There are many reasons that are unique to each teen in relation to anxiety. Genetics is always unique and has an impact on anxiety so biologically you come into the world with genes that may be more or less prone to anxiety disorders. Your environment plays a huge role on stress and anxiety and how you cope with it. Some families have parents that teach their children skills to manage stress at a young age and some do not. Some families have a mixed approach with each parent doing their own parenting skills to address anxiety and stress. So the biggest factors in anxiety disorders are : Genetics, Life experiences, how we group up in our families , and environmental influences.

Anxiety disorders in teens can become worse at times with: side effect of a medication, emotional health issues, Alcohol or substance use or dependence, Marijuana use or dependence, Trauma ( emotional, mental, or physical ), long term stress, a family history of anxiety and or depression, and chemical imbalances in the brain.

 

Anxiety can be triggered by any physical pain in your body, stressful events ( school, moving, bullying etc), work stress issues, school anxiety and stress in school with peers or academics, illness and health issues, relationship issues with friends or family or others.

There are many evidence based techniques that are used in teen counseling and psychotherapy to help a teen manage his anxiety. One very powerful technique that has been around over 60 years is CBT Cognitive behavioral Therapy and it is very powerful. Teens can learn CBT and use CBT skill at home or wherever they are and this helps them gain strength in that they can control and manage their anxiety. I could go on about how great CBT therapy, however, I am going to give you a very brief synopsis for you. CBT looks at thoughts that are unhealthy, distorted , and not supported by facts. CBT then identifies feelings associated with these unhealthy thoughts. CBT then helps the client identify why these thought are distorted and allows the client to change the thought to a healthier more accurate thought. It is through theses exercises awe are able to see a huge reduction in anxiety and stress and well as other emotions the are not working for us at the time.

There is another exercise called VMBR that helps client’s bring in all senses: hearing , feeling, seeing, smell, and taste and allows the client to create a short video movie of themselves showing them confident, safe, tranquil and able to perform said task or overcome the anxiety that is getting in their way. It could be of taking a test at school or kicking a field goal, or going to school, or meeting a girlfriend, or a job interview.

Progressive Relaxation techniques tied in with diaphragmatic breathing techniques are an excellent evidence based skill that can be learned and used at home or out in the world. Research shows that when muscles are relaxed the body will follow and I believe everyone should use progressive relaxation for anxiety and stress management.

Mindfullness is an exercise that helps one learn to stay in the moment and not get caught up in the past or caught up in future thoughts. Mindfulness helps one notice thoughts like they are passing through like a cloud as well as feelings and does not allow the thought or feeling to rule ones day. Acceptance of self and learning self compassion and empathy as well as non criticisms or non judgment is important as well. Setting boundaries and effective communication skills is important to build healthier and more fulfilling relationships. Emotional regulation skills are helpful in managing ones anxiety before it builds and gets bigger for oneself.

Lifeworksaz.com has been working with youth and families for over 18 years in Phoenix AZ and Valleywide. David Abrams MAPC, LPC has a great deal of experience working with anxiety issues. You can read more about him at www.lifeworks.com and read testimonials as well.

I have been working with children and teens for over 18 years as well as families. There are many disorders that our society can label your child with including: ADD  Disorder, ADHD Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Generalized anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, OCD obsessive Compulsive Disorder, PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Panic Disorder, Depression Disorder, Dysthmia Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Adjustment Disorders, Non suicidal Self Injury Disorder.

My approach is a strength based approach. I believe it is vital to work with the parents and well as work individually w the child or teen to make desired change. The child’s most important person in their life is usually the parent and the parent is most involved and is the eyes and ears of hot is going on in your child’s life.

I do not label children and teens. In my opinion labeling a child can create a huge stigma of : disability, dysfunction, and disease. The reality is your child is  whole and may have areas that need improvement but he is not a label and he is much more than a diagnosis. Many youth will use their diagnosis as a reason not to excel or get better in life and this is why I have never labeled a child in almost 20 years of working with youth.

My approach is helping a child overcome issues, stress, challenges etc that are impacting him or her and the family. I believe we should focus on how we can : get homework done, How we can be respectful, how we can honor our Mom and dad, how we can exercise, How we can excel in school, how we can find a balance in our lives.  I believe it is important to look at a child’s sleep patters, eating habits, exercise, school, social patters, self esteem, and other habits and find a balance in your child’s life.

