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We know that for many tweens and teens, their social connectedness is what drives them. When their social lives are not only disrupted but literally stopped in their tracks, it can have devastating consequences. At this point, the novelty of being out of school has likely worn off, and the reality of social distancing has set in. And while being six feet apart or hunkered down in our homes slows the spread of this virus, the physical and mental implications can include isolation and loneliness.
This ongoing isolation and loneliness can lead to depression, which can in turn lead to numerous adverse mental health and physical impacts, such as:
Study after study shows the importance of social connectedness to one’s physical and mental health. While experts typically encourage youth to put down the electronics and enjoy in-person interactions, these are unique circumstances. People of all ages are encouraged to grab their electronic gadgets to get and stay connected. Tweens and teens are experts at connecting with friends on social media, by text, Facetime, or Skype, to name a few. But how about challenging them to get creative with their virtual connections. They could do a workout session with a group of friends via Google Hangout; come up with an exercise contest made up of burpees, push-ups and planks; jump rope together and see who can go the longest; or give group yoga a try. If the weather cooperates, encourage your teen or tween to take it outside. They can remain at home or in their respective outdoor space to maintain appropriate social distance. This way they can get some fresh air, in addition to exercise and “facetime” with friends—three big components to their health and wellness. They can also connect virtually to watch movies, create a healthy meal, or even go old school and simply just talk to each other. Of course, too much time online is not a good thing either. There must be balance. This is where the silver lining to this current situation comes into play—the chance for families to slow down and spend more quality time together. Family Support Is Key According to Search Institute, there are 40 Developmental Assets that contribute to a child’s success in life. The first two assets listed are family support and positive family communication:
While positive connections with friends is hugely important in preventing feelings of isolation and loneliness during this time, a child’s positive connection with their parent(s) is monumental. With all this in mind, we want to encourage our teens and tweens to maintain those positive connections with their friends. At the same time, we must take the lead to connect more with our children by engaging in activities with them, talking with them daily, and keeping up to date on how they are feeling about and dealing with their new “normal.” It will go a long way for our children’s successful development, health, and well-being both now and in the years to come. Sources
Everyone has a role in prevention. By reading and sharing this Know! Parent Tip today, you’re doing your part to prevent substance misuse and create a healthier world for all. We created these free parent tips to empower parents like you. Know! helps you promote health and wellness and protect the young person in your life from unhealthy behaviors, including alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use. However, we rely on donations from people like you to provide these tips. If you found this tip interesting or helpful, please consider donating at preventionactionalliance.org/donate. Know! Parent Tips are provided by Prevention Action Alliance with support from the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services, the Ohio Department of Education, and Start Talking!. Know! Parent Tips are also available in Spanish at the Know! archives.
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 The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19, also known as coronavirus, a pandemic. Whether or not you believe the response to COVID-19 is proportionate, there is no doubt that children are being directly touched. Their schools are closing, their academic and extracurricular activities are being cancelled, their spring break family trips are being postponed, and restrictions are being placed on mass gatherings. They’re also seeing and hearing the vast concerns of some and outright panic of others as local and national leaders attempt to control the spread of the virus.
Everyone is talking about coronavirus. The question is, are you talking about it with your children? Signs of Fear While individuals will react differently to stressful situations, children in general, tend to experience more intense emotions. Some level of fear and anxiety in this type of crisis is an expected and appropriate reaction. Keep an eye out for these common changes in young people that may signal a negative response to the current events unfolding around them (according to the CDC):
How to Talk about COVID-19 Children will look to us, as parents and caregivers, to see how we respond to the pandemic. If we deal with this situation calmly and confidently, our children are much more likely to do the same. It is important that we, along with our children, take breaks, get plenty of sleep, exercise, eat well, stay connected to friends and family, and stay positive. In doing so we are better able to support our children. Other things we can do to support our children include (according to the CDC):
For additional and up-to-date information on COVID-19 visit:
Sources About Know! Parent Tips Everyone has a role in prevention. By reading and sharing this Know! Parent Tip today, you’re doing your part to prevent substance misuse and create a healthier world for all. We created these free parent tips to empower parents like you. Know! helps you promote health and wellness and protect the young person in your life from unhealthy behaviors, including alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use. However, we rely on donations from people like you to provide these tips. If you found this tip interesting or helpful, please consider donating at preventionactionalliance.org/donate. Know! Parent Tips are provided by Prevention Action Alliance with support from the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services, the Ohio Department of Education, and Start Talking!. Know! Parent Tips are also available in Spanish at the Know! archives. When you have children in your life, you never know what each new year will have in store for them. It’s exciting and a bit nerve-wracking at the same time, especially when those children are approaching or in their teen years. As parents, we look for ways to encourage their positive developmental growth, while keeping them healthy and safe.
