don, Author at Kids Mental Health

Vaping and Its Effects to One’s Mental Health

Back in 2018, vaping was officially categorized as an “epidemic” by the U.S. Surgeon General and we were not allowed to do shopping online for it. In a previous report, teens and young adults using e-cigarettes had a steady increase in numbers. While its effects are widely known and despite the countless awareness campaigns, the numbers just seem to keep growing.
With people trying to keep up with the ‘trend’, first-time vape users might not even know damaging vapes are.
The Dangers of Vaping
Contrary to the common belief that e-cigs or vape pens are safer than …

Tips for Parents

School and Your Child’s Mental Health

A lot of kids and parents dread the first day of school because of the anxiety that comes with it. While in some cases children are able to get over that fear of starting a new school year, those who are living with mental illnesses can have a much harder time and can even get physically sick while experiencing anxiety.
Here are a few ideas that can help you and your child fight these anxieties:

Acknowledge your child’s fears. It’s important as a parent and as your child’s support system that you listen to and understand that their fears are real and valid. Ask them about their triggers and what makes them anxious…

Tips for Parents

Steps to Take After Your Kid’s Mental Health Diagnosis

It’s normal to feel concerned and uncertain after your child got diagnosed with a mental illness, especially if it’s a condition you’ve never encountered before. There’s a lot to take in and a lot of questions to answer, so it’s vital to not only listen to your child’s doctor’s recommendations but to also educate yourself on the diagnosis and what you can do to cope.
The following are the steps you can take:

Understand your child’s condition. The first and most important step you need to take right now as a parent is to understand what your child has and what they’re going through. Understand that the …

Tips for Parents

Tips for a Healthier Approach to Life

Sometimes life just can’t seem to give you a break, and as a parent, it can be hard to juggle all your responsibilities at work and at home on top of taking care of your children. In the middle of all these everyday tasks, it’s important to still look out for your own mental health. Keep yourself grounded and mindful with the following tips:

Give yourself daily “me” time. Make sure that no matter how busy you are in a day, give yourself some time to enjoy the things you like. That can be watching a movie or working out; it doesn’t matter as long as it’s time you’re spending for yourself.
Take a few …

Tips for Parents

Talking to Your Kids About Suicide

It’s normal that as a parent, you’re afraid to talk about suicide to your children. But it’s important to know that avoiding the topic can lead to more harm than good, and the idea that talking about suicide can increase its risk is not true, especially if done correctly.
Chances are, your child will experience a loss due to suicide at some point in their lives anyway, so break the barrier by talking about it. Here are some tips:

Stop the stigma. When someone dies of cancer, you immediately know to tell someone that they died of cancer. The same approach should be done when someone dies of suicide, even when …

Kids Mental Health Tips for Parents

ADHD in the Classroom

It’s not uncommon that children are diagnosed with ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Because of this diagnosis, these children may perform poorly in school as they have trouble controlling their impulses. If you’re working with a child with ADHD, it’s important to know how you can help them do better in school.
Sometimes symptoms of ADHD show up less at home and more when they’re in the classroom. Some of these signs are:

Constant motion while seated or moving around the classroom
Difficulty focusing on tasks and schoolwork
Excessive talking when not asked to

These…

Kids Mental Health

Different Types of Treatment Available for Your Child

There are many types of treatment available for your child once they’ve been diagnosed with a mental health condition. Apart from medication such as antidepressants or mood stabilizers, there are also different types of psychotherapy available. What your child will need will depend on their diagnosis, and they can also benefit from a mixture of both approaches.
The more common methods of psychotherapy are:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). A go-to for many mental illnesses, this psychotherapy treatment is a short-term approach that deals with one’s thinking patterns or behaviours to change the way they approach a…

Kids Mental Health

Understanding the Difference Between Trauma and Stress in Kids

Stress is a normal part of everyone’s lives, kids included, but they can have some difficulty in managing it and may therefore need some guidance. As parents, we can help them release some of that stress by talking about the problem or taking some time to do activities that help them destress.
Trauma, however, should not be a normal part of a kid’s life. It’s disruptive, destructive, and should be dealt with sensitively. A traumatic event can be one or a series of happenings that threaten a child’s life or causes horror and helplessness during the event, and it heavily impacts the way the child thinks and sees the world….