Youth Programming Coordinator Diana Bernal helped to coordinate and maintain communication with students throughout the six-week program. She also communicated with students’ families to get consent for students to participate.
Buenos Vecinos Youth Programming Coordinator Diana Bernal.
“The first day we held the group, a few students found out about the group about an hour before it started, and they wanted to join,” Bernal says. “We’re definitely learning that it needs to keep going. The students really benefit from this.”

Nancy is one of several students Bernal has worked with. Bernal has shared stories of being an immigrant herself, coming to Ypsilanti with her family when she was eight years old and attending YCHS as a teenager.

“I was eager to be more involved in my own community. It just started with me having talks with students, and then it developed into something more,” Bernal says. “Many more Latinx families are coming to Ypsi because they feel safer. They know or have heard of somebody in the community who has been able to get access to help and resources.”

One of the resources the health department is focusing on is access to health insurance. Many Latinx students and their families would not qualify for publicly funded health insurance due to costs or immigration status. In order to expand access to health care, the health department offers the Washtenaw Health Plan (WHP) for low-income families to access quality care they may otherwise be unable to receive.
Washtenaw Health Plan Program Manager Kelly Stupple.
WHP Program Manager Kelly Stupple says WHP was approached as part of the creation of the LMHC and the youth empowerment group. She says WHP has helped cover costs of running the group, and also helped some students and their families get health coverage.

“We were able to get them enrolled in the WHP and get them access to services that they didn’t have before,” Stupple says. “It’s been a wonderful opportunity for us to meet our goals and mission as an organization.”

Both Cross and Stupple say a major focus for the group has been cultural responsiveness and competency. 

“Many of these students come from countries where it is less common to seek mental health counseling in a formal way,” Stupple says. “This is a way to introduce them to the concept of social and emotional health and wellbeing in a group setting that is safe, administered in their own language, and in the school that they’re currently attending.”
YCHS Latinx Teen Empowerment Group facilitator Priscilla Cortez.
The two pilot programs showed Cross and Stupple that there’s high demand for the group as it continues into the 2023-2024 academic year.

“We intend to offer more than one group eventually,” Cross says. “It would be great if we could expand to other high schools in the future, but for now we will continue to partner with YCHS and the administration there, whose support has been instrumental in both pilots.”

Asked if Nancy would change anything about the group, she pauses to think. 

“That’s a tough question,” she says. “I don’t think so. I would change nothing.”

For more information on the Washtenaw Health Plan, visit the Washtenaw County Health Department’s website or WHP’s website. 

*Last name withheld for privacy.

Rylee Barnsdale is a Michigan native and longtime Washtenaw County resident. She wants to use her journalistic experience from her time at Eastern Michigan University writing for the Eastern Echo to tell the stories of Washtenaw County residents that need to be heard.

All photos by Doug Coombe.

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Boston psychiatrist discusses pandemic’s impact on teenage girls’ mental health

