How to deal with anxiety and depression in teens after the pandemic.

Even with three vaccines now approved for emergency use, we are still in this pandemic for the long haul. Experts believe the effects of the pandemic in mental health will linger far after its end and the Biden administration has increased funding for mental health services, focusing on young people who have been particularly susceptible due to school closures and distance learning, the inability to interact closely with friends, stress, and loneliness.

According to the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health at Michigan Medicine, a national poll shows that 46 percent of parents say their teen had shown signs of a new or worsening mental health condition since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020. The results suggest that 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 5 teen boys have experienced new or worsening anxiety. (read more here)

"The long term impact of the pandemic in teens' mental health is worrisome," Iuri Melo, co-founder of SchoolPulse agreed. "Some may be able to shake it off and be fine after a few months once the pandemic is over, but without some kind of intervention, for many things may get worse."

Melo points out that the social isolation teens experienced for over a year is enough time to develop some unhealthy habits, like sleep procrastination, apathy or withdrawal from family. "Thankfully, technology ameliorated some of the negative effects of isolation by allowing teens to keep in touch with their friends and peers, even if at a distance."

In fact, technology has played a significant role in allowing teens to experience some sort of socialization. The same study reports that 64 percent of their teens have been texting, while 56 percent are using social media, 43 percent online gaming, and 35 percent talking on the phone every day or almost every day.

And while parents may do some things to help their teens cope with anxiety and depression, like relaxing some family rules or encouraging better sleeping habits, a common advice by experts is to talk to a mental health professional. Just like adults, teens require a safe space to express their concerns and feelings, without thinking they are burdening their parents or affecting how they are viewed by their friends and family, as well as constant encouragement to nudge them in the right direction to develop positive habits.

However, therapy can be cost-prohibitive to some, and not everyone has an easy time opening up to a stranger face-to-face. This is where support services like SchoolPulse can help. With its perfect blend of technology and human interaction, SchoolPulse enhances and supports parents' efforts in raising joyous, well-adjusted teens. By speaking through a language teens love--text messaging--teens can speak and be heard without any baggage or barriers, as well as work on their social competency and emotional awareness at the same time. And its $2 a month pricing allows it to be accessible to many families in the US.

Originally conceived as a service for schools to help them reach out to every student and monitor their emotional well-being, SchoolPulse was opened to the public this year in an effort to help with the mental health issues increasing in teens due to the pandemic.

"Parents and teens don't have to feel alone," Melo states. "Here at SchoolPulse we are happy to be able to help families in the US take a proactive approach when it comes to their mental and emotional well-being. Parenting is really a team effort, and we want to be part of that team."

Iuri Melo is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 20 years specializing in treating teens and is the best-selling author of "Know Thy Selfie", a self-help book for teenagers, and "Mind over Grey Matter".