Many Child psychiatrists believe that children suffer from biological and genetic diseases that cause millions of youth to be mentally distressed and potentially violent. Many child psychiatrists reject that childhood trauma, poor parenting, neglect, and other social and environmental factors could lie at the root of the suffering displayed by 70 million youth in America.

One NIMH health expert stated that Columbine Type shootings and children with mental health issues are genetic. The expert did not state a word about: divorce, absentee parents, drug and alcohol abuse by parents, sexual abuse, trauma, broken love relationships, grief, loss, change,

There is inescapable evidence that trauma, abuse, neglect, loss of a relationship and more cause severe emotional disturbances that can last a lifetime, especially when inflicted on children and teens.

Millions of children are rejected from our military for taking mind altering medications : antidepressants, ADHD medications and more. Many parents are not informed of this information and seek a fix that does not look at the root of a child or teenagers pain.

Dr. Breggin a child psychiatrist states biopsychiatric treatments routinely given children do not really help them. The psychiatric drugs simply subdue children’s signs of suffering. Suppressing our children’s emotional signals with toxic agents not only harms them, it delays our recognition of the larger environmental stressors in the family, school, and community. When we treat children with drugs, we harm them as individuals by suppressing them and we harm the community by overlooking larger sources of the roots of the problems.

Creating relationships with all of our children is the key to not only preventing violence but also giving children happier lives. We need to be developing these relationships on a daily basis long before they start giving us signals of impending emotional imbalance and breakdowns.

Children and teens in America are cutting themselves. Cutters can use: pins, glass, razors, and other objects to cut themselves. Cutters cut on their arms, legs, thighs, stomach, as well as other parts of their skin. Some teens report it is a way to control and release feelings. Many state they have numbed themselves out emotionally and it is a way they can feel something a part of them. Some teens state it makes them “feel alive “. If you have a child or teen that is cutting it is a HUGE red flag that your child or adolescent teen needs an assessment from a mental health professional that has expertise working with children and families. It should be addressed ASAP. Cutting can become addictive and produces a short term release however it is vital that the teen find more suitable ways to manage negative emotions. There are other ways teens escape emotional pain: drugs and alcohol etc. Approaching your child in a loving way showing you are concerned and love them is best.

Cutting is a red flag that their is an underlying problem. It could be depression or body image issues or a variety of issues. There is not a uniform explanation for cutting. Many state they cut so they can feel or so they can feel alive. Some state they feel so numb that cutting validates them. Many state cutting releases all sorts of built up tension. Built up stored tension comes from not releasing stress and tension by exercise or communicating ones feelings and feeling one is being heard and truly listened to.

Communicating ones true feelings to someone who will listen without judgment is important. There are a number of things a teen or child can do instead of cutting: exercise, drawing, journaling, playing with pets, listening to music, going for a walk, talking to someone you can trust about your feelings. Create or start a journal, take a warm shower or bath, confide in someone you trust.

Most Children and Teenagers need a professional teen counselor that works with children and families in psychotherapy to held address their unhealthy behaviors so they can learn tools to deal with emotional pain and feelings in life.

Your feelings are important and you are valuable do not numb out and stuff your feelings. Share them in a healthy way to someone you trust..

Cutting, Burning, and biting one’s body  is  a habit increasingly taken up by adolescents and teens who simply are not coping with stress.

A child that is bullied is three times more likely to harm themselves by the time they reach age 12 than those whom are not bullied.

There are other factors that also were found to increase self harm behaviors: a family history of self harm , neglect , abuse , behavioral and emotional problems.

The cause of self injury in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology states self injury issues are “remarkably prevalent and woefully understudied.” Prevention and treatment programs backed by scientific studies are virtually non existent.

The leading theory behind the behavior is that cutting, burning or hitting oneself externalizes brutal and persistent emotional pain. It can be a tool to manage intense emotions: horror, anger, and grief as well as other emotional trauma. It can be a way of feeling something in the midst of numbness or not feeling. It can be a reminder they are alive when they feel dead inside.

Embedding objects is another form of self injury. It is seen among sexual abuse victims and teens and adults with suicidal thoughts and those who are highly suicidal. Many questions remain to why people feel compelled to self harm or self injure themselves.

