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Fight Flight Freeze – A Guide to Anxiety for Kids

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

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Many children struggle with self-regulation. This can manifest as inappropriate behaviors and interactions with others, difficulty staying organized, and academic underachievement. When a child deals with these things day after day, his or her self-esteem and sense of self-efficacy can be damaged.

Behavioral therapy is a necessary component to work with these children to build the skills that will help them to be successful in both their academic and social/emotional lives. Some parents are willing to try medication to help with these concerns and some are not; either way, medication is nothing more than a tool that can help the child slow down enough to learn the appropriate skills necessary for success.

Emily offers both individual and group counseling for children who struggle with impulsivity, disorganization, and self-regulation. Through therapy, children work on building awareness of the things that can cause problems and the focus on building the skills they need to combat the unhelpful behaviors.

Please contact Emily for more information regarding counseling for your child. Emily is also available to make in-school observations of your child to help determine if an ADHD diagnosis is appropriate or to attend school meetings to help create a Section 504 Plan or Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for your child. Emily's experience working with elementary and middle school students as a teacher and counselor guides her when helping in this way.

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Many children struggle with self-regulation. This can manifest as inappropriate behaviors and interactions with others, difficulty staying organized, and academic underachievement. When a child deals with these things day after day, his or her self-esteem and sense of self-efficacy can be damaged.

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The School Counselor and Student Mental Health

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Students' unmet mental health needs can be a significant obstacle to student academic, career and social/emotional development and even compromise school safety. Even so, most students in need do not receive adequate mental health supports (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2013).

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In the second trailer for the film, kids from UNSTUCK: an OCD kids movie define Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in their words and share some ways obsessions and compulsions interrupted their lives. 

UNSTUCK is the story of 6 kids and teens with OCD. The documentary covers OCD education, therapy and treatment for adolescents. 

Film site: http://www.ocdkidsmovie.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/ocdkidsmovie

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DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR DISORDERS: OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANT DISORDER (ODD) AND CONDUCT DISORDER (CD) FACT SHEET

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DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR DISORDERS: OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANT DISORDER (ODD) AND CONDUCT DISORDER (CD) FACT SHEET

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National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

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Conduct Disorder Research_ Oppositional Defiance Disorder (1)

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TEA Early Mental Health Intervention Information

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TEA Early Mental Health Intervention Information

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Who would have ever guessed that words like coronavirus , or would become part of our daily vocabulary? When stressful times occur, like now, it's just as important to make sure we are feeling good emotionally as it is physically, because your mental health is your first line of defense to staying healthy. One scientifically proven way to boost the immune function is by thinking and acting optimistically . In other words, dreaming and setting life goals can be good for your health !

Dr. Sara E. Williams , one of the authors of Magination Press book, Dream It! A Playbook to Spark Your Awesomeness , provides a Mental Health Checkup & Toolkit to help your family learn an optimistic mental health strategy that will not only teach them how to manage their stress and stay physically healthy but also get them excited about the future.

How fear and stress cause illness

When the mind and body are in a state of fear and stress, our autonomic nervous system (the body's "engine") revs up and hits the gas pedal, giving us lots of extra energy to protect ourselves. This is also known as the fight or flight response. Then, when the danger has passed, our body slows down and hits the brakes, which allows us to recover and restore. This is known as the rest and digest response. This balance of "on" and "off' works great until we hit a period of chronic stress, in which case our body stays in the fight or flight response for longer than usual. This becomes a drain on the body's resources and doesn't give us enough time in the rest and digest cycle to restore and rebuild. Instead of stress wearing us down, managing stress can help us be strong and healthy.

Here's the Good News!

You can learn how to turn off the fight or flight response and put your body in the rest and digest cycle. You do this by changing your thoughts and actions in optimistic ways. These stressful times provide the perfect opportunity for your family to learn a few strategies to not only survive, but thrive in the face of stress. As a parent, you are your children's most important role model. Showing them how you handle stress will go a long way to help them manage their own stress.

Overall, the goal is to acknowledge that stress is part of life-stress can be big, small, and every size in between. The most powerful thing we can do is teach children how to handle stress in a healthy way both physically and emotionally. This lets them make a positive, intentional change in their lives. Learning skills like self-awareness and self-management can help your child learn to effectively identify and manage stress. Learning and practicing these skills leads children to develop physical and emotional resilience, and acceptance that even when challenges occur in life, they have the ability to confront and manage those challenges.

Get a Checkup!

Now that you know a little about how stress works, let's do a mental health checkup! A mental health checkup lets you see how stressed you may be feeling, The toolkit helps you learn social-emotional skills to "hit the brakes" to h elp turn off the stress response and boost immune system fu nction. It will not only help you feel better but also help make a plan for the future. Below, you can do the checkup here, online, or you can get your free, downloadable version of the Mental Health Checkup & Toolkit by click here! The printable PDF is great for the young family, as opposed to more screen time.

Taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health. The exercises in the mental health checkup can help you recognize and cope with emotions like worry, stress, or feeling upset. They can also help with situations that you feel you can't do much about. Give these exercises a try - they might help you feel better!

Here's a link to download a copy of the Mental Health Checkup & Toolkit: Mental-Health-Checkup-and-Toolkit-06

Instructions

1. Pause and take a moment to check up on yourself. Try taking a deep breath. How do you feel? Can you identify a problem? Until we know what is bothering us, it's hard to know how to manage it.

2. Consider the four tools below, starting with the Distraction Tool. Take some time to learn how each one works.

3. Which tool do you think will help you feel better right now? (On a different day, it might be a different tool.)

4. Now, pick one and give it a try! If it helps you, great! If you need more help, try changing categories or adding a category, such as listening to music while taking a walk.

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Kids Feeling Stressed? Try This Mental Health Checkup & Toolkit!

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Who would have ever guessed that words like coronavirus, COVID-19 or pandemic would become part of our daily vocabulary? When stressful times occur, like now, it's just as important to make sure we are feeling good emotionally as it is physically,

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Mental Health Screening and Assessment Tools for Children

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Mental Health Screening and Assessment Tools for Read more about assessment, mental, screening, tools, children and that.

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Finding the motivation to make positive lifestyle changes can be hard for anyone. For teenagers, it can be especially difficult when parents are the ones telling them to do it. But if they've fallen into unhealthy habits like vaping or alcohol abuse, change can be beneficial. Motivational interviewing is a form of therapy that creates a safe, non-judgmental environment for teens to establish their own goals and values and see how changing unhealthy behaviors can benefit them in the long run.

This series of articles comes from the Child Mind Institute, with most available in English and Spanish. Why might teens be resistant to therapy and how can parents and others to help them get the treatment they need? The articles explain how motivational interviewing can help teens gain the self-confidence to make important behavioral changes. To read more about motivational interviewing, and to connect with the articles in both English and Spanish, please visit CPIR's abstract.

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Center for Parent Information and Resources | Your Central Hub for Parent Centers Serving Families of Children With Disabilities

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Finding the motivation to make positive lifestyle changes can be hard for anyone. For teenagers, it can be especially difficult when parents are the ones telling them to do it. But if they've fallen into unhealthy habits like vaping or alcohol abuse, change can be beneficial.

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Child and Adolescent Mental Health Information

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Child and Adolescent Mental Health Information

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National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

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Overview

Mental health is an important part of overall health for children as well as adults. For many adults who have mental disorders, symptoms were present-but often not recognized or addressed-in childhood and adolescence. For a young person with symptoms of a mental disorder, the earlier treatment is started, the more effective it can be. Early treatment can help prevent more severe, lasting problems as a child grows up.

Warning signs

Health topics and resources

Featured videos

Learn about youth suicide, the effects of technology and the pandemic on the developing brain, and tips for supporting the mental health of youth.

Got 60 seconds? Take a mental health minute to learn about stress and anxiety in adolescents.

Got 60 seconds? Take a mental health minute to learn about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or ADHD.

