Mental Health Topics and Resources

Googling is stressful! We’re here to help. We’ve put together our list of our own articles and helpful online resources for adolescent depression and anxiety.

Have a resource you like which we haven’t included? Let us know and we can add it!

depression- the facts

The Basics of Depression

Normal Adolescence versus a Mental Health Problem

Screening for Depression

Symptoms of Depression

Physical Symptoms

Irritable Mood

What is Depression (video)?

Causes of Depression

Environmental Effects on Depression

Changes in Functioning; Trouble Functioning

Doing Well in School but Nothing Else

DEPRESSION- let’s talk about it

When to Seek Help for your child

How to Know if Its Serious

How to Recognize if Your Child has a Mental Health Problem

How to Start the Conversation

How to Offer Help

Talking about mental health

Sharing your Mental Health Family History with your Child

When Mental Illness Runs in the Family

Myths about Mental Health

Stigma; Afraid of a Label

depression- getting help

Feeling too Guilty to Get Help

National Alliance of Mental Illness: What families need to know about Adolescent Depression 

Who to Ask for Help

Tips on Dealing with Depression

anxiety, self-harm, & other disorders

Feeling too Scared to Get Help

Anxiety Symptoms

Social Anxiety

Pain

Co-rumination

Bipolar Disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Sleep Disturbances

Situational Depression

Suicide

mental health advocacy groups – these organizations are made up of individuals who care deeply about mental health. often you can find local support groups, links to resources, and ways to take political action to improve how mental health issues are addressed.

JED Foundation, College Mental Health Advocacy

Time to Change, UK

To Write Love on Her Arms

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Bring Change 2 Mind

Active Minds, College Mental Health

National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health

The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program

Proud2BeMe, eating disorder recovery

Inside Our Minds

Steel Smiling

IWitnessBullying

StandTogether

Parent support groups for depression and anxiety

The Balanced Mind Network, a program of DBSA

TREATMENT RESOURCES

Confidentiality

How to Find the Right Healthcare Professional

Different Types of Mental Health Professionals

How and Why Therapy can Help

Why a Therapist can Help in ways Friends and Family cannot

Bad Experiences with Therapy

How to find a Therapist

Worries about Seeing a Therapist

First Therapy Appointment: What to Expect

Once you Start Therapy: Questions to ask yourself and your child

How to Switch Therapists

Family Therapy

Behavioral Strategies

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Interpersonal Therapy

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Antidepressants

Antidepressant Types

Antidepressant Side Effects

Antidepressants: A SOVA Ambassador’s Experience with Starting and Stopping

Antidepressant Warnings: Should I be Worried?

Medication Changing who You Are

How Long to Take Medications

Self-help (its important to know that when depression or anxiety is more than mild, often self-help resources alone are not enough and should only be used as a support instead)

What is Mindfulness?

How Teens can Use Mindfulness

Mindfulness and Self-Compassion

Calming website and app, calm.com

Exercise

Sleep

Health Apps

Apps for mindfulness: Headspace; Smiling Mind; Stop, Breathe, & Think

App for anxiety education and learning CBT: Mindshift

App for positivity: Shinetext

App for sleep

Apps for Anxiety

Games

Mood Tracking

Resilience

Journaling

Support System

Yoga

Music

parenting help

Teaching Children to Cope

Circle of 6

The Gifts of Imperfect Parenting by Brene Brown, PhD, LMSW

Family Communication; Tips for Conversation Starters; Nonverbal Communication

How to Talk to Your Teen; Tips about Talking (video)

Getting Help from your Child’s Primary Care Provider

Ahaparenting

Writing a Letter

Communication Tips from Department of Education

Teens’ Need for Independence

school resources

Transition Year, helping your child transition to college

Back to School Resources

Individualized Education Program

Section 504

Nurturing Mental Health in Schools

finding resilience in minority communities

Respect Your Struggle

Steel Smiling PGH

LGBT Youth

The Trevor Project, LGBTQ youth

Asian Americans and Seeking Help

Mental Health in the African American Community

Trans Youth Resources for Parents

how to find local resources

United Way 2-1-1 Helpline

Other resource pages – these pages have a wealth of useful information for parents of adolescents

US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Adolescent Health

Think, Act, Grow (Office of Adolescent Health)

Mentalhealth.gov

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

American Psychiatric Association

Fact Sheets about Every Mental Health Problem from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies

American Academy of Pediatrics Healthychildren.org

youngwomenshealth.org

youngmenshealthsite.org

Society of Adolescent Health and Medicine Parent Resource Page (mental health, substance use, confidentiality, sexual and reproductive health, physical and psychosocial development)