As a parent, one of the toughest things to witness is your teen struggling with anxiety and mental health. It is often easiest to explain it away as a normal adolescent phase; a rite of passage. However, sometimes, the best call is not always to ignore what could be a real problem. Here’s why.
Normal teen angst… or something more serious?
According to resources like The Child Mind Institute, “Untreated anxiety disorders are linked to depression, school failure and a two-fold increase in risk for substance abuse.” Given this information, and the soaring increase in diagnosed mental health issues among teens today, coming to the realization that mental health intervention is not only helpful, but necessary, can make all the difference in providing your child with the tools they need to find their way through the mire. Knowing that parents have their back when it comes to concerning issues, as well, goes immeasurably far towards building trust for adolescents, an important asset for them during turbulent years.
Ignoring Mental Health is a Thing of the Past
Exactly why anxiety is up among our youth is a complicated issue involving many factors within their thorny world today. You may find, surprisingly, that your teen is all too willing to seek help and this speaks volumes. With the average teen having friends already in therapy, empowering kids to access appropriate interventions is becoming a norm, and a way to teach them early on that problems have solutions to be sought out, and accessed. Sending the message that you think getting help is not only ok, but a good strategy to establish for life, is one that will empower them toward valuing their comprehensive healthcare into adulthood.
Finding the Right Help is Just as Important as Finding Help
Finding the right therapy, medicine if indicated, or coordinating psychiatrist to properly manage and diagnose disorders, can understandably be an overwhelming pursuit as caregivers come to terms with the idea that their child is needing care. Navigating the jungle of providers and the cost of services can be extremely confusing, with an array of practicing mental health professionals in a marketplace that is often difficult to understand; one that often requires the comprehensive integration of many. Met with a diversity of choices among those specializing in anxiety in teens, from psychologists to behavioral therapists to internal medicine practitioners, it can be difficult to know where to start. All the while, your child’s continued suffering is at stake should you choose wrong, or find a poor fit.
To make things simple for those with children with anxiety or other related mental health issues, in our office, we integrate standard clinical treatments with medication management if needed, therapeutic treatment referrals and close follow-up care; so no one falls through the cracks. We start with a diagnosis from our trained psychiatrist or our highly credentialed psychiatric nurse practitioner; something critical in discerning the best treatment efforts moving forward and ensuring that optimal insurance coverage for each patient can be balanced in as well whenever possible. This, so you don’t have to waste time and money with failed attempts at finding your child, good help.
The Bottom Line
With the knowledge that increasing teen suicide rates over the last ten years may speak to a vast majority of failed applications of the system, we know much is at stake for today’s parents struggling with concerns over the mental health of their children. With less than 1% of teens being treated within the first year they begin experiencing symptoms of anxiety, we are motivated to do right by every contact we make, expediting results with special attention to our youngest patients. Because we know that every parent seeking to do what’s best for their child’s mental health, may just need, a little help and a hand to hold. If you’re worried your child is struggling with anxiety, contact us today for an initial evaluation. We would be happy to help.