Health hotlines

Clinical trials

Unless otherwise specified, the information on our website and in our publications is in the public domain and may be reused or copied without permission. However, you may not reuse or copy the images. Please cite the National Institute of Mental Health as the source. Read our copyright policy to learn more about our guidelines for reusing NIMH content.

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Find information about child and adolescent mental health, including warning signs, latest news and resources, videos, and how to find help.

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Video about Diagnosis and Treatment in Children and Adolescents

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Video about Diagnosis and Treatment in Children and Adolescents

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National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

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Discover NIMH: Diagnosis and Treatment in Children and Adolescents

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Children’s Mental Health Disorder Fact Sheet for Teachers

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Children’s Mental Health Disorder Fact Sheet for Teachers

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School Counselors Serving Students with Disruptive Behavior Disorders

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School Counselors Serving Students with Disruptive Behavior Disorders

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School Counselors Serving Students with Disruptive Behavior Disorders

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From Dr. Tamar Chansky Creator of Worrywisekids.org

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Inside Higher ED article about Anxiety Rising

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Inside Higher ED article about Anxiety Rising

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Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs

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More than half of the college students who visited their campus counseling centers during the 2015-16 academic year reported symptoms of anxiety, according to a survey by the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors.

This marks the seventh year in a row that anxiety has been the top complaint among students seeking mental health services. This year, 51 percent of students who visited a counseling center reported having anxiety, followed by depression (41 percent), relationship concerns (34 percent) and suicidal ideation (20.5 percent). Many students reported experiencing multiple conditions at once.

Since 2009, when anxiety overtook depression as the No. 1 concern among college students, the number of students experiencing anxiety has steadily increased.

This survey was conducted between September 2015 and August 2016. In total, 529 counseling center directors representing that many institutions responded to the survey, with an even split between public and private institutions. The majority of respondents came from four-year colleges, but community colleges, professional schools and art schools were also included.

In an effort to reflect the makeup of their student bodies, counseling centers have diversified their clinical staff members. Of new hires, 62.2 percent are white, 15.3 percent black, 7.5 percent Latino and 10 percent Asian. This compares to current clinical staff, who are 70.9 percent white, 10.1 percent black, 7.3 percent Latino and 7.9 percent Asian.

"Student populations have become more diverse," said Micky Sharma, president of the AUCCCD and director of counseling and consultation services at Ohio State University. "Counseling services work to create a staff that represents their student bodies."

At Ohio State, for example, the counseling center now offers clinical services in nine different languages to meet the needs of their international students, who make up about 12 percent of the student body, Sharma said.

Regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation, "anyone could show up with anxiety or depression or a relationship issue," Sharma said. "A university counseling center is charged with providing help for everybody."

Another key finding in the survey is that 41.6 percent of counseling centers hired additional staff members in the last academic year, compared to about 26 percent in 2011 and 36 percent in 2016.

College counseling centers continue to grow to match the demands of their students, according to David Reetz, the lead researcher and coordinator for the 2016 survey and director of counseling and psychological services at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

"More students are seeking services because we continue to be more and more aware that a student's health and well-being have a lot to do with their success in their academic programs and the quality of their student life experience," Reetz said.

In fact, of the students surveyed, about 72 percent who used counseling services said it helped their academic performance in some way.

As more students continue to seek out mental health services and campus counseling centers try to keep up with new hires, the question of student wait times becomes key.

For the first time, this year's survey asked counseling center directors about average wait times for students based on the number of business days between when the appointment was scheduled and when it occurred.

The survey team found that, on average, students waited between six and eight business days for counseling services. However, as might be expected, institutions with a lower ratio of professional staff to students saw shorter wait times.

Reetz noted that the wait-time average is a "tricky number," given that some students opt to schedule their first appointment farther out to accommodate their own schedules.

"Students don't necessarily want to be seen right away," Reetz said, adding that, generally, "the more staff a center has, the shorter that wait time is between initial contact and first appointment."

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Anxiety and depression are the primary concerns for students seeking counseling services

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Survey of campus counseling centers finds increased demand for services, as well as additional positions and more diversity in hiring.

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When worrying gets in the way of a child's functioning, parents need to get help rather than arranging the child's life to avoid the occasions of anxiety.

Credit... Getty Images

By

Anxiety disorders, the most common mental health problems in children and adolescents, often go untreated while children suffer, even though there are effective treatments available, according to a new report on anxiety in children and adolescents from the Child Mind Institute in New York. Anxiety may be missed because it doesn't necessarily declare itself with attention-getting disruptive behaviors; in fact, symptoms may keep some children quiet and inhibited, though in other children, alternatively, anxiety may be misunderstood as oppositional behavior.

Adults may also assume that anxiety in a child is just a phase to be outgrown. A certain amount of anxiety is a normal aspect of development for young children - consider separation anxiety, for example - and it can even be protective, since children need to learn to keep themselves safe and anticipate certain kinds of dangers. But when worrying or avoiding possible threats gets in the way of a child's functioning or a child's enjoyment, it should be a signal to parents that help is needed, not just watching and waiting, not arranging the child's life to avoid the occasions of anxiety.

Kathleen Merikangas, the senior investigator and chief of the Genetic Epidemiology Research Branch at the National Institute of Mental Health, said, "To me, anxiety is one of the most underrecognized or under-treated conditions of childhood and adolescence." These children can get missed, she said, because they may seem to be functioning well; many don't have the kinds of developmental problems or attention issues that draw attention in school, though they may be suffering.

Consider the child whose anxiety about speaking in public gets in the way of participating in class. The child may be silent out of a fear of being laughed at or otherwise rejected, Dr. Merikangas said, but to the teacher, it may look like the child is just not interested. Environmental modifications can really help these children thrive in school, she said; for example, working in small groups with children they know.

The new report, released in September, summarizes the evidence that early temperament in children predicts their later behavior patterns around anxiety; toddlers who show what are called "behaviorally inhibited" behaviors, which parents are likely to perceive as extreme shyness, or anxiety around new people, are more likely to develop social anxiety later on. That doesn't mean that shyness is pathological (as with all varieties of temperament, there's a wide range of function), but it does suggest how important it is to help a child with this temperament who develops difficulties.

The tendency toward anxiety - and toward some specific forms of anxiety, like phobias - may persist throughout childhood and adolescence and into adulthood. And anxiety is closely tied to depression, Dr. Merikangas said. Although there have been reports that anxiety rates among American teenagers have soared, she cited evidence that the international rates of the underlying disorders had stayed consistent from 1998 to 2013; there is no global "epidemic" of clinical anxiety disorders, she said.

But with rates of suicide and suicidal ideation on the rise, it's particularly important to provide information to schools and to parents about recognizing anxiety and getting children help.

Dr. Harold Koplewicz, the president of the Child Mind Institute, said that when anxiety disorders in children are left untreated, anxiety can inhibit their lives, making standard daily activities difficult, from attending school to sleeping in their own beds, and lead to many extra visits to the school nurse or the pediatrician.

But beyond that, he said, "people underestimate that this is a gateway disorder." If children don't get help with these disorders, they may be at risk to develop other mental health problems; the child with severe separation anxiety may develop panic disorder, he said; the child with untreated general anxiety may be at greater risk for depression.

Dr. Merikangas was a co-investigator on a national study of mental disorders in adolescents, which has shown both that anxiety disorders were the most common mental health problems in adolescents in the United States, and also the problems that showed up earliest in those children's lives - the mean age of onset for anxiety disorders was 6. But many adolescents had never received treatment. That makes it essential to get the word out, Dr. Merikangas said, that anxiety is "one of the most treatable symptoms and syndromes, we can really change their lives with minimal intervention."

"All these disorders are remarkably treatable," Dr. Koplewicz said. There are highly effective behavioral and psychosocial therapies, including cognitive behavioral therapies, to help children cope with the demands of daily life. For children who don't respond to psychosocial therapies, he said, medications can be added.

