Middle School Mental Health
There is a mental health crisis among our country’s youth. Young adolescents (10-14) are experiencing increased rates of mental health challenges & youth of color, in particular, face the additional trauma of systemic racism and greater challenges in accessing the support they need.
For emergencies, call or text 988. or Text HOME to 741741 or call 1-800-273-8255
Whether you’re a parent seeking guidance about your child’s relationship with technology, an educator in search of resources for your students or a physician navigating how to support your patients’ mental health as social media becomes more of a prevalent force in their lives, expert staff and physicians can help.
Mental health disorders affecting children and adolescents can range from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to autism, depression, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and others. Students suffering from these conditions face significant barriers to learning and are less likely to graduate from high school.
Depression and anxiety are the two most diagnosed mental illnesses among teens. Disordered eating, personality disorders, and substance-use disorders are also common.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has a tool to help find an AAP-member pediatrician, and the NAMI Help Line is a free support service where volunteers answer questions, offer support and recommend next steps.
Latinos have the same incidence of mental illness compared to the rest of the population. However, the concerns, experiences, and way of understanding and dealing with them may be different.
Major depression affects everyone differently. However, it is typically marked by overwhelming and pervasive feelings of sadness, which can impair one’s ability to concentrate or engage in everyday activities.
Recent data shows an excess of 11% of adolescents and teens report experiencing at least one major depressive episode within the last year. Also, the rate of young people with depression has increased year over year since 2012.
Today, depression and bipolar disorder affect approximately 14% of teens between ages thirteen and seventeen.
It is important to note there are gender differences pertaining to depression diagnoses.
Teen girls are more than two times more likely to experience depression than boys of the same age group.
Anxiety disorders are also common among teens. Approximately one in three teens meet the criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (DSM-5) by the time they reach age eighteen. There are several types of anxiety disorders, but phobias and separation disorders are those seen most often. Like depression, anxiety disorders are also more common in females than males.
Sound It Out uses the power of music to help parents and caregivers have meaningful conversations with their middle schoolers about emotional well-being.
Parents and caregivers can access free, expert-vetted resources to guide conversations with their child about emotional wellbeing.
Middle-school-aged kids and their caregivers were partnered with mental health experts and musical artists to create an album of exclusive songs, inspired by the hidden emotions revealed in their conversations. The artists transformed these conversations into songs that can help your child express themselves.
This album is a tool to help parents and children discover how to use music to explore difficult emotions and experiences.
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