The above are portions from an article published in LA TIMES on 12-8-08 called Self-Injury on the rise among young people.

Cutting is a practice that many teens, especially girls, use as a way to deal with the stress and emotional pain in their lives. It is a coping mechanism that allows them to feel that they are in control of whatever situation is bothering them.

I have seen many young teens and they too get involved in the unhealthy habit of cutting.

www.Lifeworksaz.com David Abrams MAPC, LPC has been working with children and families for over fifteen years working with : anxiety, depression, self harm, social skills, self esteem, motivation, emotional issues, behavioral issues, ADHD, ASD, and more..

 

One in five teenagers between 13-18 will develop a mental health issue: Depression, anxiety, PTSD, Schizophrenia etc . So twenty percent of teenagers will have a mental health disorder even if it is not diagnosed by an expert in the field.

 

Only Thirty three percent of these adolescent teens will receive any treatment be it counseling or psychiatric treatment.

 

One key to receiving help is having someone that is non judgmental and one that can build rapport with your child or teenager. Being accepted and not judged is vital in helping a youth help him or herself. So many times a child or teen comes in and feels “bad” or “defective” their self esteem is low and they need support and someone  that can encourage them and also someone to be honest with them.

 

Youth can learn healthy habits and self care and they can learn to build their minds and create positive daily habits.

Teens can learn how to avoid toxic people and learn how to cope with toxic people. Adolescents can learn about eating healthy and proper sleep habits. Teenagers can learn about daily activities : skateboarding, walking, shooting baskets, dance class, volleyball, soccer, Karate, bike riding, swimming, and many more that are vital to keep stress in place and to manage mood and stressors.

 

Teens can learn about setting boundaries and creating healthy boundaries with friends and family members.

 

Limiting exposure to media and violence will be very helpful. Improved Mood and behaviors are correlated with a reduction in social media and video games.

 

Spending time with friends and family is important for positive moods most of the time if these people are healthy of course.

 

 

Forty Five percent of teens in a survey of thousands state they are stressed all the time. There were over 35,000 teenagers in the study so this was a big study.

 

The largest stressors for adolescent teens were relationships and teachers. Followed by Parents, college and then peers.

 

Twenty percent of teenagers stated they were likely to turn to eating to cope with stress in their life. Approx Ten percent of adolescents state they turn to drugs and alcohol to manage their stress.

 

Thirty five percent of teens did not have a coping skill to address stress and this is tragic. Life is full of stress and every child needs to learn ways to cope with stress as well as adults.

 

There are many things a child and teen can learn to manage stress and find health and balance in their lives.

 

Lifeworksaz.com has been working with teens throughout the valley for over 15 years: Phoenix,Arizona; Scottsdale, Arizona, Cave Creek Arizona

 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has helped children and adults with issues and disorders such as: insomnia, anxiety, depression, as well as hallucinations.

 

Sleep is one of the biggest contributors to mental health problems.

 

Cognitive behavioral therapy helped clients sleep improve as well as huge improvements in mental health: anxiety, depression, mood disorders etc.

 

Insomnia doubles a child and adults chance of depression so sleep is vital for health!!

 

Sleep reboots the brains circuitry for memory and learning according to research studies.

 

Insomnia can create social issues such as: less enjoyable relationships with partners, decreased ability to enjoy freinds and family. Decreased enjoyment with ones career or job. Insomnia can trigger physical issues: gastrointestinal, hypertension, heart disease,and diabetes. Insomnia feeds into the potential for depression. Sleep is very important and many do not understand how vital it is to our health.

Lifeworksaz.com provides counseling children Phoenix Arizona, Counseling Teens Phoneix Arizona, counseling adolescents Phoneix Arizona, Counseling adults Phoenix Arizona, counseling families Phoenix Arizona, family counseling ahwatukee Arizona, family counseling Scottsdale Arizona, teen counseling scottsdale arizona, adolescent counseliong Scottsdale arizona, child counseling scottsdale arizona, child counseling cave creek arizona, teen counsleing cave creek arizona, and more…

Counseling and therapy can provide many techniques to help induce sleep: hypnotherapy, progressive relaxation techniques, visualization, anxiety reduction exercises, diaphramatic breathing, cognitive behavioral techniques, DBT, and more.