Lucky for us, scholars at the Center for Addiction have been researching this topic for many years, and studies show time and again that one item in particular has held steady through the years as making a huge difference in promoting healthy, safe, positive growth for youth—family dinners. The benefits of families sitting down together for a meal is so powerful in fact that an entire health campaign has been built around it called “The Dinner Table Project.” The Dinner Table Project This project was created by prevention experts from Four Rivers Behavioral Health Regional Prevention Center in Paducah, Kentucky. It’s founded on the belief that families who eat together form stronger, healthier relationships. They say that children who have better relationships with their parents and siblings are at a significantly reduced risk for smoking, drinking, and using other drugs, and that these youth have also been found to have:
To make the most of family dinners, consider establishing some “guidelines” to get everyone involved and engaged. There are many parts to preparing a family meal, so divvy up the responsibilities among all family members. Start by getting everyone’s input on nutritious meal ideas, then assign one person to help with food prep and cooking, while someone else is responsible for setting the table and filling the drinks. Someone should be in charge of cleanup, but the whole family must agree to pitch in. Another guideline to include is that each person must contribute to the table conversation in some manner. Turn off the TV during dinner and incorporate a “no electronics” rule at the table. Dinner Appetizers and Conversation Starters You’ve now got an electronic-free, ready-to-chat, captive audience. This makes for an incredible opportunity to talk about the big stuff, like sharing your stance on underage drinking and smoking. It is equally important, however, to have lighter talks with your children as well, that allow you to simply connect with them and open the lines of communication. To get young people talking, ask open ended questions that require more than a one-word answer, like these from the Dinner Table Project:
If the dinner hour doesn’t seem to work, try coming together for breakfast before school or for lunch over the weekend. It’s the gathering around the table as a family, sharing a meal, and talking to each other that deepens our connections and strengthens our bonds. It’s well worth doing all you can to make it happen as often and regularly as possible. Sources
Everyone has a role in prevention. By reading this Know! Parent Tip today, you’re doing your part to prevent substance misuse and create a healthier world for all. We created these free parent tips to empower parents like you to protect the young person in your life from alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. However, we rely on donations from people like you to provide these tips. If you found this tip interesting or helpful, please consider donating at preventionactionalliance.org/donate. Know! Parent Tips are provided by Prevention Action Alliance with support from the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services, the Ohio Department of Education, and Start Talking!. Know! Parent Tips are also available in Spanish at the Know! archives  The holiday season is filled with peace and joy for many, yet sadness and despair for others, creating the perfect storm for the onset or worsening of depression.