But perhaps because anxiety is a normal response, parents often believe that even severe and disabling anxiety symptoms are just a phase, and on average, there is a two-year lag between the time children develop anxiety and the time they get help. "It's bad for these children's brains," he said. "Having your brain's thermostat miss-set is not good for your brain."

"Anxiety can manifest itself along a continuum," said Rachel Busman, the senior director of the anxiety disorders center at the Child Mind Institute. The report shows that there is some overlap with physical illnesses, such as chronic headaches or stomach aches, often coordinated with school. "That could be a kid's way of saying, 'I'm anxious,'" she said.

And when a child who is having a lot of difficulty with separation gets into the classroom, Dr. Busman said, that child may start throwing things, or running and hiding, and that "bad behavior" may represent the fight or flight response of anxiety. "We've also seen kids who have intense social anxiety and their way of managing it is to be class clown," she said.

Treating children with anxiety always means working with their parents. Jerry Bubrick, senior clinical psychologist at the anxiety disorders center of the Child Mind Institute, said that when children are little, it's normal for parents to operate in "fix-it mode," blocking the staircase so a toddler doesn't tumble down, averting problems before they happen.

As children get older, parents normally pull back, helping children find solutions of their own. "But anxious parents of anxious children remain in fix-it mode," he said, helping their children avoid the situations that make them anxious. Therapy involves exposing children to those situations and helping them develop strategies to manage them; with treatment, Dr. Bubrick said, parents can "let the child experience the anxiety and learn to tolerate and overcome it on their own."

"If you see things you're not sure about, talk to the preschool, talk to the pediatrician, be open to the idea that maybe there is anxiety," even in a young child, Dr. Busman said. Separation anxiety can be a problem even in children who are able to go to school, she said. Parents should pay attention if a child can't be left with a babysitter, a child can't sleep alone at home."These are the kids, they go into the bathroom, and they're like, are you still there?" she said. "We do see really young anxious children."

"If your child is suffering distress and dysfunction, reach out to your pediatrician," Dr. Koplewicz said. When you get to a mental health professional, "make sure you ask the right questions," he said, including asking whether that person has specific experience with treating anxiety and how long the treatment is expected to take.

"You want a professional who understands what they're doing and can explain to you what they're doing."

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How to Help a Child With an Anxiety Disorder

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When worrying gets in the way of a child's functioning, parents need to get help rather than arranging the child's life to avoid the occasions of anxiety. By Anxiety disorders, the most common mental health problems in children and adolescents, often go untreated while children suffer, even though there are effective treatments available, according to a new report on anxiety in children and adolescents from the Child Mind Institute in New York.

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Sometimes anxiety is easy to identify — when a child is too nervous to read aloud or make a presentation in class. Other times anxiety in the classroom can look like something else entirely — an upset stomach, disruptive or angry classroom behavior, ADHD or even a learning disorder.

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ASCA Ethical Standardsfor School Counselors

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ASCA Ethical Standardsfor School Counselors

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Bipolar, Depressive & Other Related Disorders Informational Guide

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Bipolar, Depressive & Other Related Disorders Informational Guide

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Module 4_ Bipolar & Related Disorders _ Depressive Disorders  Guide 

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Individual Education Plan (IEP) Model for Bipolar Children

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Individual Education Plan (IEP) Model for Bipolar Children

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Each child is an individual with different social, emotional, and academic strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, their educational needs may vary from one season or school year to the next.

In the first section of our chapter, "School: A Child's World Beyond Home" we cover the legal evolution of the Individual with Disabilities Educational Act (IDEA 2004) and advise a parent how to initiate an Individual Education Plan (IEP), prepare for the IEP meeting (including rehearsal strategies), and locate educational consultants and attorneys.

But the more we talked to people in preparation for this chapter, the more we came to understand that both parents and educators were confused about the construction of an IEP for a student struggling with a bipolar disorder. A model IEP-one that specifically addresses the seasonal variations in mood, energy, attention, motivation, and behavior, as well as one that addresses the frequently co-occurring executive function deficits, needed to be developed.

Therefore, we asked special education advocate, Anne Marie Smith, M. Ed., from Agawam, Massachusetts, to construct an IEP that might provide guidelines for educating a middle school student throughout the school year.

With the hope that the following information is helpful to parents and educators alike, we excerpt the following from The Bipolar Child (pages 305-311.) Also see pages 295-303 in the book for a highly focused and very comprehensive list of accommodations, modifications, and special services that can be incorporated into an IEP.
From The Bipolar Child by Demitri Papolos, M.D. and Janice Papolos (Broadway Books, 2006). All rights reserved.

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Bipolar Children Individual Education Plan (IEP) Model

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Each child is an individual with different social, emotional, and academic strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, their educational needs may vary from one season or school year to the next.

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Working to deliver a better special education service

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Home - ADDA - Attention Deficit Disorder Association

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Empowering adults with adhd to live their best lives A Different Brain Requires a Different Approach Whether you're newly diagnosed, wondering if you have ADHD, or simply ready to take charge of your life - we're here to help. Have ...

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Anxious youth often go unnoticed. Learn the anxiety symptoms to look for, and about the different types of anxiety disorders.

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What Are Eating Disorders in Children? | Eating Disorders

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National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

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Does your child go through extreme changes in mood and behavior? Does your child get much more excited or much more irritable than other kids? Do you notice that your child goes through cycles of extreme highs and lows in mood and energy levels more often than other children? Do these mood changes affect how your child acts at school or home?

Some children and teens with these symptoms may have bipolar disorder, a mental illness that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and day-to-day functioning. With treatment, children and teens with bipolar disorder can improve over time.

What is bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder (formerly called manic-depressive illness or manic depression) is a mental illness that causes people to experience noticeable, sometimes extreme, changes in mood and behavior. It is a common misperception that children cannot have bipolar disorder. Although most people are diagnosed with bipolar disorder in adolescence or adulthood, the symptoms can appear earlier in childhood.

Bipolar disorder is not the same as the typical ups and downs every child goes through. The mood changes in bipolar disorder are more extreme, often unprovoked, and accompanied by changes in sleep, energy level, and the ability to think clearly.

Children with bipolar disorder sometimes feel very happy or "up" and are much more energetic and active than usual. This is called a manic episode. Children with bipolar disorder sometimes feel very sad or "down" and are much less active than usual. This is called a depressive episode. Bipolar disorder is often episodic, but it usually lasts a lifetime.

Bipolar disorder symptoms can make it hard to perform well in school or get along with friends and family members. Some children and teens with bipolar disorder may try to hurt themselves or attempt suicide. Early diagnosis and treatment can lead to better functioning and well-being over the long term.

Signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder may overlap with symptoms of other disorders that are common in young people, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct problems, major depression, and anxiety disorders.

Diagnosing bipolar disorder can be complicated and requires a careful and thorough evaluation by a trained, experienced mental health professional.

With treatment, children and teens with bipolar disorder can manage their symptoms and lead full, active lives.

What causes bipolar disorder?

The exact causes of bipolar disorder are unknown, but several factors may contribute to the illness.

For example, researchers are beginning to uncover genetic factors linked to bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. Research shows that a person's chances of having bipolar disorder are higher if they have a close family member with the illness, which may be because they have the same genetic variations. However, just because one family member has bipolar disorder does not mean other family members will have it. Many genes are involved in the disorder, and no single gene causes it.

Research also suggests that people with a genetic risk of having bipolar disorder may be more likely to develop the disorder after experiencing trauma or other stressful life events.

Some research studies have found differences in brain structure and function between people with bipolar disorder and people without it. Researchers are examining these differences to learn more about possible causes and effective treatments.

What are the symptoms of bipolar disorder?