 

 

More articles on sleep and mood below:

 

 

Teens are stressed and are not getting enough sleep. This is impacting: depression, anxiety, anger, irritability and school performance. Electronics: TV, SmartPhones, Social media, Texting, You tube, instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, video games, is having a huge impact on youth in a very negative way: emotionally and behaviorally in Phoenix and Scottsdale Arizona and throughout the United States and World wide. If sleep and diet are not addressed change will not happen.

Teens are up late on: video games, net flix, TV, You tube, texting, social media, snap chat, instagram and they are receiving limited sleep. This lack of sleep is creating: depressed mood, anxiety, irritability, and is harming academics.Behavioral and mental health and family stress!

While a stressful event can lead to a bad night of sleep, it’s what you do in response to stress that can be the difference between a few bad nights and chronic insomnia..

Research studies state that positive reframing, acceptance and humor are the most effective coping strategies for people dealing with failures.

Positive reframing was helpful for students high in perfectionistic concerns is particularly important because it suggests that even people high in perfectionistic concerns, who have a tendency to be dissatisfied no matter what they achieve, are able to experience high levels of satisfaction if they use positive reframing coping when dealing with perceived failures.

Reframing is a resiliency skill that helps people to overcome adversity and reach life goals.  Remember the old metaphor “Is the glass is half-full or half-empty?”  This is a perfect example of how the same event can be looked at in a positive or negative light. Positive reframing means trying to reconsider things in a positive light, and it is a powerful way to transform your thinking. Positive reframing does not change the situation, but it can certainly reduce damage and put things into a healthier perspective.

When you are experiencing positive emotions like joy, contentment, and love, you will see more possibilities in your life. These findings were among the first that suggested positive emotions broaden your sense of possibility and open your mind up to more options.

Finding ways to build happiness and positive emotions into your life — whether it is through meditation, writing, playing a pickup basketball game, or anything else — provides more than just a momentary decrease in stress and a few smiles.

Periods of positive emotion and unhindered exploration are when you see the possibilities for how your past experiences fit into your future life, when you begin to develop skills that blossom into useful talents later on, and when you spark the urge for further exploration and adventure.

To put it simply: Seek joy, play often, and pursue adventure. Your brain will do the rest.

Exercise daily is very important for teenagers and adults in order to help with sleep. Eating healthy is also very important. Children should have little sugar and caffeine this will disrupt healthy sleep. Children and teenagers should not be playing video games after 6 pm and they should not be watching TV or playing electronics three hours  before bed time. The child or teens brain thinks it is day time due to the screen lights and it manipulates the brain got stay yup late.

Research shows that youth that do not get 9-11 hours sleep per night will have behavioral issues including: anger, depression, anxiety, and more with limited sleep each night.

Below are four research based articles on how sleep impacts: mood, anxiety, depression, as well as behavior and academic performance. In a recent study poor sleep was linked to: ADHD, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, autism, epilepsy and more.

It is important to address sleep issues early on to change tis behavior for children and teens.

When I see children that are having: anxiety, depression, and social skill and academic issues many times sleep is an issue in that the children are not getting enough sleep. Poor sleep is linked to many behavioral problems as well.

While a stressful event can lead to a bad night of sleep, it’s what you do in response to stress that can be the difference between a few bad nights and chronic insomnia..

Research studies state that positive reframing, acceptance and humor are the most effective coping strategies for people dealing with failures.

Positive reframing was helpful for students high in perfectionistic concerns is particularly important because it suggests that even people high in perfectionistic concerns, who have a tendency to be dissatisfied no matter what they achieve, are able to experience high levels of satisfaction if they use positive reframing coping when dealing with perceived failures.

Reframing is a resiliency skill that helps people to overcome adversity and reach life goals.  Remember the old metaphor “Is the glass is half-full or half-empty?”  This is a perfect example of how the same event can be looked at in a positive or negative light. Positive reframing means trying to reconsider things in a positive light, and it is a powerful way to transform your thinking. Positive reframing does not change the situation, but it can certainly reduce damage and put things into a healthier perspective.

When you are experiencing positive emotions like joy, contentment, and love, you will see more possibilities in your life. These findings were among the first that suggested positive emotions broaden your sense of possibility and open your mind up to more options.