As a parent or other caregiver, do you feel confident you would know if your child was experiencing depression? And if your child was, would you know what to do? If you are questioning your ability to discern typical teen behavior from something more serious, you’re not alone. According to the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health from the University of Michigan, 40% of parents surveyed said they feel they would have a hard time telling normal ups and downs from possible depression in their tweens and teens. In addition, 30% of parents were concerned with recognizing signs and symptoms of teen depression due to youth being good at hiding their feelings. It is important to know that teen depression presents itself differently than adult depression in several ways. In the previous tip, Know! The Red Flags of Teen Depression, we provided tips for talking with your teen on the subject, and shared the signs and symptoms of depression, specific to teens, so that parents are better armed to recognize even subtle hints. In this tip we focus on how parents and other caregivers can help teens who are, in fact, experiencing depression during the holiday season and beyond (with these tips from HelpGuide: Parent’s Guide to Teen Depression): Encourage Social Connection
If you suspect that a teenager is suicidal, take immediate action! For 24-hour suicide prevention and support in the U.S., call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK. To find a suicide helpline outside the U.S., visit IASP or Suicide.org. Sources
Everyone has a role in prevention. By reading this Know! Parent Tip today, you’re doing your part to prevent substance misuse and create a healthier world for all. We created these free parent tips to empower parents like you to protect the young person in your life from alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. However, we rely on donations from people like you to provide these tips. If you found this tip interesting or helpful, please consider donating at preventionactionalliance.org/donate. Know! Parent Tips are provided by Prevention Action Alliance with support from the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services, the Ohio Department of Education, and Start Talking!. Know! Parent Tips are also available in Spanish at the Know! archives.  It’s December; tis the season to be jolly. That’s easier said than done for many people, adults and teens alike. All the hustle and bustle can worsen the symptoms of those who already suffer from anxiety and depression into. And for others, the holidays can create the perfect storm for the onset of symptoms.
Holiday parties, family gatherings, the overabundance of social media pics and posts, the loss of a loved one, divorce or other family separation, financial concerns, less sleep, indulging in unhealthy foods and drinks, are all contributing factors to people of all ages feeling overwhelmed, anxious and many times, depressed this time of the year. For some teens, feeling depressed can cause them to withdraw and avoid social interactions, which oftentimes leads to further sadness and loneliness – a downward spiral that can easily spin out of control. These feelings, which may be more easily managed during other times of the year, may be intensified in the midst of the holiday season. As parents and other caregivers of young people, it is vital to be aware of the many signs and symptoms of teen depression (according to HelpGuide: Parent’s Guide to Teen Depression):
When considering the red flags for depression, it is important to know that they may look very different in young people versus adults. Irritability, anger, or hostility: The predominant mood in a depressed teen is oftentimes irritability, as opposed to sadness. It is common for a depressed youth to be grumpy, hostile, easily frustrated, or prone to angry outbursts. Unexplained aches and pains: When a physical exam turns up zero answers to your child’s chronic headaches, stomachaches and such, the cause may be due to depression. Extreme sensitivity to criticism: It is common for young people who are depressed to experience feelings of worthlessness, which makes them even more vulnerable to criticism, rejection, and failure than their teenage peers. Withdrawing from some, but not all people: Depressed teens typically maintain at least some friendships, while depressed adults tend to isolate themselves. Depressed youth, however, are known to socialize less, pull away from their parents, and start hanging out with a new crowd. You are now aware of the many potential triggers of teen depression this time of the year. You are also aware of the signs and symptoms to look out for when it comes to youth who are depressed. Now it’s time to start up a conversation with your child, as communication is key. How you communicate is as important as what you communicate. When talking with your child, focus on listening, not lecturing. Be gentle but persistent, knowing that it can be extremely difficult for a teen to express having feelings of sadness and depression. Acknowledge their feelings, even if it seems silly or irrational to you. In the end, trust your gut. If your child won’t open up to you, but you know there is something more going on, consider reaching out to a school counselor, teacher, or mental health professional. The essential piece is to get them talking. Whether you question if there is a potential issue of depression or not, talking regularly with your son or daughter on topics such as this will help to build and foster a strong relationship between the two of you. Knox County, OH – On Saturday, Knox County residents joined communities across the nation to participate in National Drug Take Back Day. Locally, nearly 110 pounds of unused, unwanted and expired medications were collected at five locations. This year’s event also included the collection of liquids and needle syringes.