Mood episodes in bipolar disorder include intense emotions and significant changes in sleep habits, activity levels, thoughts, or behaviors. Children and teens with bipolar disorder may have manic episodes, depressive episodes, or "mixed" episodes. A mixed episode has both manic and depressive symptoms. These mood episodes cause symptoms that often last for several days or weeks. During an episode, symptoms occur every day and last for most of the day.

These mood and activity changes are very different from the child's usual behavior and the behavior of healthy children and teens.

Children and teens having a manic episode may:

Show intense happiness or silliness for long periods of time.

Have a very short temper or seem extremely irritable.

Talk fast about a lot of different things.

Have trouble sleeping but do not feel tired.

Have trouble staying focused and experience racing thoughts.

Seem overly interested or involved in pleasurable but risky activities.

Do risky or reckless things that show poor judgment.

Have an inflated sense of ability, knowledge, and power.

Children and teens having a depressive episode may:

Feel frequent and unprovoked sadness.

Show increased irritability, anger, or hostility.

Complain a lot about physical pain, such as stomachaches and headaches.

Start sleeping a lot more.

Have difficulty concentrating.

Feel hopeless and worthless.

Have difficulty communicating or maintaining relationships.

Eat too much or too little.

Have low energy and no interest in activities they usually enjoy.

Think about death or have thoughts of suicide.

Can children and teens with bipolar disorder have other problems?

Young people with bipolar disorder can have several problems at the same time. For example, they may also be at risk of misusing alcohol or drugs. Sometimes extreme behaviors go along with mood episodes. During manic episodes, young people with bipolar disorder may take extreme risks that they wouldn't usually take or that could cause them harm or injury. During depressive episodes, some young people with bipolar disorder may think about running away from home or have thoughts of suicide.

If your child shows signs of suicidal thinking, take these signs seriously and call your child's health care provider.
If your child is struggling or having thoughts of suicide, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org . This service is confidential, free, and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

How is bipolar disorder diagnosed?

A health care provider will ask questions about your child's mood, sleeping patterns, energy levels, and behavior. There are no blood tests or brain scans that can diagnose bipolar disorder. However, the health care provider may use tests to determine if something other than bipolar disorder is causing your child's symptoms. Health care providers may need to know about medical conditions in the family, such as depression or substance use.

Other disorders-such as ADHD, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, and anxiety disorders-have symptoms like those of bipolar disorder. It can be challenging to distinguish bipolar disorder from depression that occurs without mania, referred to as "major depression." A health care provider who specializes in working with children and teens can carefully evaluate your child's symptoms to provide an accurate diagnosis.

How is bipolar disorder treated?

Children and teens can work with their health care provider to develop a treatment plan to help them manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life. It is important to follow the treatment plan, even when your child is not currently experiencing a mood episode. Steady, dependable treatment works better than treatment that starts and stops.

Several types of medication can help treat symptoms of bipolar disorder. Children respond to medications in different ways. They may need to try different types of medication to find the one that works best for them. Some children may need more than one type of medication because their symptoms are complex. Health care providers usually try to prescribe the fewest number of medications and the smallest doses possible to help treat a child's symptoms. Always tell your child's health care provider about any medication side effects. Do not stop giving your child a prescribed medication without speaking to a health care provider. Stopping medication suddenly can be dangerous and can make symptoms worse.

Different kinds of psychosocial therapy can also help children and their families manage the symptoms of bipolar disorder. Therapies based on scientific research-including cognitive behavioral approaches and family-focused therapy-can provide support, education, and guidance to youth and their families. These therapies teach skills that can help people manage bipolar disorder, including skills for maintaining routines, enhancing emotion regulation, and improving social interactions.

What can children and teens expect from treatment?

With treatment, daily functioning and well-being can improve over time. Treatment is more effective when health care providers, caregivers, and young people work together.

Sometimes a child's symptoms may change or disappear and then come back. When this happens, your child's health care provider may recommend changes to the treatment plan. Treatment can take time but sticking with the treatment plan can help young people manage their symptoms and reduce the likelihood of future episodes.

Your child's health care provider may recommend keeping a daily life chart or mood chart to track your child's moods, behaviors, and sleep patterns. This may make it easier to track the illness and see whether treatment is working.

How can I help my child or teen?

Help begins with an accurate diagnosis and treatment. Talk to your child's health care provider about any symptoms you notice.

If your child has bipolar disorder, here are some basic things you can do:

Be patient.

Encourage your child to talk, and listen to your child carefully.

Pay attention to your child's moods, and be alert to any major changes.

Understand triggers and learn strategies for managing intense emotions and irritability.

Help your child have fun.

Remember that treatment takes time: Sticking with the treatment plan can help your child get better and stay better.

Help your child understand that treatment can make life better.

How does bipolar disorder affect caregivers and families?

Caring for a child or teenager with bipolar disorder can be stressful for parents and families. Coping with a child's mood episodes and other symptoms-such as short tempers and risky behaviors-can challenge any caregiver.

It is important that caregivers take care of themselves, too. Find someone you can talk to or consult your health care provider about support groups. Finding support and strategies for managing stress can help you and your child.

Where do I go for help?

If you're unsure of where to get help, your doctor, pediatrician, or other family health care provider is a good place to start. A health care provider can refer you to a qualified mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist, who has experience treating bipolar disorder and can evaluate your child's symptoms.

Learn more about getting help on the NIMH website. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has an online treatment locator to help you find mental health services in your area.

What should I know about clinical trials?

NIMH supports a wide range of research, including clinical trials that look at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat diseases and conditions-including bipolar disorder. Although individuals may benefit from being part of a clinical trial, participants should be aware that the primary purpose of a clinical trial is to gain new scientific knowledge so that others may be better helped in the future.

Researchers at NIMH and around the country conduct clinical trials with patients and healthy volunteers. Talk to a health care provider about clinical trials, their benefits and risks, and whether one is right for you. Learn more about  participating in clinical trials.

Reprints

The information in this publication is in the public domain and may be reused or copied without permission. However, you may not reuse or copy images. Please cite the National Institute of Mental Health as the source. Read our copyright policy to learn more about our guidelines for reusing NIMH content.

For More Information

MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine) ( En español )

ClinicalTrials.gov ( En español )

NIH Publication No. 23-MH-8081
Revised 2023

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Information about bipolar disorder in children and teens including causes, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment options, and how to help a child or teen who has bipolar disorder.

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Up to 65% of adults with bipolar disorder experienced symptoms prior to the age of 18. So while the condition is often associated with adults, kids of any age can have bipolar disorder.﻿﻿

Childhood-onset bipolar is associated with a more severe course of illness compared to people who don't begin to experience symptoms until adulthood. Early intervention can be the key to getting symptoms under control.﻿﻿

Even if you know an adult with bipolar disorder-or you have been diagnosed with it yourself-it might not look the same in a teenager.

Teens tend to be more irritable than elated during manic episodes and their depressive episodes may involve more complaints of physical symptoms other than sadness.

When to Seek Help

Children and adolescents with bipolar disorder experience severe mood and behavior changes that are extreme and represent a major change from their typical mood and behavior. It might be difficult to know when the symptoms are severe enough to warrant evaluation and, potentially, diagnosis, so consider these three basic factors: functioning, feeling, and family.﻿﻿

Here are some questions to ask yourself about your child's functioning:

Are the problem behaviors of your child interfering with his daily functioning?

Is she able to play with other children her age?

Is he able to attend school regularly?

Do the demands of her difficulties outweigh the needs of other members of the family, maybe including you?

Here are some questions to ask yourself about your child's feelings:

Does your child feel like there is something wrong with him?

Does she feel overwhelmed handling normal activities other kids her age engage in?

Does your child worry about things other kids don't even think about?

Is there a history of mental illness in your child's family?