Finding ways to build happiness and positive emotions into your life — whether it is through meditation, writing, playing a pickup basketball game, or anything else — provides more than just a momentary decrease in stress and a few smiles.

Periods of positive emotion and unhindered exploration are when you see the possibilities for how your past experiences fit into your future life, when you begin to develop skills that blossom into useful talents later on, and when you spark the urge for further exploration and adventure.

To put it simply: Seek joy, play often, and pursue adventure. Your brain will do the rest.

Exercise daily is very important for teenagers and adults in order to help with sleep. Eating healthy is also very important. Children should have little sugar and caffeine this will disrupt healthy sleep. Children and teenagers should not be playing video games after 6 pm and they should not be watching TV or playing electronics three hours  before bed time. The child or teens brain thinks it is day time due to the screen lights and it manipulates the brain got stay yup late.

Research shows that youth that do not get 9-11 hours sleep per night will have behavioral issues including: anger, depression, anxiety, and more with limited sleep each night.

A study published in the Jan 1 issue of Sleep found that children with sleep disturbances are more severely depressed, have more depressive symptoms and have more anxiety diorders, compared with children without sleep disturbances.”

There are a wide array of reasons why people have difficulty sleeping.

Eliminating caffeine, alcohol, and marijuana, as well as other drugs must be looked at .

Watching TV, playing video games, using cell phones close to bed time can impact sleep. Lack of exercise impacts sleep.

In a recent medical report a physician reported that sedative hypnotics are over prescribed . Over 60 million prescriptions were filled in the US last year.

Lunesta and Ambien have side effects and some have been: driving in their sleep, sleep walking, cooking in their sleep, confusion etc.

Experts state these medications are for short term use.

There are a lot of elements involved in the body and mind and if this is addressed sleep will

follow.

Sixty six percent of children up to middle school are not getting sufficient sleep according to sleep experts.

Children are falling asleep in school and schools are pushing back start times however this may not be the solution.

Research has shown children that are deprived of sleep are prone to unhealthy and behaviors that are not productive: acting out behaviors, depression, anxiety, mood swings, inability to focus ( ADD, ADHD) symptoms, weight gain,

The child’s sleep deprived body releases adrenaline and cortisol that not only make them hyper and unable to focus and impact brain development.

Electronics in the bedroom is one of the biggest obstacles to sleep: texting, tv, Internet, face-book, social media etc.

Diet and exercise are vital for sound sleep.

Setting limits and boundaries is possible. Parents can learn to set boundaries that will help your child: behaviorally , emotionally, socially, mentally, and physically.

The Academy of Pediatrics suggest that children be limited to less than

two hours per day of TV and media. Research shows that media can

diminish a child’s vocabulary, math skills, and social skills. There is

a great deal of research that correlates : sleep problems, aggression,

anger, behavioral problems, ADHD, lack of attention at school, obesity

and more to children that are watching on average 32 hours of TV and

media per week. In most homes the TV is on for half the day if not more.

Children are not interacting with peers and family members. Children are

not eating dinner with families and communicating. The TV or technology

is the focus and healthy social and communication skills are eroding

exponentially. Children and teens are not exercising which is essential

for physical health as well as mental health. Children are not reading

books, playing instruments, playing with peers, joining groups and

organizations and are isolating in their rooms or homes watching media.

Obesity is an epidemic in the USA and this is no exception for children.

One out of three high school students are not involved in any exercise.

Many children and teens spend most of their time playing video games,

watching tv, or on the computer. Limiting media time is one huge piece

in decreasing weight and obesity problems among youth. Of course

exercise and healthy eating habits are important as well. The first step

is limiting media consumption.

Thousands of studies have been done on child aggression/ anger and TV

since he early 1950’s and only a couple dozen state that aggression and

TV watching frequency increase childhood aggression. TV desensitizes

children toward violence, anger, aggression, verbal abuse and more.

Children will be exposed to over 200,000 violent acts and over 15,000

murders before they reach age 18. Do you really want your children

exposed to this much violence?.

Tv research shows that exposure to alcohol and smoking increase the

likelihood your child will gravitate toward these products. This is why

advertisers spend Billions of dollars each year to increase sales and

exposure of their products.

