The Surgeon General recently released a public health advisory concerning a youth mental health crisis. In the last two years symptoms of depression and anxiety have doubled due to the changes we’ve experienced with the ongoing pandemic. The stress and overwhelm that our youth are facing today is unprecedented, and requires a team approach to begin to tackle.

At this point, it’s fair to say that the global pandemic has become much more than a physical virus. While COVID is still a concern, another pandemic seems to have emerged right along with it – and that’s a mental health crisis.

Whether or not you’ve been directly impacted by the coronavirus, it’s a precious few that haven’t directly felt the emotional and mental impact of isolation, uncertainty, and fear that’s been running through the global society for the last two years.

And while the virus itself seems to take its greatest toll on the elderly and immunocompromised, the mental health effects have been devastating for our nation's youth.

Surgeon General Warns of Emerging Youth Mental Health Crisis

Just a few weeks ago the Surgeon General released a public health advisory concerning youth in America, and an emerging mental health crisis. In his advisory U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy highlighted some of the most alarming statistics we’ve seen to date:

Symptoms of depression and anxiety have doubled during the pandemic, with 25% of youth experiencing depressive symptoms and 20% experiencing anxiety symptoms.
Increases in negative emotions or behaviors such as impulsivity and irritability are on the rise — particularly associated with conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD.
In early 2021, emergency department visits in the United States for suspected suicide attempts were a staggering 51% higher for adolescent girls and 4% higher for adolescent boys compared to the same time period in early 2019

Anyone that’s moved through adolescents knows that this can be a time of emotional turmoil and unsettling feelings. Social pressure, family dynamics, and trying to figure out just who you are in the grand scheme of things can create feelings of anxiety and self doubt.

Add to this the pressure that comes with a world where social media stands as a marker for self worth, and it’s no surprise that today's youth are feeling more stress and restlessness than ever.

What makes the last couple of years different, however, is the extraordinary changes to social, scholastic, and personal life due to the pandemic. This is an unprecedented amount of trauma for our nation's youth, coupled with social isolation.

In his advisory, the Surgeon General pleads that this is a matter of great importance requiring immediate awareness and action. The call to action is for a broad-based and rapid response not only from schools, teachers, and parents, but also from government, community groups, and social media companies.

As part of our community, we recommend teachers, parents, and friends be aware of changes in mood and behavior in their peers, students, and children. In his words, ”It would be a tragedy if we beat back one public health crisis only to allow another to grow in its place.”

The Impact Of Isolation

The impact that isolation has had on the younger generation is compounded by the increasing use of technology as a way to connect. While in theory it may seem that technological advances have been a powerful ally in helping people stay connected during these challenging times, the truth is that for many people it's doing much more harm than good.

Put simply; people young and old are becoming chemically addicted to technology like social media and video games. Research shows that the dopamine effect of technology feeds a cycle of craving and reward much like drugs or alcohol, and with social isolation driving adolescents to their devices even more it’s becoming a significant issue.

Furthermore, these devices which are meant to entertain and connect people are undermining the importance of real, in person connection. The connection between addiction and isolation is best exemplified by the infamous “Skinner box experiment” that took place back in the 1970s.

In the Skinner box experiment and researcher by the name of Dr. Skinner put rats in small boxes by themselves with very little food, and hooked them up to morphine. Inside the box was a little lever which released morphine every time the rats hit it. Unsurprisingly, the rats became addicted to morphine, hitting the lever over and over again for their reward. The experiment concluded that drugs lead to addiction.

Now here’s the interesting part – ten years later another researcher, Dr. Alexander, wanted to take the Skinner box experiment a step further to see if the rats would become just as addicted if they had other means of self-soothing.

In their natural states, rats are highly social creatures (just like humans), so Dr. Alexander created little "Rat Parks" filled with things rats loved, and of course, the rats were no longer in isolation but allowed to interact with their friends. At the end of his study, Alexander found that while the rats in the Skinner boxes became addicted, the "Rat Park" group barely touched the drugs that were made available to them. The conclusion? Addiction is about the pull of the drug, its availability as well as the conditions in one’s life.

The impact of social connection, or lack thereof, was further underlined in research conducted by Harry Harlow in his classic monkey experiments. In his trials, Harlow took infant monkeys away from their mothers and siblings and put them in cages, isolated from contact. With isolation and maternal deprivation the monkeys became agitated, circled the cages, and engaged in self-mutilation. When the isolated monkeys were finally reintroduced to the group they didn’t know how to act, and many died of starvation because they refused to eat.

Just like our mammal relatives the rat and monkey, people need human interaction as part of their basic survival, it's a primal need. Therefore, encouraging adolescents to step away from their screens and start engaging more with their peers and or family can make a significant difference in emotional health.

The isolation of the last several years has also diminished the sense of celebration around important rites of passage for many young people. Birthdays, graduations, and accomplishments of all kinds have taken a back burner, further disorienting young people's sense of self. Without these important landmarks in life it’s hard to feel excited about the future when everything seems to be turned upside down.

On top of all of this, the use of masks is making it even more challenging for people to connect, even in a very casual way. Being unable to decipher a friend from a foe is distressing to the nervous system, resulting in sympathetic nervous system activation, aka the fight, flight, freeze or fold response.

