​There are many important discussions that parents should have with their children at various stages of their development. One topic that receives far too little attention due to its difficult and somewhat taboo subject matter is mental illness, which is affecting children in greater numbers than ever before.

Dr. La’Tesha Sampson, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the CEO and Founder of Great Joy Counseling and Consulting Services, says that rates of depression and mental illness among children and teens are at an all-time high, some of which is being driven by excessive screen time and social media use.

This is especially true in the age of coronavirus, as today’s youth have had to adapt to stay at home orders and government mandates. With nowhere to go and little to do, the pandemic has exacerbated screen time concerns, which was already at worrying levels and which have been shown to contribute to negative mental health outcomes.

The dialogue about mental illness needs to start early says Dr. Sampson, who says that not enough young people are receiving the help they need to tackle their mental health issues, noting that suicide has become the third-leading cause of death among the 15–24 age bracket.

Understanding Mental Health
Any discussion about mental health with your children should begin by stressing that mental illnesses are nothing to be feared or ashamed of, nor are they abnormal. It’s important to emphasize that more individuals will experience at least one form of mental illness in their lifetime than those that won’t.

Dr. La’Tesha Sampson recommends discussing some of the most prevalent conditions (such as depression and anxiety) and highlighting some of the symptoms that commonly indicate the presence of one of these conditions (including social withdrawal, low energy, emotional outbursts, and addiction issues) so children can take some measure of control in monitoring their own mental states.

Empowering Children to Take Control Over their Mental Well-Being
Furthermore, you can empower your children to take greater control over their mental health by encouraging them to take proper care of themselves. Detail the important role that exercise and healthy eating can play on mental health, including the connection between certain vitamin deficiencies (especially zinc, B-6, B-12, D-3, folate, and the Omega 3 fatty acids) and some mental health conditions. With any luck, doing so may provide them with just enough incentive to make healthier decisions later on.

And of course, you’ll need to have that difficult screen time conversation with them, pointing out to them that even a couple hours of TV a day has been shown to lower kids’ self esteem and negatively impact their school performance.

Lastly, La’Tesha Sampson encourages addressing the term mental illness itself, which could also cause stigmatization among kids, implying that there is something wrong with them that needs to be fixed. Instead of a sickness, equate it instead with simply being a different mental state that may not be “normal”, but which doesn’t likewise imply “deficient” or “broken”.

This will be particularly important to address when it comes to kids with autism or other lifelong disorders, who may feel especially vulnerable to the use of that term.

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Written by: Dr. La'Tesha Sampson

The year 2020 is likely to go down as one of the most challenging in recent memory. The COVID-19 pandemic has killed over 100,000 Americans and left the economy reeling and many without work.
More recently, protests and riots have erupted across the nation over the killing of George Floyd while in police custody, leading to unprecedented backlash and even some pressure to defund police departments.

All of this has occurred while stay-at-home orders have forced millions to remain primarily in their homes for weeks and months on end, sometimes with little to no direct contact with friends, family, and loved ones outside their household.

The constant uncertainty has left many people struggling to remain positive says La’Tesha Sampson, the President and Founder of Great Joy Counseling and Consulting Services. Self-reported cases of anxiety and depression have jumped considerably as we struggle to adapt to our new reality.

Dr. Sampson, who is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and published author believes that facing and overcoming challenges like those we are dealing with now provides an opportunity for accelerated personal growth.
In particular, she says it’s a rare chance to develop some of the following skills that can bolster your peace of mind and level of contentment in every moment, regardless of external events.

Meditation
Meditation comes in many forms, all of which have displayed remarkable results when it comes to lowering anxiety and boosting feelings of positivity. If you don’t know where to begin, La’Tesha Sampson recommends starting with loving kindness meditation, during which you cultivate feelings of love and compassion for yourself and others. Studies have found this form of meditation can boost emotional intelligence, decrease anxiety and anger, and help smooth over marital issues.

Mindfulness
Practicing mindfulness has never been more important than now, when our days seem to blur together into a repetitious slog of the same few media topics and looking at the same walls of our living space. Mindfulness teaches us to keep autopilot off and better appreciate the incredible gift of consciousness and awareness that we possess.

Breathing Exercises​
Consciously breathing probably seems rather unnecessary, considering it can be done unconsciously. Our unconscious breathing tends to be short and shallow though, which sends stress signals to our brain and lowers our white blood cell levels. Taking a few minutes to practice deep, diaphragmatic breathing confers some major benefits according to LaTesha Sampson, including lowering our heart rate, blood pressure, and stress. It’s a practice you use anytime, anywhere, and also helps bring you into a more mindful state.

Social Media Usage
Lastly, social media has been a great tool for staying connected and monitoring the latest news to try and make sense of the world. However, too much media doom and gloom and excessive exposure to the toxic vitriol commonly found on social media can quickly warp your perception of reality.
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La’Tesha Sampson recommends setting limits on your social media time and to use that time with greater purpose by actively seeking out the information or posts you’re interested in while avoiding all of the surrounding distractions like comments, ads, and other posts.

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Written by: Dr. La'Tesha Sampson

As our understanding of mental health evolves, so too does the rate at which we are diagnosed with various forms of mental health disorders. Those disorders can include everything from depression and anxiety disorders, to personality disorders, schizophrenia, and autism.
Rather than holding off until we’ve reached the height of our mental development when we’re somewhat more prepared to handle them, many of these conditions are with us from birth or begin to manifest early in life. In fact, half of all mental illnesses have already manifested by the age of 14  according to the American Psychiatric Association.
Dr. La’Tesha Sampson, the CEO of Great Joy Counseling and Consulting Services, which provides treatment for people with conditions such as depression, ADHD and PTSD, says those findings underscore the need for far more robust mental health education in our public school system.
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Eliminating the Mental Health Stigma

One of the most compelling reasons for introducing mental health education at an earlier age is to help reduce the stigma that can be associated with having any of these conditions says Dr. Sampson, who currently serves as a professor at both the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and the Kean University Department of Social Work.
The sooner young individuals are exposed to learn the mechanisms behind why these conditions develop and how common they are, the easier it will be for them to understand context. As a result, they’ll be able to interact with individuals who have been diagnosed with greater empathy and compassion, as opposed to the revulsion and fear that often accompany ignorance.

Today’s Youth Will be More Open to Seeking Treatment

By removing the stigma of these conditions through early education, we can further ensure that youth will likewise become more open about considering the presence of mental illness in their own lives and monitoring for its symptoms, which could include mood changes, a decline in cognitive and/or social functioning, or even a growing apathy towards their life.
In that way, today’s youth will be more inclined to reach out for the treatment they may desperately need and address their mental health challenges as quickly as possible, improving their chances for better outcomes.

Address Pharmaceutical Drug Use
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La’Tesha Sampson further stresses that early mental health education should play a prominent role in teaching young individuals about the role of pharmaceutical drugs in treating many of these conditions.
Rather than being groomed to become passive participants in their own medical story who simply do what their doctor tells them, young people should be empowered through education to take some measure of control over their medical destiny by considering the benefits and dangers that pharmaceutical treatments or other interventions might pose.
Considering the extreme rates of pharmaceutical dependence in the U.S and the often devastating side effects and addiction that dependence can cause, it’s vital that youth have a full understanding of what they’re getting into and what some of the alternatives might be.
La’Tesha Sampson urges all parents to reach out to their local school districts about building a curriculum that places an appropriate level of emphasis on all aspects of mental health, which could prove to be some of the most important education they are ever given.

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Written by: Dr. La'Tesha Sampson