Children and parents can learn healthy skills and tips in counseling at

LifeWorks AZ PLLC to create health and balance for a child, teen and

family. Learning healthy skills to promote health, manage mood, increase

social skills, manage behaviors in the home, increase success a school.

overcome negative thinking, address anxiety issues,increase self

esteem, manage depressed mood, increase motivation, make healthy

choices, manage anger and more.

Sixty six percent of children up to middle school are not getting

sufficient sleep according to Narional sleep experts.

Children are falling asleep in school and schools are pushing back

start times however this may not be the solution.

Research has shown children that are deprived of sleep are prone to

unhealthy and behaviors that are not productive: acting out behaviors,

depression, anxiety, mood swings, inability to focus ( ADD, ADHD)

symptoms, weight gain,

The child’s sleep deprived body releases adrenaline and cortisol that

not only make them hyper and unable to focus and impact brain

development.

Electronics in the bedroom is one of the biggest obstacles to sleep:

texting, tv, Internet, facebook, social media etc.

Diet and exercise are vital for sound sleep.

Setting limits and boundaries is possible. Parents can learn to set

boundaries that will help your child: behaviorally , emotionally,

socially, mentally, and physically.

Below are four research based articles on how sleep impacts: mood, anxiety, depression, as well as behavior and academic performance. In a recent study poor sleep was linked to: ADHD, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, autism, epilepsy and more.

It is important to address sleep issues early on to change tis behavior for children and teens.

When I see children that are having: anxiety, depression, and social skill and academic issues many times sleep is an issue in that the children are not getting enough sleep. Poor sleep is linked to many behavioral problems as well.

While a stressful event can lead to a bad night of sleep, it’s what you do in response to stress that can be the difference between a few bad nights and chronic insomnia..

Research studies state that positive reframing, acceptance and humor are the most effective coping strategies for people dealing with failures.

Positive reframing was helpful for students high in perfectionistic concerns is particularly important because it suggests that even people high in perfectionistic concerns, who have a tendency to be dissatisfied no matter what they achieve, are able to experience high levels of satisfaction if they use positive reframing coping when dealing with perceived failures.

Reframing is a resiliency skill that helps people to overcome adversity and reach life goals.  Remember the old metaphor “Is the glass is half-full or half-empty?”  This is a perfect example of how the same event can be looked at in a positive or negative light. Positive reframing means trying to reconsider things in a positive light, and it is a powerful way to transform your thinking. Positive reframing does not change the situation, but it can certainly reduce damage and put things into a healthier perspective.

When you are experiencing positive emotions like joy, contentment, and love, you will see more possibilities in your life. These findings were among the first that suggested positive emotions broaden your sense of possibility and open your mind up to more options.

Finding ways to build happiness and positive emotions into your life — whether it is through meditation, writing, playing a pickup basketball game, or anything else — provides more than just a momentary decrease in stress and a few smiles.

Periods of positive emotion and unhindered exploration are when you see the possibilities for how your past experiences fit into your future life, when you begin to develop skills that blossom into useful talents later on, and when you spark the urge for further exploration and adventure.

To put it simply: Seek joy, play often, and pursue adventure. Your brain will do the rest.

Exercise daily is very important for teenagers and adults in order to help with sleep. Eating healthy is also very important. Children should have little sugar and caffeine this will disrupt healthy sleep. Children and teenagers should not be playing video games after 6 pm and they should not be watching TV or playing electronics three hours  before bed time. The child or teens brain thinks it is day time due to the screen lights and it manipulates the brain got stay yup late.

Research shows that youth that do not get 9-11 hours sleep per night will have behavioral issues including: anger, depression, anxiety, and more with limited sleep each night.

A study published in the Jan 1 issue of Sleep found that children with sleep disturbances are more severely depressed, have more depressive symptoms and have more anxiety diorders, compared with children without sleep disturbances.”

There are a wide array of reasons why people have difficulty sleeping

Eliminating caffeine, alcohol, and marijuana, as well as other drugs must be looked at .

Watching TV, playing video games, using cell phones close to bed time can impact sleep. Lack of exercise impacts sleep.

In a recent medical report a physician reported that sedative hypnotics are over prescribed . Over 60 million prescriptions were filled in the US last year.

Lunesta and Ambien have side effects and some have been: driving in their sleep, sleep walking, cooking in their sleep, confusion etc.

