Transcript Helping your child make good decisions.

Helping your child make good decisions.
Mary Vineis
Coordinator of Prevention Services,
New Bridge Services
Maryalice Thomas
Student Assistance Counselor
Randolph Township School District
Helping your child make good decisions
 At the end of tonight's presentation you will:
 Be able to identify the factors that impact and prevent your child
from making good decisions.
 Understand the difference between “sad” and depression
 Identify the signs an symptoms of depression in children and teens
 Know how depression and anxiety are related
 Know what to do to reach out to a student you are concerned about
 Understand the signs and symptoms of substance use and other risky
behaviors
Depression vs. Feeling Sad
 Feeling sad or having “the blues” is a normal reaction.
 Depression includes not only feelings of sadness, but is
accompanied by feeling so f worthlessness and hopelessness.
 Depression is an illness.
Some Facts that impact decision making
 At any given time-
 Estimates are that 10-15% of children/teens are depressed.
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In a district the size of Randolph that’s between 500 and 700
students
About 2% of children 6-12 appear to have a major depressive
disorder. (100 students)
About 4% of teens have a major depressive disorder (200
students)
Girls are more often affected than boys, two to one
We need to be collaborators with parents in order to assist in
identifying and referring students for help.
Teen Depression
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Sadness
Hopelessness
Irritability, anger hostility
Withdrawal
Loss of interest
Changes in eating and sleeping habits
Restless, agitated
Feelings of worthlessness and guilt
Lack of motivation and enthusiasm
Fatigue
Difficulty concentrating
Thoughts of death or suicide
Teen Depression
 Symptoms must persist for most of the day, for 2 or more
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weeks
Clear change in adolescent’s normal mood or behavior
Observed in different contexts
4 or more symptoms
Can be triggered by a stressful life event
Changes in the brain
Depression and Anxiety
 Anxiety is a natural human reaction
 Difference between Normal and an Anxiety Disorder
Depression and Anxiety
 Anxiety is a natural human reaction
 Difference between Normal and an Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety and Children
 Anxiety disorders affect 1 in 8 children ( 600 students)
 Often co-occur with other disorders such as: depression,
eating disorders, and ADHD
 Untreated, children are at risk of poor school performance,
missing out on social experiences, engaging in substance abuse.
What Can You Do?
 Offer Support
 Be gentle but persistent
 Listen without lecturing
 Validate feelings
 Get Help
 Estimated that only one in three will get help
 Why?
 Belief nothing can help
 Perception of weakness or failure
 Denial
 Embarrassed
 Difficulties in asking for help
Who are we as parents and how do
our actions impact our children’s
decisions?
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“Boomer” and “Gen X” generations
Older, more affluent
More pessimistic than our parents before us
Dual income and single parent households
Soccer moms, football dads
Over-protective of our children
Greater propensity to threaten legal action
Expectations that our children will have learned from our
experiences
Positive Parent Involvement
 Understand the transitions that students face from
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elementary to middle, middle to high and between high
school and college
Encourage and Empower student to take responsibility
Help children strategize and resolve their own issues. Do not
solve their problems
Intervene when student has exhausted all solutions.
Recognize and reach out when you feel your child’s issues
have reached beyond your capabilities.
When should parents get involved
with their child’s decision making?
 When you observe significant changes
 Appearance
 Interests
 Attitude
 Level of Satisfaction
 When you notice a change in how your child communicates
 Decipher “venting from crisis”
 Withdrawal from family events, family favorites (grandparents, cousins, etc)
 Determine whether your child has sent you a message whether it be verbal,
non-verbal or electronic. Is it the 1st text message or the 10th ?
 Is communication about your child coming from a third party – friends,
school, parents of your child’s friends?
What are Substance Abuse, Chemical
Dependence, and Co-Occurring
Disorders?
 Substance Use
 Substance Abuse
 Substance Dependence
 Co-Occurring Disorders
What substances are most often
abused by adolescents?
 Alcohol
 Marijuana
 Pills – Oxycotin,
 Tobacco
 Over the Counter Medications
 Hallucinogens
 Cocaine
 Amphetamines
 Opiates
 Inhalants
 Methamphetamine
What causes substance use, abuse
and dependence?
 Genetic vulnerability
 Environmental stressors
 Peer pressure for students
 Perceived social pressures by adults
 Social acceptability
 Individual personality characteristics
 Psychiatric problems
 Co-Occurring disorders
Who is affected by substance use,
abuse and dependence?
 Children of substance abusers
 Adolescents who are victims of physical, sexual, or
psychological abuse
 Adolescents with mental health problems, especially
depressed and suicidal teens
 Physically disabled adolescents
 Learning disabled adolescents
Signs and Symptoms of Substance
Use, Abuse, and Dependence.
 Sudden changes in personality without another known cause
 Loss of interest in once favorite hobbies, sports, or other activities
 Sudden decline in performance or attendance at school or work
 Changes in friends and reluctance to talk about new friends
 Deterioration of personal grooming habits
 Difficulty in paying attention, forgetfulness
 Sudden aggressive behavior, irritability, nervousness, or giddiness
 Increased secretiveness, heightened sensitivity to inquiry
Potential Consequences of
Adolescent Substance Use, Abuse
and Dependence
 Relationship Problems
 Traffic Accidents
 School-Related Problems
 Risky Practices  Delinquent Behavior
 Juvenile Crime
 Developmental Problems
 Physical and Mental Consequences
 Future Use Disorders
Break-out Sessions
 Helping your child recognize depression and anxiety
Room 140
 This session will provide further descriptions of depression and anxiety. There will be a survey for you
to complete with your teen if you suspect depression or anxiety.
 Coping Skills and the 40 Developmental Assets
Room 138
 This session will discuss strategies that will help keep your child off the path of anxiety and depression.
 How to discuss substance use with your child
Room 139
 This session will discuss substance among teenagers with specific trends occurring in NJ, Morris
County and Randolph.
 Dangerous behaviors and troubling trends
Auditorium
 What are the choking game, cutting, the cinnamon challenge, salt & ice and others.
 How to help your child navigate technology safely
Main Cafeteria
 Beyond Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, what are Snapchat, YikYak, Vine, sexting, etc.
 What’s on your mind?
Library
 An open discussion about student development, grief and loss, post-traumatic stress, etc.