If you've said YES to questions in at least two of the three items above (functioning, feeling, and family), you're probably curious about the specific symptoms of bipolar disorder. Experts disagree about the exact symptoms that may appear in childhood and adolescent bipolar disorder because they appear to manifest differently than the symptoms of adults, but some of these symptoms may include:﻿﻿

Separation anxiety

Rages & explosive temper tantrums (lasting up to several hours)

Marked irritability

Oppositional behavior

Frequent mood swings

Distractibility

Hyperactivity

Getting involved in many projects or activities at once

More energy than normal

Less need for sleep

Impulsivity

Restlessness/ fidgetiness

Silliness, goofiness, giddiness

Racing thoughts

Aggressive behavior

Grandiosity

Risk-taking behaviors

Depressed mood

Low self-esteem

Difficulty getting up in the morning

Night terrors

Rapid or pressured speech

Thoughts of death or suicide

If you think your child may have bipolar disorder (or any other mental health issue), talk to his physician. Schedule an appointment to discuss your concerns.

A physician may refer you to a mental health treatment provider for a complete evaluation. A mental health expert will likely want to interview you and your child to get a full picture of the signs and symptoms.

There isn't a lab test that identifies bipolar disorder.﻿﻿

Sometimes other conditions such as depression or ADHD have similar presentations; so it's important to offer as much information as you can about your child's mood, sleep patterns, energy level, history, and behavior to help rule out other possibilities.

Bipolar disorder must be managed throughout a person's life.﻿﻿ Treatment may require adjustments over time. Your teen's treatment team may recommend:

Medication: A psychiatrist may prescribe medication to stabilize your child's mood. It's important to monitor your child's medication and be on the lookout for side effects. Finding the right medication and the right dosage may take some time as there isn't a single medication that works best for everyone with bipolar disorder.﻿﻿

Talk therapy: A therapist may educate your child about bipolar and may offer coping strategies to help manage the symptoms. Therapy often includes family members. Family therapy may address relationship issues, behavior management problems, or strategies to help the entire family cope with a child's mental illness.﻿﻿

A psychiatric hospitalization may be required at one time or another if a child poses an acute safety risk. A serious suicide attempt, thoughts of suicide with a clear plan, self-injury, or psychosis are just a few of the possible reasons a child with bipolar disorder may need to stay in a hospital.﻿﻿

Treatment works best when the child, parents, doctors, therapists, and other treatment providers work together as a team. So it's important to attend your teen's appointments, ask questions, communicate with other treatment providers, and continue to educate yourself about your child's mental health needs.﻿﻿

A therapist or psychiatrist may request that you log your teen's moods, sleep patterns, or behavior. Charting your child's progress can help treatment providers determine how well therapy or medications are working to keep your child's moods stable.﻿﻿

Risks With Teens

Teens are already prone to risky behavior, but that risk is multiplied when the teenager also has bipolar disorder. Keep an eye out for substance abuse, such as drinking or taking drugs, as well as suicidal behavior.﻿﻿

The risk for suicide in people with bipolar disorder is among the highest for all psychiatric disorders.﻿﻿

Studies show that between 25 and 60% of adults with bipolar make at least one suicide attempt over the course of their lives and between 8 and 19% of individuals with bipolar disorder die from suicide.﻿﻿

Studies have found that 72 percent of adolescents with bipolar disorder acknowledge thinking about suicide at one point or another. Research shows teens with both bipolar I and bipolar II are at an elevated risk for suicide.

If your teen has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, take the risk of suicide seriously. Work with your teen's treatment providers to assess your teen's risks and to develop a safety plan.

Co-Morbid Conditions

Many children with bipolar disorder have an additional mental illness, addiction, or behavior disorder. Some research has estimated that between 60 to 90% of youth with bipolar disorder may have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as well.﻿﻿

Anxiety disorders, substance use, and disruptive behavior disorders are among the other most common issues children with bipolar disorder may experience.﻿﻿

Support at School

It's important to work with your child's school if he's been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. School officials can assist with a plan that will best support your child's education.

Your child's academic needs will depend on his symptoms and his academic issues. If he exhibits behavior problems at school, the teachers may create a behavior plan that will use appropriate disciplinary action.

If he struggles academically, the school may provide services to help ensure he is able to get an education. The school may be able to offer things such as a modified schedule or a hall pass that lets your teen visit the guidance counselor whenever necessary. Encourage your child to participate in meetings to talk about how the school could support his education as well.

Support at Home

Bipolar disorder affects the entire family so it's important to work together to help your child manage the symptoms.

Learn as much as you can about bipolar disorder and the latest treatment options-and make sure other family members learn about it too. It's important for siblings to understand what to expect.

Hold regular conversations with your child about treatment and treatment-related issues. There's a good chance that at some point your child won't want to take medication or attend therapy. Validate her feelings and talk about the importance of following doctors' recommendations.

It's important to take care of yourself as well. Coping with the challenges of raising a child with bipolar disorder can be stressful. Consider joining a support group for parents with teens with bipolar disorder (or mental illness in general). Connecting with other parents may help you gain emotional support as well as practical advice about how to support your child.

A Word From Verywell

It is common for children to experience some of the symptoms listed above, and it doesn't necessarily mean they have bipolar disorder.

If your child is having difficulty with daily functioning or if your child is struggling with feeling normal- especially over an extended period of time-an evaluation by a psychiatrist may be warranted. An unbiased, professional opinion could bring you some peace of mind and perhaps a few new parenting skills. Talk to your pediatrician and seek out advice for your precious one so that you are not carrying your worries or concerns alone.

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Up to 65% of adults with bipolar disorder experienced symptoms prior to the age of 18. So while the condition is often associated with adults, kids of any age can have bipolar disorder.﻿﻿ Childhood-onset bipolar is associated with a more severe course of illness compared to people who don't begin to experience symptoms until adulthood.

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Both Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans can offer formal help for K-12 students who are struggling in school. They're similar in some ways but very different in others. This chart compares them side by side to help you understand the differences.

A blueprint or plan for a child's special education experience at school.

A blueprint or plan for how the school will provide support and remove barriers for a student with a disability.

To get an IEP, there are two requirements: A child has one or more of the 13 disabilities listed in IDEA. The law lists specific challenges, like learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, and others. And the disability must affect the child's educational performance and/or ability to learn and benefit from the general education curriculum. The child must need specialized instruction to make progress in school.

To get a 504 plan, there are two requirements: A child has any disability. Section 504 covers a wide range of different struggles in school. And the disability must interfere with the child's ability to learn in a general education classroom. Section 504 has a broader definition of a disability than IDEA. (It says a disability must substantially limit one or more basic life activities. This can include learning, reading, communicating, and thinking.) That's why a child who doesn't qualify for an IEP might still be able to get a 504 plan.

There are strict legal requirements about who participates. With a few exceptions, the entire IEP team must be present for IEP meetings. The team must include:

The rules about who's on the 504 team are less specific than they are for an IEP. A 504 plan is created by a team of people who are familiar with the child and who understand the evaluation data and special services options. This might include:

* The child's parent or caregiver

* General and special education teachers

* The school principal

* The child's parent or caregiver

* At least one of the child's general education teachers

* At least one special education teacher

* A school psychologist or other specialist who can interpret evaluation results

* A district representative with authority over special education services

The IEP sets learning goals and describes the services the school will provide. It's a written document. Here are some of the most important things the IEP must include:

There is no standard 504 plan. Unlike an IEP, a 504 plan doesn't have to be a written document. A 504 plan generally includes the following:

* Specific accommodations, supports, or services for the child

* Names of who will provide each service

* Name of the person responsible for ensuring the plan is implemented

* The child's present levels of academic and functional performance - how the child is currently doing in school

* Annual education goals for the child and how the school will track progress

* The services the child will get - this may include special education, related, supplementary, and extended school year services

* The timing of services - when they start, how often they occur, and how long they last

* Any accommodations - changes to the child's learning environment

* Any modifications - changes to what the child is expected to learn or know

* How the child will participate in standardized tests

* How the child will be included in general education classes and school activities

When the school wants to change a child's services or placement, it has to tell families in writing before the change. This is called prior written notice. Notice is also required for any IEP meetings and evaluations. Families also have "stay put" rights to keep services in place while there's a disagreement about the IEP.

