Dr. Jerry Weichman is a licensed clinical psychologist who has specialized in treating adolescents and young adults for the past 12 years and is a recognized expert on teen crisis issues. He is on staff at Hoag Hospital, part of the Hoag Neuroscience Institute and as an author, speaker, clinical director, and television media expert, Dr. Weichman has dedicated his career to enhancing the lives of teenagers and young adults. To date, Dr. Weichman has helped over 20,000 young adults navigate this very difficult time in life.
AiT: I see that you concentrate on working with young people in the areas of academic and interpersonal skills. Are problems in these areas more common in teens than most people realize?
Dr. Jerry Weichman: Problems are absolutely more common during adolescence but I cannot speak to whether people realize it or not. It is a time where self-esteem is naturally due to the fact that people do not know who they are, where they are going, or what they will become. This creates insecurity in itself. Combine that with drama, bullying, social pressure, academic stress, substance abuse, and relationship problems with parents or significant others and you’ve got a real problem on your hands.
AiT: What is the most common mental health problem in young people today?
JW: Anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and parent-child relational problems are the most prevalent issues I see.
AiT: At what age do most people start developing disorders such as anxiety?
JW: Some have a genetic predisposition to it so it’s really apparent sometime after birth. For others, there is sometimes an event that triggers it which then becomes a habit that spirals out of control.
AiT: What is the most important thing that friends and family can do for a person going through this type of problem?
JW: Identify for them that they are being irrational and what they are seeing in their mind is a mirage. Often times, when you nurture anxiety, it becomes worse.
AiT: I read in your bio that you dealt with emotional and social trauma as a child. Did those experiences have an effect on your decision to go into psychology?
JW: I think that everyone’s path is somewhat determined by their past. It was somewhat the case for me. The sticking point for me was seeing how much better things were in both college and the real world which prompted me to work with adolescents to help get them through this difficult time in life. The majority of adolescents are struggling in some shape, way or form.
AiT: What tips can you give to a person having a panic attack? What can they do right away to in order to calm their nerves?
JW: Taking a 3 second breath in, holding it for 3 seconds, imagining what is stressing them out and blowing it out of their mouth for 3 seconds and doing it 3 times in a row makes a difference. Additionally, it is important to get all of their mind into the present by identifying what they see, smell, touch, taste and hear. They can also visualize what they want to have happen in the future rather than what they are worried about occurring.
AiT: How important do you think these types of resources are to college students?
JW: For the college students who are experiencing anxiety, it would be really helpful.
By: Patric Dreissen
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