I am sitting in my third grade classroom on a rainy day, as my favorite teacher is reading to the class. Everything is great. I have a wonderful family and wonderful friends. I am contentedly listening to Mrs. Thompson’s calming voice as she reads us a section of a chapter book. I love reading books and listening to stories. But the sudden quickening of my heart and blood … [Read more...]
Dear Mom and Dad: A Letter From Your Daughter Recovering From a Restrictive Eating Disorder
Dear Mom and Dad: If you’re reading this, it means you want to help my recovery. Honestly, support is one of the most important parts of recovery, and parental support makes a huge difference. But you've had an eating disorder… There’s no nice way to say this – you suck at dealing with eating disorders. And that’s okay! It’s easy to get it wrong. No matter the intentions, … [Read more...]
Typical vs Ideal Parental Responses to Anxiety: Helping Your Teen with Anxiety
As a young adult who has struggled with anxiety personally, I'd like to share with you some way you can effectively help your teen with anxiety. First and foremost, parental support and assistance at all times were crucial to my recovery from severe episodes of anxiety. That constant fear of experiencing another anxiety attack was always present, but the even greater fear was … [Read more...]
Parents, You Have to Be OK First: How to Help Your Teen With an Eating Disorder
“My eating disorder had become my best friend, my soulmate: to have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us part.” The words floated from my mouth, coating the room in the potency of my hardships. It was the first time I publicly spoke about my recovery. All of the emotions I wrestled, all of the thoughts I braved, and all of the pain I … [Read more...]
Care Package Ideas: Best Things to Pack for a College Student Dealing with Mental Health Issues
The new semester is about to start this autumn, and students everywhere are getting organized for the upcoming stresses of classes, getting settled in a new dorm and attempting to make a new set of friends. If you are about to embark on a new year of college or want to support someone who is, care packages are an awesome way to start the year off right. One of the best … [Read more...]
My Struggle with Depression, Anxiety, Substance Abuse and Family Alcoholism.
I am a self-proclaimed, and semi-medically diagnosed, martyr and self-destructive masochist with a true medical diagnosis of depression and anxiety. I have spent the longest portion of my life within a destructive mindset and unwarranted ideas of being unworthy or undeserving of goodness. Now I realize that even as I write this these problems still persist. The difference is … [Read more...]
A Parent’s Perspective: Supporting Your Teen
As an AiT Contributor and as someone who was been through a fair share of mental health issues since childhood, I am very aware that this was not just something that I was going through alone. My parents and other family members were also often brought along for the ride. Because of this, my parents have learned quite a bit about the mental health field and how they can best … [Read more...]
Four Ways to Effectively Help a Child Struggling with Mental Health Issues
If you're a parent with a teen with anxiety, depression, or any other mental health issue, you're probably overwhelmed. You might be frustrated, sad and helpless. These are all completely normal and reasonable feelings as you try your best to help your child manage their mental health. But... I have a good news: these conditions are treatable and you can play a role in making a … [Read more...]
How To Reduce Your Teen’s Anxiety
High school can be a very stressful time for you and your teenager. During my teenage years, I was disrespectful to my parents, distant, and blamed them for things that were going on in my life that they had no control over. Teenage hormones, college applications, relationships and simply stress from high school seem to all make for a high level of stress. My parents always did … [Read more...]
Acceptance
Accepting that you may have or even do have a mental illness is, in my opinion, one of the hardest things about the illness itself. On the outside, I come across as this girl that has everything together. To my friends, I’m this goofy, funny (or at least I think I am), super outgoing, and happy girl. To my parents, I am involved in everything, smart, have a lot of friends, … [Read more...]
AiT Exclusive Interview: Separation Anxiety vs Generalized Anxiety vs Social Phobias, Oh My! With Anxiety Expert Dr. Anne Marie Albano
We are pleased to have author and Director of the Columbia University Clinic for Anxiety and Related Disorders, Dr. Anne Marie Albano, Ph.D., share some great insights with us on the differences between separation anxiety, generalized anxiety, and social phobia! Read on for great insights for how parents can help and what to expect in therapy. She is the author of “You and … [Read more...]
The Man and the Butterfly: Letting Teens Make Mistakes
"A man found a cocoon of a butterfly, that he brought home. One day a small opening appeared in the cocoon. He sat and watched the cocoon for several hours as the butterfly struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making progress. It appeared as if the butterfly had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further. The man decided to … [Read more...]
Communication Is Key: 3 Important Points About Helping Someone With Anxiety
Sometimes anxiety can make you feel alone even in a crowded room. Even when you have friends and family to support you, you can feel they may not understand how to truly help you. Support can go a long way, but sometimes it can also come with frustration from those around you because they may not understand or know what to do to make things better. As someone with anxiety, … [Read more...]
10 Ways to Get Through to Your Teen: Advice for Parents with Teens Struggling with a Mental Health Disorder
Having a child who deals with mental illness can be a difficult path to maneuver. You obviously love your child and would do anything to help them, but what exactly do they need from you? As someone who lives with anxiety, here are ten things that I would advise parents to keep in mind in warranted situations. Avoid snooping into their private business. While it may be … [Read more...]
Four Ways to Get Past Guilt and Blame and Help Your Struggling Teen
It is one thing when the individual suffers from a mental illness themselves. It is something else entirely when a parent or loved one is going through a similar turmoil by watching that individual suffer. Attempting to help the person suffering from anxiety is exhausting in every shape and form. Mental, physical and emotional exhaustion is present with a parent who has a young … [Read more...]