The school must notify families about an evaluation or a "significant change" in placement. Notice doesn't have to be in writing, but most schools do so anyway.

How to resolve disputes

IDEA gives families several ways to resolve disputes (usually in this order):

Section 504 gives families several options for resolving disagreements with the school:

* Mediation

* Alternative dispute resolution

* Impartial hearing

* Complaint to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR)

* Lawsuit

* Mediation

* Due process complaint

* Resolution session

* Civil lawsuit

* State complaint

* Lawsuit

And if you need help navigating special education law in your state, consider reaching out to your local Parent Training and Information Center. The people there can answer questions and give practical advice on issues specific to your area.

Do you want to learn more about how IEPs and 504 plans compare? Watch as an expert explains the differences between them.

About the author

About the author

The Understood Team is made up of passionate writers and editors. Many of them have kids who learn and think differently.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Andrew M.I. Lee, JD is an editor and attorney who strives to help people understand complex legal, education, and parenting issues.

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The difference between IEPs and 504 plans

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Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans are similar but different. See how they compare in what they provide and the processes and laws involved.

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10 Ways to Support Children’s Emotional Well-Being During COVID-19

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Mental health is an important thing to talk about, but it can sometimes feel very uncomfortable.

Despite this, increasing mental health awareness is crucial as it can have many positive outcomes.

For example, one study examining a British anti-stigma campaign found that people who were more familiar with the campaign were more likely to feel comfortable disclosing mental health issues to family, friends, or an employer, and were also more likely to seek professional help (Henderson et al., 2017).

Fortunately, there are all sorts of ways to learn about mental health issues, whether one is an introvert, an extrovert, or somewhere in between.

This article will cover tools that can supplement mental health interventions, worksheets and activities that help people learn about mental health, books dealing with mental health for adults and children, Facebook groups for mental health issues, and finally World Mental Health Day activities and events.

Before you read on, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free. These science-based exercises will explore fundamental aspects of positive psychology including strengths, values and self-compassion and will give you the tools to enhance the mental health of your clients, students or employees.

5 Tools for Mental Health Interventions

Here are some tools that will help a psychotherapy treatment plan go more smoothly for both the client and the clinician:

1. Thought Record Worksheet

This PDF is a way to record one's thoughts and reflect on them. It asks the user to log their emotions and thoughts as well as what was going on to make them feel that way, then has the user reflect on whether or not there is evidence to back up their automatic thoughts. This could be a valuable supplement to a psychotherapist-led CBT treatment, but could also help people teach themselves about CBT.

In fact, one study has shown that thought records are an effective way to modify beliefs, even when used by themselves and not in conjunction with a CBT treatment plan (McManus et al., 2012). Find the Thought Record Worksheet here.

2. The Feeling Wheel

The Feeling Wheel is a simple printout with 72 feelings sorted into 6 groups: angry, sad, scared, joyful, peaceful, and powerful. Represented as a colorful pie, it can be an excellent tool for psychotherapy clients who have difficulty articulating or expressing their feelings.

While this can make it easier for clients to describe their relationships and experiences outside of therapy, it can also help them give immediate feedback on how they feel during a session.

This technique is commonly used to help clients identify emotions, expand their emotional vocabulary, and develop their emotional regulation (Kircanski et al., 2012).

3. Daily Mood Tracker

This Daily Mood Tracker was developed for people dealing with anger management issues but can be helpful for anyone who wants to track their mood.

It splits the day up into several two-hour blocks and asks the user to track their emotions, as well as allowing for notes to explain these moods.

This can also be helpful for clients who have trouble expressing themselves but can provide valuable self-reflection opportunities for anybody. Interestingly, some research has even shown that depressed clients can improve their mood by tracking it (Harmon et al., 1980).

4. Self-Care Checkup

This worksheet is a self-report Self-Care Checkup that therapists can give their clients after each appointment, to fill in between the sessions. The client is meant to consider the activities they are engaging in to keep up good mental health and wellbeing.

While many could be considered routine, such as exercising or getting sufficient sleep, they can often be neglected when they matter most - during times of stress.

This way, the Self-Care Checkup invites clients to become more aware of the frequency with which they practice self-care, categorizing these activities into five groups:

By filling it out regularly, clients can compare their self-care practices from week to week, spotting areas for development and brainstorming more activities that might help them maintain their mental health.

5. Preventing Mental Health Relapse

This is a worksheet that can help clients learn more about possible mental health relapse. It can be used near the end of a therapy treatment plan to help the client recognize a relapse when it is coming, but can also teach strategies to avoid relapse.

This would likely be most helpful for mental health issues that flare up at specific times (as opposed to more chronic mental health issues), and can also be helpful during treatment changes.

For example, patients with anxiety disorders receiving both psychotherapy and antidepressants are at risk of relapse when they discontinue their antidepressant treatment (Batelaan et al., 2017).

Download and use this Preventing Mental Health Relapse activity here.

5 Mental Health Games & Awareness Activities (PDF)

It can sometimes be difficult to talk about mental health issues with children (and adults).

One way to get around this is to have them complete worksheets or participate in activities related to mental health awareness, so they can learn in a more hands-on way.

These worksheets and activities are excellent for cultivating mental health awareness:

1. Mindfulness Exercises For Children

This article includes a huge collection of easy mindfulness exercises that children can do to learn more about mindfulness. It includes activities for teachers, parents, caregivers, and teenagers, along with a host of meditation scripts, books, quotes, and more.

Check out the following, too, for some great ways to get children thinking about mindfulness, while subtly introducing them to mental health issues more broadly: 18 Mindfulness Games, Worksheets and Activities for Kids.

2. Mental Illness: Myths and Reality

Mental Illness - Myths and Reality is a helpful lesson plan for teachers who want to educate students about mental illness stigma.

This activity requires less than 30 minutes and very little preparation - it's also great for any class size and can be a useful talking point to start insightful discussions around mental health.

It includes 8 myths and 8 facts about mental illness for students to sort out in pairs, to distinguish between common misconceptions and objective facts about diagnosis and life with a mental health condition.

3. Exercise and Mental Health

Exercise and Mental Health introduces younger children to the importance of exercise and physical activity, illustrating how they go hand-in-hand before giving suggestions for students who want to get more active on a daily basis.

This informational resource is a great handout as part of a lesson about mental health.

4. Understanding Mental Health Stigma

Introducing youths to the concept of stigma can be quite tough, but it's important.

This Understanding Mental Health Stigma sheet can be used as an aid to help raise awareness of the stigma that surrounds mental illness, as well as what it looks like.

5. Mental Health Management Bingo

Mental Health Management Bingo is a fun classroom game that can be played with slightly older students.

While it aims to raise awareness about the importance of positive coping strategies, it can also be a great way for students to bond with one another and discover new, healthy ways to look after their mental health..

To play, students require a copy of each sheet and a pencil, and each Bingo square worksheet contains 22 positive coping mechanisms that are related to maintaining good mental health. It's easy for students to play, and just as easy for teachers or parents to join in!

There's a wealth of information about the correlation between mental health and exercise. In our article about cognitive health, we look at its importance.

5 Most Popular Books About Mental Health

We suggest picking at least one of these popular to broaden your understanding of mental health.

1. Mental Health Emergencies: A Guide to Recognizing and Handling Mental Health Crises - Nick Benas and Michele Hart

Written by a mental health associate and a social worker, this book aims to help people recognize mental health crises in the people around them.

This book also aims to teach the reader how to support people in the midst of a mental health crisis.

The authors targeted this book to teachers, human resources workers and other professionals who are concerned with the mental wellbeing of other people, but it can be helpful for anyone who wishes to know more about mental health.

Find the book on Amazon.

2. Ten Days in a Mad-House - Nellie Bly

This book details investigative reporter Nellie Bly's exposé of a New York City insane asylum in the late 1800s.