Updated: 6:19 PM EDT Jul 13, 2023

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NEWSCENTER 5 AT 530. ALL RIGHT. THERE’S NEW EVIDENCE OF THE GROWING MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IMPACTING OUR KIDS. RECENT ANALYSIS SHOWS THE SURGE IN E.R. VISITS FOR PSYCHIATRIC CONCERNS DURING THE PANDEMIC WAS DRIVEN LARGELY BY YOUNG GIRLS AGES 13 TO 17. SO HERE WERE SOME INSIGHT AS DR. KHADIJAH BOOTH WATKINS, SHE’S A CHILD PSYCHIATRIST AND THE CO-DIRECTOR OF THE CLAY CENTER FOR YOUNG HEALTHY MINDS AT MG. DR. BOOTH WATKINS, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. THANKS FOR HAVING ME BACK. SO DOES IT SURPRISE YOU THAT THAT GROUP, YOUNG GIRLS AGES 13 TO 17, WAS IMPACTED SO STRONGLY? YES OR NO? MEAN AT THIS POINT, WE ALL KNOW THAT WE’RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. AND SO BOYS AND GIRLS ARE BOTH UTILIZING THE EMERGENCY ROOMS AT HIGH RATES. BUT IT’S NOT SURPRISING IF WE RECALL, THAT THE SOCIAL MEDIA HAD A MORE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR GIRLS AND ALSO THE ROLE THAT STIGMA MAY BE PLAYING HERE. YOU KNOW, GIRLS ARE MORE OFTEN LIKELY TO TALK ABOUT THEIR STRUGGLES AND DISTRESSES AND ASK FOR HELP. WHEREAS FOR BOYS, BECAUSE OF THE STIGMA, THEY MAY BE LESS LIKELY TO TALK ABOUT IT AND LESS LIKELY TO ASK FOR HELP BECAUSE THEY MIGHT SEE IT AS WEAKNESS OR MIGHT BE AFRAID THAT THEIR, YOU KNOW, PEERS OR FAMILY MEMBERS MIGHT SEE IT AS A WEAKNESS. SO THERE IS NO REAL ONE EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THERE’S THIS GAP. BUT THERE IS THIS GAP. AND SO WE DO NEED TO UNDERSTAND IT MORE. WHAT DOES IT TELL YOU, DR. WATKINS, THAT THESE YOUNG WOMEN AND THEIR PARENTS, THEY’RE GOING DIRECTLY TO THE E.R. FOR CARE, TELLS ME A COUPLE OF THINGS. IT TELLS ME THAT MEAN WE THINK ABOUT THE EMERGENCY ROOM. WE USE IT WHEN WE’RE IN CRISIS, WHEN WE’RE WHEN THEIR SAFETY ISSUES. AND SO IT TELLS ME THAT THESE THESE FAMILIES ARE IN CRISIS, THESE YOUNG GIRLS ARE IN CRISIS, AND THERE MAY BE SAFETY CONCERNS. THERE MAY BE SUICIDALITY, HOMICIDE ALITY, THEY MAY BE SELF INJURY. AND SO THEY HAVE TO USE THE EMERGENCY ROOM TO KEEP THEIR CHILD SAFE. BUT ALTERNATIVELY, YOU KNOW, IF WE THINK ABOUT THE LACK OF EDUCATION AS IT RELATES TO MENTAL HEALTH, YOU KNOW, OFTEN IT’S NOT THE SIGNS OF SYMPTOMS AREN’T NOTICED EARLY ENOUGH. AND SO SO THEY’RE LEFT TO KIND OF GO ON AND ON TILL THEY REACH THE CRISIS POINT. BUT THEY’RE ALSO OCCASIONS WHERE FAMILIES WANT TO GET HELP FOR THEIR KIDS. AND DUE TO THE WORKFORCE SHORTAGES, THEY REALLY DON’T HAVE ANY OTHER RECOURSE THAN TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. YEAH, CERTAINLY A SHORTAGE OF THERAPISTS AS WELL. ALL RIGHT. SO THE SURVEY OF INSURANCE CLAIMS SHOWED THE BIGGEST ISSUES IN THIS SURGE WERE SUICIDAL AND SELF-HARMING BEHAVIOR. AND EATING DISORDERS. SO WHAT SHOULD PARENTS BE WATCHING FOR WHEN IT COMES TO THESE CONDITIONS AND WHEN IT’S TIME TO HELP IT? I ALWAYS SAY LOOK, FOR MAJOR CHANGES. SO MAJOR CHANGES IN THEIR MOOD. SUDDENLY THEY’RE MOODY, DEPRESSED. THERE’S ANXIETY. THERE MAY BE MORE IRRITABLE, THEY’RE WITHDRAWN, THEY’RE ISOLATED. AND AS IT RELATES TO THE EATING DISORDERS PART OF IT, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT BECOME MORE COMPULSIVE OR EXCESSIVE ABOUT EXERCISE AND SUDDENLY THEY MIGHT EAT ALONE OR IN SECRET. THEY MIGHT BEGIN TALKING MORE AND BE MORE OBSESSED ABOUT THEIR BODY IMAGE AND THE BODY IMAGE OF OTHERS. THEY MAY OFTEN, YOU KNOW, VOMIT AFTER EATING OR SPEND LONG, LONG PERIODS OF TIME IN THE BATHROOM IMMEDIATELY AFTER MEALS AND YOU MAY ALSO NOTICE MARKS OR SCARS ON THEIR KNUCKLES OR THE BACK OF THEIR HANDS. UM, THESE ARE ALL SIGNS AND CLUES THAT THERE IS CONCERNS FOR EATING DISORDERS. BUT AGAIN, ANY MAJOR CHANGES IN MOOD AND ANXIETY DEFINITELY IS OF CONCERN. AND OF COURSE, IF THEIR SAFETY CONCERNS TALK OF SUICIDALITY, THEN THAT’S AN EMERGENCY. IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION. DR. RUTH WAT

Boston psychiatrist discusses pandemic’s impact on teenage girls’ mental health

Updated: 6:19 PM EDT Jul 13, 2023

A recent analysis shows the surge in ER visits for psychiatric concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic was driven largely by girls ages 13 to 17.

