OF NEXT WEEKEND.
JENNIFER: IT'S TOUGH ENOUGH BEING A TEENAGER WITHOUT HAVING
TO DO SO DURING A PANDEMIC.
TEENS ARE STRUGGLING WITH DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY AS THEY
ARE COPING WITH VIRTUAL LEARNING, ISOLATION, BEING CUT
OFF FROM FRIENDS AND SOCIAL LIFE.
NOW, AS SOME SCHOOL SYSTEMS ARE PREPARING TO RETURN TO CLASS,
TEENS ARE FACING A NEW CHALLENGE.
JOINING US, DR. SARAH HE EDWARDS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
MEDICAL CENTER.
THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
JENNIFER: YOU'RE WELCOME.
IT'S NO SECRET THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS FOR TEENS IN THE COUNTRY
IS ASTRONOMICAL.
WE HAVE SEEN INCREASED RATES OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION
THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC.
SO IT'S WONDERFUL AS THE SCHOOLS ARE HEADING BACK, BUT RETURNING
TO SCHOOL WILL HAVE LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR REGULAR
STRUCTURE AND PROVIDING MUCH-NEEDED IN-PERSON SOCIAL
INTERACTION.
JENNIFER: YES AND NO.
I'M SORRY.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF.
KIDS WILL HAVE TO BE SEPARATED.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SIT WITH THEIR FRIENDS.
THEY'LL BE WEARING MASKS.
YOU CAN'T THROW TEENAGERS IN AND EXPECT IT TO BE AS IT WAS A YEAR
AGO.
>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
IT WON'T BE.
OF COURSE, WE IMAGINE WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF ANXIETY AROUND THE
SITUATION.
KIDS ARE WORRIED ABOUT GOING BACK, SEEING FRIENDS THEY
HAVEN'T SEEN IN A LONG TIME.
AND THEN A BRAND NEW ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY'LL HAVE TO ADAPT TO AS
WELL.
JENNIFER: WHAT'S YOUR ADVICE FOR DEALING WITH THAT?
THERE ARE GOING TO BE A CERTAIN SEGMENT OF TEENAGERS THAT ARE
GOING TO SAY, I WANT TO STAY VIRTUAL.
I DON'T WANT TO GO IN PERSON.
>> GOING BACK TO SCHOOL IS AN INDIVIDUAL FAMILY DECISION.
EVERY FAMILY NEEDS TO DISCUSS THE RISKS AND BENEFITS AND MAKE
THAT DECISION.
HOWEVER, WHEN IT IS DECIDED THAT THEY SHOULD GO BACK TO SCHOOL,
PARENTS CAN DO A LOT OF THINGS TO HELP.
THE MAIN THING IS TO REALLY VALIDATE AND LISTEN TO THE KIDS'
CONCERNS.
REASSURE THEM THAT WE ARE HERE AS ADULTS, THAT WE ARE HELPING
TO KEEP YOU SAFE.
AND WE'LL HELP YOU GET THROUGH THIS.
KIDS ARE RESILIENT AND WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS ABLE
TO TACKLE THESE DIFFICULT TASKS AND DO IT WELL.
WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING HELP DURING THE PANDEMIC, IT'S NOT AS
EASY AS YOU MIGHT THINK.
A LOT OF PROGRAMS ARE HELPING KIDS FIND A THERAPIST.
THAT'S ANOTHER SITUATION FOR THEM TO BE IN FRONT OF A SCREEN
AGAIN.
>> THAT'S TRUE.
MANY OF MENTAL HEALTH CLINICS IN THE AREA HAVE STARTED DOING
TELEPSYCHIATRY.
NOW WITH VACCINATION, CLINICS ARE OPEN.
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, WE'VE REMAINED OPEN.
WE HAVE APPOINTMENTS TO SEE PEOPLE IN PERSON AND ACCOMMODATE
AND DO TELEPSYCHIATRY IF THAT'S WHAT THE FAMILY PREFERS AS WELL
JENNIFER: SO OFTEN, TEENS CAN HIBERNATE IN THEIR ROOMS AND
IT'S DIFFICULT FOR PARENTS TO TELL IF THEY'RE OKAY OR NOT.
WHAT ARE SIGNS THEY SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR?
>> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO BASICALLY, WE'RE ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT WITH TEENAGERS, IF
THEY START TO ISOLATE TOO MUCH.
REALLY NOT CONNECTING AT ALL WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS.
WE ALSO WORRY ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE MORE IRRITABLE, GETTING INTO
FIGHTS WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS, ANYTIME THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT
DEATH OR DYING, THAT'S A BIG CONCERN AS WELL.
FOR YOUNGER KIDS, WE TALK ABOUT TEENAGERS.
BUT YOUNGER KIDS, WITH ANXIETY, WE'RE LOOKING FOR COMPLAINTS OF
PHYSICAL COMPLAINTS LIKE HEADACHES AND STOMACH ACHES.
THATS WHEN YOU NEED TO CHECK IN AND ASK QUESTIONS AND SEE HOW
THEY'RE DOING JENNIFER: WE'LL HAVE A SEGMENT
OF KIDS WHO ARE BEHIND IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE OF THE
PANDEMIC.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT IN THE FUTURE IN TERMS OF TRYING TO
HELP THESE KIDS CATCH BACK UP AGAIN?
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S IMPORTANT IS TO REALIZE WE ARE
RESILIENT.
WE NEED TO BE POSITIVE AND FRAME THAT.
OF COURSE, THEY HAVE FALLEN BEHIND, HAVEN'T HAD AS MANY
SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES, BUT WE KNOW THAT PROVIDING THEM WITH
THAT STRUCTURED ROUTINE WILL GET EVERYBODY BACK ON TRACK.
JUST KEEP HAVING OPEN DIALOGUE.
JENNIFER: THAT'S A VERY HOPEFUL WAY TO LOOK AT THINGS FOR SURE.
FOR PARENTS SEEKING PROFESSIONAL HELP, WHAT IS SOME GUIDANCE FOR
YOU THERE.
>> FOR PARENTS SEEKING HELP, AGAIN, WE HAVE MENTAL HEALTH
CLINICS WHO ARE AROUND.
THAT'S SUPER IMPORTANT BECAUSE KIDS DO WELL WHEN PARENTS DO
WELL.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT PARENTS ARE PUTTING ON THEIR
LIFE JACKET FIRST AND REACHING OUT AND GETTING RESOURCES AND
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
JENNIFER: DR. EDWARDS, THANKS FOR JOINING US THI