In the book, the author details how she checked into a boarding house, feigned insanity and was promptly declared insane and sent to an insane asylum.

Bly spent 10 days in the asylum, during which she uncovered the horrific conditions that patients were subjected to, causing the city and the country to reevaluate how they treated the mentally ill.

This book illustrates how horribly mental health patients were treated in the late 1800s, but can also cause the reader to think about how society treats mental health issues today.

Find the book on Amazon.

3. Stigma: The Many Faces Of Mental Illness - Joy Bruce M.D.

This book, from a doctor with a mood disorder, aims to educate people about mental health issues and ultimately destigmatize mental health issues.

The book describes various mental health disorders and the nuances of them, making it a great educational book.

The author also discusses a wide variety of people with mental health issues, breaking down stereotypes about mental health along the way. This is a great book for someone who wants to understand more about mental health issues in themselves or others.

Find the book on Amazon.

4. Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's - John Elder Robison

This memoir discusses the author's experience of living with Asperger's syndrome.

The author was not diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome until he was 40 years old, so before then he just lived as someone who felt that he could not connect very well with others for some reason but displayed an affinity for machines and electronics.

This book is an excellent way to gain some insight into the world of Asperger's syndrome and may help the reader better understand someone in their life who deals with Asperger's syndrome.

Find the book on Amazon.

5. Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat - Oliver Sacks and Jonathan Davis

This book from Oliver Sacks is a pop psychology classic. In it, Sacks discusses a few different cases of mental health disorders, focusing on the person rather than the disorder the whole way through.

This is an excellent book for learning about mental health disorders in a way that doesn't necessarily otherize people with mental health issues. The book's scope also makes it a great introduction to mental health disorders.

Find the book on Amazon.

5 Most Popular Children's Books About Mental Health

Nurturing an understanding of mental health from a young age can be done with these great reads.

1. Can I Catch It Like a Cold?: Coping With a Parent's Depression - Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and Joe Weissmann

This book from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Canada is aimed at children whose parents struggle with depression.

The book describes what depression is and is not, and gives the reader strategies to cope with the situation. It is aimed at children as young as five years old and can be a child's first official introduction to mental health disorders.

Find the book on Amazon.

2. Dear Allison: Explaining Mental Illness to Young Readers - Emma Northup Flinn

This book discusses mental health in an adventurous, conversational way that can help children start to understand the subject.

Written from the perspective of the reader's cousin (who has teamed up with an ant to explore mental health issues across parts of the United States), this is another excellent book for introducing children to mental health.

The book is partially a collection of letters from the narrator to her nine-year-old cousin, "Allison", so this book is definitely appropriate for children as young as 9 to start learning about mental health.

Find the book on Amazon.

3. Marvin's Monster Diary: ADHD Attacks! (But I Rock It, Big Time) - Raun Melmed, Annette Sexton, and Jeff Harvey

This book is an excellent way to teach children as young as 7 years old about attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), particularly if they have it.

Aside from helping children understand ADHD, it offers a mindfulness-based solution the author calls ST4 - "Stop, Take Time To Think".

This book is an excellent resource for children with ADHD to learn more about themselves and strategies they can use every day to focus.

Find the book on Amazon.

4. How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids - Tom Rath, Mary Reckmeyer, and Maurie J. Manning

This book was written by Tom Rath, an important author in positive psychology and particularly strengths finding (as he wrote StrengthsFinder 2.0).

It is a children's adaptation of another one of his popular books, How Full Is Your Bucket?, which claims that people can either "fill your bucket" with positivity or "dip from your bucket" with negativity.

This is an excellent book to show kids how social interactions can affect their self-esteem and wellbeing, and how the way they treat people can affect the self-esteem and wellbeing of others.

Find the book on Amazon.

5. Please Explain Anxiety to Me! Simple Biology and Solutions for Children and Parents - Laurie E. Zelinger, Jordan Zelinger, and Elisa Sabella

This book, co-authored by a play therapist and a child psychologist, aims to explain anxiety to children in a simplified but still accurate way.

This means describing the physiology of anxiety in a way that children as young as 5 can start to understand.

It also includes some actionable exercises that children can use when they are feeling anxious. This book can help children deal with their own anxiety and learn some concrete psychology along the way.

Find the book on Amazon.

Facebook Groups for Mental Health

Sometimes, the best thing for someone struggling with mental health issues is the ability to reach out to someone who will understand them.

Facebook is great for this, as people can start community-based groups focused around mental health issues.

That said, as is always the case with the internet, anybody can contribute to these groups, which has the potential to be harmful to members of that group.

For that reason, we have only highlighted closed groups (as opposed to open groups), which require admin approval to join. This way, it is more likely that someone will find a group full of people who only want to help.

Someone looking for a Facebook group to discuss mental health should try joining one of these:

Adult ADHD/ADD Support Group... By Reach2Change

This is a support group for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or attention deficit disorder (ADD).

Anxiety/Depression Mental Health Support Group

This is a support group for people (18+) who struggle with depression or anxiety.

Bipolar Disorder

This is a support group for people with bipolar disorder, people who know someone with bipolar disorder, or people who want to learn more about bipolar disorder.

Mental Health Inspiration (Support & Awareness)

This is a support group for people with all sorts of mental health issues, as well as people who wish to be an ally or learn more about mental health.

PTSD Buddies

This is a support group for people (19+) with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

World Mental Health Day Ideas for Schools and Workplaces

October 10th is World Mental Health Day.

The objective of this important day is to spread awareness about mental health issues, express thanks to mental health care providers, and do more to make mental health care a reality for those who need it. Overall, the day represents a valuable opportunity to start a dialog about mental health with others in your life.

If you're a teacher, manager, or principal looking for ways to start this conversation in your school or workplace, here are four ideas to get started.

Get active

Yoga and pilates have both been shown to reduce a range of mental health symptoms, such as fatigue and feelings of anxiety, while simultaneously increasing feelings of energy (Fleming & Herring, 2018; Hagen & Nayar, 2014).

To leverage these benefits, consider bringing in a yoga or pilates expert (or linking up with a nearby studio) to do a guided class with your staff or students.

Host a charity event

There are many charitable organizations around the world that are working hard to provide mental health support to those who may otherwise not have access to it.

To help, you can work with your students or staff to identify a cause they feel passionate about and run an event to raise money for a worthy cause. For example, consider hosting a raffle, games evening, cake stall, or fete open to the public.

Wellness gift exchange

A simple gift can do a lot to start a conversation, so consider hosting a wellness gift exchange.

To start, randomly assign your students or staff a 'gift buddy.' If you like, you can make the identity of gift-givers and receivers anonymous, much like a Secret Santa, by having your staff or students draw names from a hat.

Next, allocate a spending limit and have each person purchase a gift for someone else. The focus of the gift should encourage the recipient to relax and take some time out for him or herself. Examples of good gifts include movie tickets, a pampering face mask, or a soap and candle gift basket.

Information sessions

Teaching children how to start a conversation with someone about mental health is a skill that can serve them for a lifetime. At the same time, the stigma associated with mental illness may act as a barrier for adults to start a conversation with someone they're concerned about or seek help.

To help, consider bringing in a mental health speaker or expert and host an information session. The aim of the session should be to connect your students or staff to resources and give them the skills to check in with the mental health of those they care about.

Further, you can take this opportunity to remind your students or staff about internal support services in your school or office, such as forms of personal leave or internal counselors.

In addition to the ideas above, it is likely that public spaces around you, such as libraries and community centers, will have planned events around World Mental Health Day. So consider linking up with groups in your local community to support this important cause.

A Take-Home Message

At the end of the day, nobody can know everything there is to know about mental health issues. The key is constantly being willing to learn, so that you know how to help when someone you love deals with mental health issues, and have the strategies to deal with your own mental health issues if and when they arise.