BOSTON —

A recent analysis shows the surge in ER visits for psychiatric concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic was driven largely by girls ages 13 to 17.

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MACI Bookout has continued to support her ex Ryan Edwards’ after his recent prison sentence.

The Teen Mom OG, 31, was present at Ryan’s court hearing on Wednesday, June 7.

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Maci Bookout was present at her ex Ryans Edwards’ court hearing on Wednesday, June 7 after his prison sentenceCredit: MTV

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Maci said it was important for her to support Ryan and their 14-year-old son Bentley by showing upCredit: The US Sun

On attending the hearing, Maci told The Ashley’s Reality Roundup: “As Bentley’s mom it was important for me to show up for not only Ryan, but Bentley as well.”

Ryan, 35, has one child with Maci, Bentley, 14.

Along with Maci, Ryan’s parents Jen and Larry Edwards were also present in the courtroom.

While one of Ryan’s ex was present, it was reported that his other ex, Mackenzie Edwards, did not attend.

MTV was also not in attendance.

Wednesday’s hearing was put in place to examine the four charges Ryan has against him.

Ryan formerly appeared in Hamilton County Court regarding the two new possession of a controlled substance and DUI charges, as well as the previous two harassment and possession of controlled substance charges.

He was sentenced to 11 months and 29 days in prison.

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According to a Hamilton County court clerk, nothing was decided at Wednesday’s hearing and all decisions will be pushed back until his next one on July 12 at 8.30am.

As the case is still pending, Ryan will remain at the Silverdale Detention Center in Chattanooga.

TRYING TO STAY POSITIVE

Recently, Maci took to social media to reveal her inner feelings amid her ex Ryan going to prison.

The Teen Mom alum made an Instagram post about how her work ethic will help her true dreams manifest.

The mom of three admitted in a note she shared on social media that working to make her realities happen was the current mood she was in.

“Working for the lifestyle I promised myself,” Maci wrote.

Maci published the post on her crime audio show, The Expired Podcast’s, Instagram page.

This is the second time that the mom of three has shared an emotion-filled quote on social media since Ryan was sentenced.

Last month, Maci uploaded a motivational quote about self-help and mental health on her Instagram Stories.

The Teen Mom OG alum re-shared a post from Moms Behaving Badly account.

The text stated: “I told a friend that I’m emotionally ‘hitting a wall.’ 

“And she said: ‘Sometimes walls are there so we can lean on them and rest.'”

The caption ended: “I can’t begin to express how much I really needed to hear that.”

Maci, who is married to Taylor McKinney, 32, shares her teenage son Bentley with her former baby daddy.

Taylor and Maci are also the parents of their two kids: Jayde and Maverick.

Maci and Ryan were initially a couple on 16 and Pregnant in 2009.

A MOTHER’S SUPPORT

Ryan’s mom, who was present for his Wednesday hearing, recently wrote a heartbreaking comment amid his sentencing.

Eagle-eyed fans of the MTV show spotted the comment on Maci’s recent Instagram post.

Maci shared a birthday post about her daughter, Jayde, and Jen commented some nice words.

In Maci’s post, she wrote: “Jayde, Snacks, Sis. Not to be defined, but to be the example of a female who is empowered, fearless, progressive, and innovative; to go against the grain.”

“She is tough, selfless, beaufiul, AND today she is 8 years old! Happy Birthday Miss Jayde Carter!!”

Jen commented: “Happy birthday beautiful girl ! Mimi and Papa always love your hugs ! You are very special!”

Her comment left fans heartbroken when a screenshot was shared to a Teen Mom internet forum.

“That’s a sweet comment and I remember she used to babysit Jayde, so I can imagine they have a special bond together, like an extra grandma,” one Reddit fan said.