Experts state these medications are for short term use.

There are a lot of elements involved in the body and mind and if this is addressed sleep will

follow.

Sixty six percent of children up to middle school are not getting sufficient sleep according to sleep experts.

Children are falling asleep in school and schools are pushing back start times however this may not be the solution.

Research has shown children that are deprived of sleep are prone to unhealthy and behaviors that are not productive: acting out behaviors, depression, anxiety, mood swings, inability to focus ( ADD, ADHD) symptoms, weight gain,

The child’s sleep deprived body releases adrenaline and cortisol that not only make them hyper and unable to focus and impact brain development.

Electronics in the bedroom is one of the biggest obstacles to sleep: texting, tv, Internet, face-book, social media etc.

Diet and exercise are vital for sound sleep.

Setting limits and boundaries is possible. Parents can learn to set boundaries that will help your child: behaviorally , emotionally, socially, mentally, and physically.

 

There is a lot of research on how a mom’s depression is linked with your child’s teen behaviors that are risky. Adolescents with depressed mom’s tend to display more risky behaviors as teenagers. Some of these delinquent behaviors include: smoking, aggression, and violence, alcohol use, and drug use.

Results showed that the adolescents exposed to maternal depressive symptoms during mid childhood had numerous delinquent behaviors. In fact, this was the only exposure group to show significantly higher scores for use of common substances, including cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana, than the low-exposure reference group.

The bottom line is that being available and present with your child does have an impact in their behaviors. In other research studies see below article.

Children and teens are every bit as stressed as the adults around them per a survey in the USA that offers a snapshot of youth and their stressors.

Adolescent youth routinely say that their school-year stress levels are far higher than they think is healthy and their average reported stress exceeds that of adults, according to an annual survey published by the American Psychological Association.

Three out of ten children reported feeling depressed in a large survey taken in 2014. Teenagers stress level was reported higher than the average reported for adults.

Children are feeling the intense pressure of: schoolwork, homework, family stress, social and interpersonal stress, and a culture that focuses on performance more than passion. A culture that pushes consumption and accumulation of “things” as vital when an inanimate object truly can not bring a foundation of happiness to our lives.

Our society is seeing a huge increase in child and teen anxiety, depression, behavioral issues, poor social skills, and more. Children today are connected to 5-6 electronic devices that are distracting and impact: sleep, school performance, mood, relationships and more.

Teens need a support system as well as structure and tools to cope with stress and distractions that are painful and challenging.

Parents, counselors and other adults can help young people resist stress and learn to manage it better. They can set limits and firm boundaries for reasonable sleep and screen time and point their teens toward stress-relieving activities, such as exercise. Creating a balance is key to managing life for a teen. Helping a child manage his or her time, eat healthy foods, minimize electronics and video games, obtain adequate sleep, balance school with family and peers.

Lifeworks Az has expertise in helping each unique child with creating balance in all aspects of their life. Lifeworks Az also works with each parent to modify the family dynamics to create the best outcome for the family as well as the child. The research in counseling and psychotherapy shows that a combined integrative approach is the most effective and gets best results. Lifeworks Az works with: boys and girls ages 5 and up as well as with teens and parents to create desired change. Lifeworks Az looks at the child’s unique gifts and strengths and uses this as a foundation for change. Lifeworks AZ does not label any child because a label will become used as a reason a child can not succeed and change and we have children making huge changes daily. Labels creating a feeling of being defective or disabled, or having a deficit and Lifeworks AZ focuses on the child as half full not half empty.

The rise in the number of people with weight issues and obesity has ignited and epidemic with type 2 diabetes.

Sugary drinks are connected with obesity and with an increased risk of developing diabetes . There are many other things that are connected with weight gain and obesity .

Some areas that impact obesity and weight gain are unresolved : trauma , stress, unhealthy habits , poor sleep, limited exercise , addictive behaviors , sitting around all day playing video games , sitting watching tv for long periods of time , sitting for long periods of time on the Internet ( I pad) ( smart phone ) etc.

The average child between the ages of 8 years old and 18 spend more than 8 hours a day on electronics . This is like a full time job being it is approx 40 hours a week on technology . Typically this means each child or teenager is not exercising or doing much physically which is vital for physical , mental , and emotional health .