Some people prefer reading books, others prefer more hands-on learning such as worksheets, and still, others just prefer going out and talking to people. No matter what type of learning you prefer, the important thing is that you make an effort to make this world a better place for everyone, no matter what mental health issues they are or aren't facing.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don't forget to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free.

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28 Mental Health Games, Activities & Worksheets (& PDF)

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Tools that can supplement mental health activities, worksheets, interventions and books to help people learn about mental health.

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ACA members-and all professional counselors-are prepared to assist anyone in need of mental health support. To help all professional counselors in their important work, the American Counseling Association offers an array of free resources.

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What Is the Difference Between Psychosis and Schizophrenia?

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What Is the Difference Between Psychosis and Schizophrenia?

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Psychosis and schizophrenia are both associated with mental health but they have some important differences. The terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but psychosis and schizophrenia are not the same.

Psychosis is a symptom that's defined as "losing touch with reality." Signs can include hallucinations, delusions, and agitation. It may be caused by substance use, sleep deprivation, or conditions like schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a mental health condition that can cause psychosis. People living with schizophrenia can experience symptoms of psychosis but not all people experiencing psychosis have schizophrenia.

This article explains the differences between psychosis and schizophrenia and addresses how they are linked. It will also cover the symptoms of psychosis and schizophrenia, how they are diagnosed, and how they are treated.

What Is Psychosis?

Psychosis means a person is feeling a loss of contact with reality. A period of psychosis is called a psychotic episode. Psychosis is not an illness by itself. Instead, it is a possible symptom of a number of different conditions.

Psychosis is a defining symptom of schizophrenia, but not everyone who experiences psychosis has schizophrenia. Around three out of every 100 young adults will experience an episode of psychosis.

Psychosis can happen to anyone. It can be caused by:

A psychotic episode can also occur on its own.

It's possible for someone to experience psychosis temporarily. For example, sleep deprivation, going through a traumatic event, being under extreme stress, taking certain prescription medications, or using substances (such as hallucinogens like LSD) can lead to psychosis. In these cases, the symptom will go away with time as a person recovers from the event or stress, or when they stop using the medication or substance.

What Is Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a long-term mental health condition that affects a person's thought processes, emotions, and behavior. About one in 300 people have schizophrenia worldwide.

Psychotic symptoms can be part of living with schizophrenia. Cognitive symptoms such as trouble processing information or loss of motivation that makes it hard to do everyday activities can also occur with the condition.

Schizophrenia occurs in stages. The length of each stage differs from person to person, but the phases tend to occur in sequence and may recur throughout a person's life.

1. Prodromal phase :This phase can last from weeks to years. The symptomsduring this phase develop gradually and include the loss of interest in activities, social withdrawal, or difficulty concentrating. A person may also have an intense fixation on certain ideas or subjects.

2. Active phase:Theacute stage of schizophrenia is when psychotic symptoms occur. The symptoms can come on gradually after a prodromal phase or appear suddenly.

3. Residual phase:During this period, a person's symptoms have reduced, but they may still feel withdrawn and have trouble focusing.

Once a person develops schizophrenia, they will have schizophrenia for the rest of their lives.

Can You Be Schizophrenic Without Psychosis?

Psychosis vs. Schizophrenia: Key Differences

Psychosis is itself a symptom of a mental health condition, including schizophrenia. Psychosis can also occur along with other symptoms that usually come on gradually.

Other symptoms associated with psychosis include:

Agitation:This describes an excessive physical movement or verbal activity. Symptoms of agitation can also include emotional distress, restlessness, or pacing.

Delusions:Delusions arefalse beliefs that are not based on reality. A person having delusions will not change their beliefs even when given evidence that a belief is false. For example, believing that a famous person is in love with them despite never meeting that person.

Disorganized thinking or behavior:Disorganized symptoms of schizophrenia are things like jumbled or hard-to-understand speech, writing, or thinking. These symptoms can make it difficult for someone to communicate with others and keep their thoughts straight.

Hallucinations:Hallucinations occur when a person senses things that are not really there. This can include hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, and feeling things that feel real to them, but are not.

Psychosis: Early Warning Signs

Schizophrenia

The symptoms of schizophrenia are important to making a diagnosis of the condition. A person living with schizophrenia may experience:

Delusions

Hallucinations

Disorganized speech

Disorganized or catatonic behavior (e.g., restlessness, lack of movement, and/or erratic movement)

Negative symptoms (e.g., minimal or no emotional expression and lack of motivation)

People living with schizophrenia can experience psychotic symptoms, such as:

Paranoia (for example, believing that they are being spied on or being controlled by outside forces)

A belief that others can read their thoughts

Believing that ordinary events hold special meaning specifically to them (e.g., that a person is sending them messages through the television)

Delusions of grandeur (e.g., believing they are of great importance, are very powerful, or have special powers)

Hearing noises or voices that are not there (e.g., hearing voices telling them to do certain things)

Switching quickly from subject to subject when speaking

Making up words

Discussing ideas that seem unrelated

Having difficulty performing everyday tasks such as self-care and hygiene

Difficulty planning

Experiencing symptoms of catatonia (e.g., physical rigidity, repetitive movements, or lack of a response to their environment)

Psychosis can be a symptom of schizophrenia. Therefore, some of the treatments for schizophrenia and psychosis can overlap. Your provider will help you decide which treatment options are best for you.

Early treatment for psychosis is very important to help someone recover. Treatment for psychosis depends on the cause but often involves antipsychotic medications and psychotherapy.

Antipsychotics might work by blocking the effects of the overactivity of a brain chemical called dopamine. This chemical affects emotions, planning, and memory. The overactivity of dopamine is thought to contribute to psychotic symptoms.

Antipsychotic drugs generally fall into one of two categories: atypical or typical.

Atypical, or second-generation, antipsychotics: These medications inhibit dopamine action and affect levels of serotonin (a chemical related to mood). They are usually the first choice to treat schizophrenia.

Typical, or first-generation, antipsychotics: These antipsychotics inhibit dopamine activity but do not affect serotonin.

Antipsychotic medications work differently for each person and may cause side effects. It's important that you discuss the risks and benefits with your provider.

You should also know that antipsychotic medications can take up to six weeks to reach their full effect. However, they may start to reduce symptoms of psychosis within hours or days. When taken long-term, antipsychotics can help prevent future psychotic episodes.

Psychotherapy can also be used to help people who are experiencing psychosis. Therapy can be done individually or in a group, and may involve building coping skills, wellness management, and resilience training.

Schizophrenia

Treatments for schizophrenia will also likely include both medications and psychotherapy.

Common schizophrenia treatments include:

Antipsychotic drugs: These medications are used to treat psychosis, which includes symptoms like hallucinations and delusions. Providers will prescribe the best medication combination and dosage for each person.

Psychosocial treatments: Therapy is used alongside medication to help a person living with schizophrenia manage symptoms and handle activities at school, work, and home. One type of therapy is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps a person learn to modify their behaviors by recognizing and changing thought patterns.

Coordinated specialty care: In these programs, a person living with schizophrenia works with healthcare providers to make a plan of treatment, usually when they are still in the early stages of the condition. The treatment plan may include medication, psychotherapy, case management, education support, employment support, and family education.

Drug and alcohol treatment: Misusing substances like drugs and alcohol is common in people living with schizophrenia. A drug or alcohol rehabilitation program that's designed specifically for people with mental health conditions might be recommended.

Psychosis is a symptom that refers to a loss of touch with reality. Schizophrenia is a mental health condition that has many symptoms, and psychosis can be one of them.

People living with schizophrenia often have psychotic symptoms. However, all people experiencing psychotic symptoms do not necessarily have schizophrenia.

Treatment for both psychosis and schizophrenia usually includes antipsychotic medication and psychotherapy. The combination of treatments will be based on what's best for each person.

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What are the similarities and differences between psychosis vs schizophrenia? Both are associated with mental health, but they're not the same conditions.