Another said, “I think this is so sweet! Everyone is included. It’s how families should be!”

A third questioned, “Why does this break my heart for Jen?”

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Maci Bookout has been supporting her ex Ryan Edwards despite struggling with co-parenting for yearsCredit: Reddit

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Ryan was recently sentenced to almost one year in prison on four different chargesCredit: Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office

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No decisions were made at the Wednesday, June 7 hearing and further examination will take place at the next hearing on July 12Credit: The US Sun

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Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, long a proponent of mental health awareness, has issued a warning that social media use is a main contributor to depression, anxiety and other problems in the nation’s teenagers.

The report, released Tuesday, calls attention to growing concerns about the effects of social media use on children and adolescent’s mental health. The advisory urges policymakers and the companies that make the social media platforms to share with parents the burden of managing children’s and adolescents’ social media use.

Murthy calls youth mental health “the defining public health issue of our time,” urging policymakers to help ensure strong safety standards to help protect adolescents and teens from exposure to harmful content and excessive use. 

Up to 95% of teens between the ages of 13 and 17 say they use a social media platform, according to the report. About a third say they’re scrolling, posting or otherwise engaged with social media “almost constantly.”

“At this point, we do not have enough evidence to say with confidence that social media is sufficiently safe for our kids, Murthy said in an interview. “We have to now take action to make sure that we are protecting our kids.”

The report pulls together research that links social media use and poor mental health in adolescents, such as a 2019 study that found teens who spent more than three hours a day on social media “faced double the risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes, including symptoms of depression and anxiety.”

As of last year, students in grades eight and 10 who were surveyed said they spent even more time each day on these platforms: three hours and 30 minutes, on average.

Jim Steyer, founder of Common Sense Media, an organization that advocates for laws and policies to make media more child-friendly, said the advisory was “absolutely spot on” and “should be a clarion call to every parent in this country, every policymaker, that we need to put focus and resources into this effort.”

The most popular social media platforms among teens are TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram, according to the Pew Research Center.

The surgeon general’s warning about social media comes as the rates of teenage depression, sadness and hopelessness have skyrocketed over the past decade, especially among girls.

“Teen depression started to rise around 2012, a time that coincides with the popularity of smartphones,” said Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University and the author of “Generations: The Real Differences between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers and Silents—and What They Mean for America’s Future.”

It was also a time, Twenge said, that “‘likes’ on posts became common, and the algorithms started to become more sophisticated to keep people on social media for longer. That’s clearly not a coincidence.” 

The surgeon general’s report also blamed social media for perpetuating eating disorders, body dysmorphia and low self-esteem. Some evidence also suggests a possible link between excessive social media use and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in teens.

Twenge said social media can affect mental health in a variety of ways. Both sleep and face-to-face social interaction are beneficial to mental health, she said, but if kids are online when they should be in bed or spending time with friends, that’s a problem.

Feeling left out and comparing oneself to others can also be damaging.

“Even if you know on an intellectual level that they may have taken 200 selfies to get the right one,” Twenge said, “at an emotional level, that’s not really processed.”

What can be done?

The surgeon general’s report outlines recommendations for both technology companies and lawmakers.

“Policymakers need to step up and help ensure that we have strong safety standards, to help protect our kids from exposure to harmful content, and to also protect them from excessive use,” Murthy said. This includes enforcing age minimums.

Companies are advised to create better tools to protect teenagers, and loosen up on features that entice kids to stay online longer.

It’s parents who are on the front lines now in trying to help teens navigate the online world. The report encourages caregivers to create “tech-free” zones in the home, and to talk with kids about how social media use makes them feel.

“It’s really not fair to put the onus on parents alone. Why isn’t the industry held responsible for creating the platforms and making the features that much more addictive?” Steyer of Common Sense Media said. “There has to be a major national discussion.”

How old should kids be before using social media?

Most tech companies require users to be at least 13 years old. But nearly 40% of kids between the ages of 8 and 12 use social media, the report said.

Murthy said he believes even 13 is too young to be on social media but said there wasn’t enough data to suggest which age would be appropriate.

Twenge suggested that the age minimum should be set at 16.

“Let’s get some regulations in place now to help kids who are not yet on social media,” Twenge said. “Maybe we can save the next generation.”

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