Heavy media consumption in children and teens was associated with ; health issues , weight gain , diabetes , behavior problems , low grades and much more .

There is a relationship between heavy media use and children feeling : sad or bored, getting in trouble , not getting along with parents .

Children connected to media in heavy doses are losing out on social interactions and interpersonal skills . Children are not signing up for after school activities : sports , clubs , church groups , dance , exercise , and other extracurricular activities .

Girls and boys that are spending heavy amounts of time on media and electronics describe themselves as less happy and less comfortable in social situations .

Research suggests that youth need to experience the whole range of communication skills which includes face to face interactions to build self esteem and feel good about their social skills .

Parents can make a difference setting rules and limits with all electronic devices.

A Tempe Arizona high school student was arrested for possessing allegedly a improvised explosive device . The device was not big however police state it could cause serious damage .

A house keeper discovered several explosives in the home while cleaning the house . Authorities are not sure of how these explosives were intended as in was there a plan to use them ? Why did the student have them ?

Bomb technicians defused the explosive device and it was an IED that was active and could cause serious damage .

Gunpowder and two more bombs as well as another improvised explosive device was found in the home .

The parents were not aware that their son age 18 had these devices in their home .

It is difficult for parents to know exactly what is being hidden in a child’s room or in the home . It is important for parents to be open with their children and let them know what is safe and acceptable in the home and what is not safe. Also parents must set limits and communicate boundaries as well as consequences for bringing illegal substances. ( drugs , weapons , stolen property ) anything that is illegal , dangerous ,and not healthy.

In today’s age of technology 24/7 it is important that parents monitor friends, activities, and that they have access to technology to prevent potential dangerous , illegal, and unhealthy choices for their children .

Being aware of what your child is doing after school is vital . What type of friends is he or she associating with? Have you net the parents ? Are the children supervised when away from the home ? Is your child isolated ? Is your child sad? Is your child angry? Is your child’s grades suffering ? Is your child zoned out on video games and Internet and tv? Is your child involved in productive activities ?Are they using drugs, marijuana, or alcohol ? Is your teen doing homework daily ? Is your teen or child involved in sports , music, a club,
positive activities ? Is your child spending quality time one on one with parents? Do you spend time one on one listening to your child without solving the problem or cutting them off before they tell you their thoughts and express their feelings ? Does your child or teen have balance ? Enough sleep? Enough healthy foods ?

It is best to be safe and aware.

The DSM 5 publication is coming out with a new edition in May 2013. The concern among many counselors , psychologists , and doctors is that new thresholds have been created that have lowered the criteria to create a mental health disorder.

Childhood crying and tantrums would turn into a mental health disorder called disruptive mood dysregulation disorder.
The more labels of disorders will increase the amount of drug medications prescribed by the diagnosis .

I believe children are over medicated and firmly believe a disorder label creates a stigma that feeds the child to believe he is disabled and dysfunctional, defective , and this is not what is needed to improve behavior.

Lower thresholds have been created for ADD , Attention Deficit Disorder,ADHD and this means more potential for prescribing stimulant drugs .

Generalized anxiety disorder will become more common and will allow more medical treatments . The magic pill is what is given first however evidence based research shows that medication and counseling therapy is most effective together not alone .

Grief and loss will become a Depressive Disorder however grief and loss has never been considered a mental health disorder in the past.

A number of experts state we tend to prescribe medications: antidepressants , ADHD meds, anti psychotic medications despite poor evidence of their effectiveness and a laundry list of negative symptoms .

Teens find it challenging to vocalize feelings. Children are overwhelmed by thoughts and feelings that consume them during development.

Therapy via play and art can give vital insight into a child and teen’s inner thoughts and feelings( their world).

Family therapy is important when treating teenagers and adults. Learning to express feelings and thoughts in healthy ways is vital to improve communication in your family.

Helping the teenager and parents to understand the child’s behavior is essential in creating a change in your child’s behavior. The family environment is a vital foundation for a spring board for desired change to occur.

David Abrams www.lifeworksaz.com
Phoenix Arizona, adolescent therapist, teen therapist, child therapist, Scottsdale Arizona, Carefree Arizona.
Sent from David Abrams MAPC, LPC, CAGS
602.575.4030
www.LifeWorksAZ.com
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