How is your teen doing?

We all experience stress or anxiety on occasion. So does your teen. Stress can be triggered by something external, like a school project or an argument with a friend. It can cause changes in behavior, irritability, anger, fatigue and muscle pain.

Anxiety is persistent worrying that won’t go away and has many of the same symptoms as stress.

However, persistent stress can negatively impact mental health. There are ways to help manage the effects of stress and anxiety that you can encourage your teen to practice every day.

• Get at least 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week and muscle/bone strengthening 3 days a week
• Eat a healthy diet and keep a regular meal schedule
• Reach out and connect with family or friends
• Take breaks from the news and social media
• Make time for a hobby or a relaxing activity
• Keep a regular sleep schedule (8-10 hours per night with no digital device distractions)

What you can do to help

If you adopt and model healthy habits, your teen can observe how you cope with stress. Talk to your teen about strategies to better manage stress but let them try to solve small problems on their own.

Anxiety Disorders

When worry and fear about everyday situations become frequent, intense, excessive, and persistent it is known as an anxiety disorder.

These feelings of anxiety and panic can interfere with daily activities, are difficult to control, are often out of proportion to the actual danger and can last a long time. Your teen may avoid places or situations to prevent these feelings. Symptoms may start during childhood or the teen years and continue into adulthood.

Anxiety disorders also affect 31.9% of children between 13 and 18 years old. Research shows that children with untreated anxiety disorders are at high risk of performing poorly in school, missing out on important social experiences, and engaging in substance abuse.  Biological and environmental factors, as well as genetics, can play a role in the development of an anxiety disorder.

In addition to having an excessive or unreasonable fear, common anxiety signs and symptoms can include frequent stomachaches or headaches. Separation anxiety, phobias, panic attacks, and obsessive-compulsive disorder are a few types of anxiety disorders.

Treatment

The first step should be to talk to your child’s pediatrician if symptoms of anxiety persist. They will be able to give you a referral to a professional, who may recommend psychotherapy. Psychotherapy is often used to help treat anxiety disorders. It’s a form of treatment that uses communication to help change a person’s feelings and behavior and provides emotional support to help the person learn how to resolve conflicts and solve problems. The goal is to help improve relationships and build self-esteem.

It’s not uncommon for someone with an anxiety disorder to also suffer from depression, and vice versa. Studies show that approximately 4% of adolescents experience depression at any given time, and about 20% have an episode by the end of high school. Kids who have suffered a loss or have a learning or behavioral disability are also at higher risk for depression.

Depression is a common but serious mood disorder that affects how you feel, think, and handle daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working. To be diagnosed with depression, the symptoms must be present for at least two weeks.

Some common signs and symptoms of depression include:

• Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood
• Irritability
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
• Loss of interest in hobbies and activities
• Decreased energy or fatigue
• Feeling restless or having trouble sitting still
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
• Difficulty sleeping or oversleeping
• Appetite and/or weight changes
• Spending less time with friends or in after school activities
• Not enjoying things as much as they used to

Some people may experience many of these symptoms while others will only experience a few. Symptoms may also vary depending on the stage of the illness.

There are ways to help manage the effects of depression that you can encourage your teen to practice every day.

• Get at least 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week and muscle/bone strengthening 3 days a week
• Eat a healthy diet and keep a regular meal schedule
• Reach out and connect with family or friends
• Take breaks from the news and social media
• Make time for a hobby or a relaxing activity
• Keep a regular sleep schedule (8-10 hours per night with no digital device distractions)

Talk to your pediatrician

If your teen exhibits any of these symptoms and they last more than 2 weeks, it’s a good idea to make an appointment with their pediatrician, who can perform a screening and make a referral for treatment if necessary.

Depression and other mental health disorders are treatable. Different forms of psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral psychotherapy and interpersonal psychotherapy have proven to be effective.

You can use the Find a Provider tool on My Health Plan to find a professional or call Customer Care at the number listed on your member ID card.

24-hour Nurse Line

You can also call the Medical Mutual Nurse Line at 1-888-912-0636 to speak with a specially trained nurse anytime you have a health concern.  The service is available 24 hours a day at no charge.

Mental Health Resources Portal

As a Medical Mutual member, you and your family have access to our Mental Health Resources Portal.  It offers a variety of programs and resources to provide the support you need to feel your best.

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)

Many health benefit plans include an EAP that can provide professional, confidential, short-term counseling services for employees and their families. Contact your human resources (HR) representative to find out if your employer offers this benefit.

MedMutual Behavioral Health Case Management

If your teen is struggling (or you or another loved one), Medical Mutual offers a Behavioral Health Case Management program to help you navigate resources. To connect with a Medical Mutual behavioral health specialist, call 1-800-258-3175 (TTY:711) for hearing impaired) or email BehavioralHealthDepartment@MedMutual.com.

Teens managing depression are sometimes prescribed a medication. It can be a safe and appropriate part of treatment for adolescents if monitored appropriately. Medication is most effective as a component of a comprehensive treatment plan, tailored to meet your child’s unique needs. You can refer to this Parents’ Medication Guide for more information.

Upon initially being prescribed medication, your teen will likely see the prescriber at least a few times within the first eight weeks to check whether they are taking the medication as prescribed, whether the dose is optimal and whether there are any adverse side effects. Once your child has a stable medication dosage and reports a decrease of symptoms, visits to the prescriber will likely be less frequent.

Medication Management:

• Follow up with your child’s health care provider regularly
• Discuss any side-effects they experience
• Make sure they do not stop taking the medication without discussing with their provider first
• Discuss any ongoing symptoms they have (medication could take 4-6 weeks to start working)
• Some medication may require routine lab work – discuss with your child’s healthcare provider to see if that applies to them and their medication

Depression and/or anxiety and substance abuse can unfortunately go hand in hand. That’s because some teens can turn to alcohol or drugs to help them cope. Signs of substance abuse are also similar to signs of anxiety and depression (changes in behavior, moodiness, trouble in school, irritability). Other more obvious signs can include missing prescription pills, excessive over-the-counter medicines or alcohol or smoke odor.

Alcohol

Binge drinking (consuming 4 or more drinks on one occasion) is the most common way that teens use alcohol. Kids that drink excessively are more likely to experience negative consequences

Tobacco and Vaping

While tobacco use has declined among teenagers over the past 40 years, the use of vaping devices like e-cigarettes is increasing. These devices, used to inhale nicotine, marijuana and other flavored vapor, are harmful but their full health impact is still unknown until more long-term studies can be conducted.

Athletics and abuse

The Ohio High School Athletic Association offers valuable resources for parents of high school athletes about the risks and dangers of substance abuse and addiction.

If your teen has threatened to harm themselves or you have concerns about your teen having suicidal thoughts, you can get free and confidential 24/7 support by calling or texting 988 or chatting online at 988lifeline.org.

You can also find more information about suicide and prevention at the National Suicide Prevention Resource Center.