Angry on Social Media

How many times have you noticed someone “vaguebooking” on Facebook? Has it ever been your adolescent?

Those vague posts are often more likely to be angry than happy.

Photo Credit: frankieleon via Compfight cc
Photo Credit: frankieleon via Compfight cc

Is it useful? Not really. Many times when people post vague messages they are looking for attention, or feedback and seeking it from *everyone* rather than someone specific they can trust.

Having trusted people in your in-person social network is crucial to mental health. Facebook and other social media accounts like instagram, snapchat, vine, periscope,  and twitter (are there others that you know of? Tell us about them in the comments!) are great tools for staying connected with people. But not a great way to connect deeply with people. If you notice that your adolescent is posting these angry/vague posts remind them in person if possible that if they are angry or struggling with something or someone they can talk to a trusted adult, a close trusted friend, or their therapist about what is happening. Also it is more useful to text or send an online private message if they really don’t want to talk in person.

Sometimes just talking out loud about a problem to a kind ear can help them sort out an issue on their own. Remember that if they come to you with their issue that they may not be looking for you to *fix* it, but to simply listen and be present with them.

Tell us about any new social media outlets! Have you been “guilty” of “vaguebooking” while angry or upset? How about your adolescent? What was the result? 

When in doubt, “OM” it out.

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Photo credit: Leslie Schweitzer via Flickr

 

“Downward facing cat.  Nailed it.”

There are many yoga poses that individually can be helpful, but an integrated, regular yoga practice, including meditation, can reconnect you with your true essence and your inherent wholeness. In that space of “being,” there is a release of attachment to our worries, problems, fears, or circumstances.

Continue reading When in doubt, “OM” it out.

The Stand Together Initiative

For young people with mental health concerns, school can be a negative space. Individuals with mental health concerns, like anxiety and depression, can come up against stigma from their classmates, and maybe even the faculty. There’s much that can be done to change the stigma that can be a part of schooling. We’ve mentioned before that learning and talking about mental health can be a powerful way to reduce stigma. Luckily, there are people working within schools to make change from the inside out.

http://standtogether.againststigma.org/
http://standtogether.againststigma.org/

Continue reading The Stand Together Initiative

Social Media and Self-Esteem

The urge to maintain an online presence can be exhausting. Sure, social media isn’t always negative, but there are important things to keep in mind about using

Photo Credit: Visual Content Flickr via Compfight cc
Photo Credit: Visual Content Flickr via Compfight cc

social media that can prevent it from being a bad experience. For example, monitoring self-esteem and the impact social media has on it. It’s important to be self-aware about the way social media makes us feel, especially for adolescents and young adults. If your adolescent uses a particular social media site and you comes away feeling worse about themselves because of it, it might be time to reconsider the use of that platform. If I log onto Facebook and become frustrated and unhappy about my life because of the way it compares to others, it’s important that I consider changing the way I use the site. This might mean changing how long I use Facebook, or who I am interacting with, maybe even considering if it’s worthwhile to use the site at all. Continue reading Social Media and Self-Esteem

Difficulty with Diagnoses

If your doctor tells you that your child may be depressed, what does that really mean?

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Photo Credit: ? by Leo Amato CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Maybe some of the “symptoms” they have could be from something else like:

  • trouble adjusting to a new situation at school or home
  • a bad break-up, a friend who let them down, or not making a sports team or other extracurricular
  • bullying at school
  • a medical problem like anemia (a low blood count), headaches, belly pain
  • not getting enough sleep from being overscheduled, overhomeworked, too much online time, or having to wake up too early
  • another mental health or physical problem like ADHD, anxiety, or anemia

Continue reading Difficulty with Diagnoses

Balancing Work and Mental Health

When your adolescent or young adult is struggling with anxiety or depression, this can create obstacles to being successful in their work, and possibly even your own work. In the case of your child’s work, it can be difficult to balance their mental health and the job duties. Many parents might struggle with meeting the demands at work while attending to their adolescent’s mental health concerns. Recently, Time Magazine posted an article outlining tips for finding a balance between mental health and work. This article also discusses parent’s of individuals with mental health concerns and the struggle with finding a balance between work and caring for a loved one. Here are some of the tips:

Photo Credit: DiariVeu - laveupv.com Flickr via Compfight cc
Photo Credit: DiariVeu – laveupv.com Flickr via Compfight cc

Continue reading Balancing Work and Mental Health

Getting Help for Your Child: Where to Start

Image Source: BK on Flickr
Image Source: BK on Flickr

As a parent or caregiver, you want the best for your children or other dependents. You may be concerned or have questions about certain behaviors they exhibit and how to ensure they get help.

A wonderful place to start is at http://www.mentalhealth.gov/talk/parents-caregivers/

This website gives some information about signs to look out for, how to get help and how to support your child.

Do you think this is a good resource? What about it was helpful?