The Knox Substance Abuse Action Team (KSAAT) coordinated the fall roundup with the assistance local law enforcement and volunteers. Armed representatives from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Fredericktown Police Department, Danville Police Department and the Mount Vernon Police Department staffed each location with the help of adults from KSAAT and youth from the Teen Advisory Council (TAC). Collection amounts for the different locations included: 72.2 lbs. in Mount Vernon at the Knox County Health Department and Knox Community Hospital Medical Pavilion; 16.16 lbs. collected at Centerburg Foster’s Pharmacy; and 21.5 lbs. collected at the Fredericktown Police Department. Collection amounts were not available for the Danville site. The next county-wide drug take back day will be April 25, 2020. However, local residents can always anonymously use any of the three 24/7 drop-boxes in Knox County for unwanted medications. The drop-boxes are located at the Mount Vernon Police Department, Fredericktown Police Department and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. The 24/7 drop off boxes are for prescription or over-the county medications only; no liquids, inhalers, or illegal drugs should be left in these boxes. Free Deterra drug deactivation bags are also available for home disposal from KSAAT at the Knox County Health Department. For more information, contact Tina Cockrell, KSAAT coordinator, at the Knox County Health Department, 740-392-2200, ext. 2229  Chloe Mealey, a member of the Teen Advisory Council of Knox County, has been named a recipient of the Youth Advocate Award for 2019 from the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Association of Ohio (ADAPAO). The ADAPAO youthprevention awards honor excellence in and commitment to prevention in Ohio among young people. Members of ADAPAO nominate youth for the award who are engaged in prevention in their communities and around the state.
Teen Advisory Council (TAC) is a youth-led prevention group, representing all Knox County schools, grades 9-12. It is a joint program of the Knox Substance Abuse Action Team (KSAAT) and New Directions Delta project. A junior at Fredericktown High School, Chloe has made quite an impact in her first full year with TAC, said Tina Cockrell, KSAAT program coordinator and co-advisor for TAC. Chloe volunteers for Drug Take Back Days, serves on the planning committee for the TAC Color Run, led a table topic at Youth Leadership Day and traveled to Texas to learn about the Strategic Prevention Framework. “Chloe exemplifies her role as a prevention advocate and role model to her peers,” said Cockrell. “Her dedication to TAC’s mission and her drive to create healthier lifestyles among her peers exemplifies her advocacy efforts.” TAC members actively work to end dating and sexual violence among teens, as well as prevention of alcohol, tobacco and substance use. TAC members receive leadership training, gain knowledge of critical issues impacting teens, learn about the Knox County community, and have the opportunity to participate in professional development and advocacy events. ADAPAO is a membership-based, not-for-profit association that serves as the voice of prevention in Ohio, with a specific focus on preventing alcohol, tobacco, other drug abuse and other behavioral health problems. For more information, visit www.adapao.org. For more information on TAC, visit ksaat.org/teen-advisory-council. Observed on the 31st of August each year, International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) seeks to create better understanding of overdose, reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths, and create change to reduce the harms associated with drug use. The Knox Substance Abuse Action Team invites members of the community to begin donating old shoes to be used in a display representing those lost to drug overdose. Donations are being accepted at the following organizations in Mount Vernon: Freedom Center, Hospice of Knox County, Knox Community Hospital Volunteer Desk, Knox County Health Department, and Riverside Recovery. For additional information, please contact Tina Cockrell at 740-392-2200 ext. 2229 or email tcockrell@knoxhealth.com. KSAAT is a coalition of community members dedicated to reducing substance abuse among youth and adults in Knox County. For more information or to volunteer visit ksaat.org.   The Knox County Teen Advisory Council has received both state and national attention with their message "Be a Parent, Not a Friend".
An article about the public service announcement can be found in the Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services May 2019 e-update and nationally in the CADCA Coalitions Online newsletter. The message, “Be a Parent, Not a Friend,” reminds parents of the dangers of providing a ‘safe’ environment for youth to drink. The production was entirely youth-led, and TAC members created the characters, wrote the script, identified shoot locations, performed in lead roles and as supporting cast, and assisted with the production of this PSA.” Congratulations! |
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