Tips For Intentional Engagement With Your Child

Although the pandemic may still be inhibiting some level of social interaction and freedom, three are ways that you can keep your child engaged and excited about their life.

Provide your child with purpose and meaning in their experiences
Celebrate rites of passage (birthdays, graduations, milestones)
Prioritize music, sports, clubs in the community when possible – not tech spaces
Help your child establish a sense of self so they aren't so swayed by online content
Consider no tech times daily in our home or when riding to school or early modem shut-downs at night, or even a no-tech weekend as a family

Warning Signs Of Depression In Children

Any changes in mood and mental health should always be considered as a red flag that your children, friend, or student may need some extra support. According to the Mayo Clinic, the below are warning signs that should not be ignored.

Warning signs to watch out for include:

Talking or writing about suicide — for example, making statements such as "I'm going to kill myself," or "I won't be a problem for you much longer"
Giving away belongings when there is no other logical explanation for why this is being done
Doing risky or self-destructive things
Increasing use of alcohol or drugs
Feeling trapped, hopeless or helpless about a situation or about everything
Changing normal routine, including eating or sleeping patterns
Developing personality changes or being severely anxious or agitated when experiencing some of the warning signs listed above

How To Seek Help

It can feel overwhelming to have a child that is going through a mental health crisis, but seeking help for your loved one is the most important step you can take to ensure their well being.

If you think your teen is in immediate danger, call 911, your local emergency number or a suicide hotline number :

NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE: 1-800-273-8255 (TALK)

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is staffed with trained volunteers who will have contact information for resources in your area and who will talk you through your crisis or help you access services

If you suspect your teen might be thinking about suicide, talk to them immediately. Ask him or her about their feelings and listen attentively. Let them know how loved they are, and that you are there to help them through whatever they are going through – they are not alone.

CRISIS TEXT LINE: TEXT “START” TO 741-741

Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the United States, anytime. Crisis Text Line is here for any crisis. A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds, all from a secure online platform. The volunteer Crisis Counselor will help you move from a hot moment to a cool moment.

Seek medical help for your teen. Ask your teen's doctor to guide you. Teens who are feeling suicidal usually need to see a psychiatrist or psychologist experienced in diagnosing and treating children with mental health problems.

How Brain Harmony Can Help

The go-to treatment in the conventional medical model for most mental health imbalances these days include some combination of psychotherapy and pharmaceuticals. While we always suggest following the guidance of your health care provider, Brain Harmony can be used as a powerful tool if you or your child is experiencing signs of depression or anxiety.

Unlike a pharmaceutical which may actually make symptoms worse, Brain Harmony offers a program that gets to the root of mental health issues from a neurological perspective.

When someone is experiencing anxiety and depression, their nervous system and neurological wiring are impacted – regardless of the emotional trigger. At Brain Harmony we begin by gently nudging the nervous system into a state of calm and safety. From this place the deeper work of neurological reorganization can occur.

With trippy wiring, your child may not be able to handle emotional stressors and process unpleasant experiences. As we all know, there is no magic cure that will make all outside stress disappear, but we can strengthen our resilience and resolve to move through challenging situations more fluidly. When your nervous system is balanced, stressors are able to roll off much more easily, allowing you to handle more change in your life.

Our program includes a 5-step process that begins with vagal regulation, activating your parasympathetic nervous system, and bringing you out of fight or flight mode. From here we use a combination of tools including multi-sensory listening systems, alpha brain wave technology, and reflex integration. As your child moves through our program you can expect to see more calm, communication, resilience, motivation, creativity, and emotional stability.

Testimonials:

Angie, a wife and mother of 2, came to Brain Harmony to heal her complex trauma form childhood with perpetual anxiety as an adult, and unable to access the parasympathetic state. While graduating from our program she reports, “I feel so blessed to have been a part of your program. We are in such a better place than most everyone in the world right now and we have come so far compared to last year at this time. From our conversations with our therapist, we learned about our nervous system and lived the science while healing. It is so comforting to validate that I was not alone in my struggles. I’m not embarrassed, I’m empowered.”

When Diane called us, her tween-age daughter was unintentionally exposed to violent sexual imagery on another child’s smart phone while riding home from school on the school bus. “After that event, my bubbly daughter became suddenly withdrawn, had a poor appetite and isolated from the family. She stopped sharing with us and did not want to go to school. After experiencing the vagal regulation aspect of the Brain Harmony program, she began to open up and talk to us about the incident. Her art work became brighter and she began to grow and reach out in her naturally curious way. I feel like she has been returned to us and we are so thankful.”

Takeaway

If you're noticing any changing behaviors in your loved ones it's crucial that you take notice and talk with them directly. The mental health crisis we are seeing right now must be managed with care and thoughtfulness.

Along with community support, make sure your child has the right team of health professionals supporting them and letting them know they are not alone.

Anxiety and depression are incredibly common among youth, and have only become more so in the last couple of years. At Brain harmony we have worked with hundreds of children going through challenging emotional processes. To learn more about our program, reach out today for a Free Consultation.

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Surgeon General Warns of Emerging Youth Mental Health Crisis, in Rare Public Advisory