The Rising Stress of Youth Sports on Kids
Sports are a great way for children to learn many important life skills. However, youth sports have changed a lot in recent years in where more stress has been put on young athletes from many directions. It’s important for parents to know how their kids are doing mentally. Pressure from parents, coaches, friends, and life can really make youth sports into something other than a fun learning time.
Knowing when kids are being pushed too hard in youth sports is important because if not done, they can start experiencing depression, anger, and other mental disorders. They might think they are not good enough for something and start to lose interest in activities they once loved. Recently, parents have been placing their children up for a single sport, instead of encouraging them to try many different types of teams.
There are many ways for parents to help children going through depression or other mental disorders due to youth sports. First, is being supportive, always telling them they are doing a great job and being positive so they know they always have a support system. Second, do not push them too hard because then this becomes more of a duty than a fun activity for many kids. In order to help this issue, allow your children to participate in different sport’s teams and remind them that the purpose of playing the game is too have fun.
Back to School Health and Wellness: Keeping your child mentally healthy this school year!
This back to school season keep your children healthy both physically and mentally. Parents understand how to keep their children healthy physically, but it is important to remember your student’s mental health as well. Parents can start by:
Encourage your child to spend a little bit of time each day journaling. Journaling allows children and adolescents to express their emotions, without having to worry about the judgement of adults. Journaling can also be a safe place for children to vent and unload their problems while also giving them a place to write about situations that brought them joy.
Ensure your child is getting enough sleep. To help your child fall asleep with ease, consider creating a nighttime routine. Have your child get into bed at the same time each night. If your child has a hard time falling asleep, suggest they read a chapter of a book they enjoy. Reading before bed has been shown to stimulate sleep in both children and adults.
Let your children know that you are approachable and that you are always available to communicate with them. This communication can be as simple as texting them fun messages throughout the day, or the proverbial “how was your day at school”. Help your child understand that communicating with you is simple and that if their mental health is ever in jeopardy, you will be able to help.
If you have noticed that your child is having an exceptionally difficult time at school, consider bringing them in for individual counseling with one our child therapist.
Men and Anxiety
What we believe to be considered a stigma is an actual problem in our society. That is the idea of men having to express and deal with anxiety. A lot of times when men try to reach for help it isseen as a form of weakness. Because of this, a lot of men deal with their anxiety through other activities like alcohol abuse or anger issues.
Studies have shown that one in five men will go through an anxiety disorder; however, psychologists worry that many cases are going unreported. This is due to fact that many are just not coming in to report their issues. This needsto change because reaching out for treatment should not be considered a stigma, it should be a healthy way to get the problems resolved. Getting help should be the first option for dealing with anxiety or depression, because alcohol use and anger issues are never good options.
Andrea Peterson in her article In Men, Anxiety Can Often Look Different writes about how some doctors like Dr. McKay from Fordham University do not use the word “anxiety” during the first couple of therapy sessions with men because it helps them feel more comfortable calling it coaching or helping with performance. There are ways for men to feel more comfortable with therapy and society should not scare them away from reaching out for help.
Written By – Akash Patel
Podcast Therapy
Now with so much technology in the world, there are numerous ways of getting therapy. One innovative way of getting therapy is podcasting. This might sound novel to some people, who have regarded therapy as more in person event; however, many people are tuning in to listen to healing sessions concerning different varieties of topics. This is a great way for someone to listen to stories at a time of their choosing. This can help them reach out for therapy because they know other people are going through similar situations and it is okay to ask for help.
The podcasting companies like Gimlet Media along with psychiatrist Dr. Alexandra Sacks started a podcast regarding topics like motherhood and pregnancy. Dr. Sacks podcast “Motherhood Sessions” had many mothers reach out to talk about their experiences. For Season 1, they had about 22 women come and record their stories; however, only 10 made it to Season 1. This is good because many people want to talk about mental health, and because of this there will be more of a push for digital therapy. This is a great start for a new wave of therapy, because it makes people feel comfortable regarding their health because they know other people who went through the same situation, and can see how they handled it. One great thing about podcasts is that you can listen to them anywhere from home or even in the store while grocery shopping.