Back to School and Mental Health
The start of a new school year can be stressful for many teens and can be particularly challenging for teens living with an anxiety disorder. Many teens are also experiencing heightened levels of stress and anxiety due to the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on their academic and social lives. During August, NIMH will be educating teens and parents about the signs and symptoms of stress and anxiety, strategies for coping, and guidance about when to seek help from a health care provider.
Use the resources below to help educate your community about teens and mental health as they navigate going back to school during these challenging times.
Additional resources are available on the education and awareness pages on Anxiety Disorders and Child and Adolescent Mental Health, and on the NIMH health topic pages on Anxiety Disorders and Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
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Share this infographic on social media to help teens recognize the difference between stress and anxiety, healthy ways to cope, and when they might need more help.
Life can be stressful. If you are struggling to cope, or the symptoms of your stress or anxiety won’t go away, it could affect your health. Learn more at www.nimh.nih.gov/stressandanxiety. #shareNIMH
This fact sheet provides information on the differences and similarities between stress and anxiety, why it's important to manage stress and anxiety, and tips for coping. The fact sheet also includes additional resources and information about when it might be time to talk to a professional.
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Life can get challenging sometimes, and it’s important for kids (and adults!) to develop strategies for coping with stress or anxiety. Share this free, downloadable stress catcher “fortune teller,” which offers some strategies children and teens can practice and use to help manage stress and other challenging emotions. |
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Join NIMH on August 11 from 1:00 - 1:30 p.m. ET for a live question and answer session on the @nimhgov Instagram story.
Dr. Krystal Lewis, a licensed clinical psychologist at NIMH, will answer questions you may have about stress or anxiety in children and adolescents.
Learn how to participate on the Instagram Event page.
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Bipolar disorder is not the same as the typical ups and downs every kid goes through. The mood swings are more extreme and accompanied by changes in sleep, energy level, and the ability to think clearly. Know the signs and symptoms: www.nimh.nih.gov/bipolardisorder. #shareNIMH
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This fact sheet outlines how a teenager’s brain grows, matures, and adapts to the world. It also presents information on the teen brain’s resilience, vulnerability to stress and mental health problems, and sleep patterns in teens.
Because the teen brain is still developing, teens may respond to stress differently than adults, which could lead to stress-related mental disorders such as anxiety and depression. Learn more at www.nimh.nih.gov/teenbrain #shareNIMH
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NIMH is providing this widget to allow you to stream new content from NIMH directly to your website. You can embed this content on your home page, resources and links pages, and other web pages. Once you've added the widget, there's no technical maintenance required.
The New from NIMH Widget automatically displays information about new items on the NIMH website without needing any additional changes on your website.
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Recently, NIMH released its new Strategic Plan for Research to advance its mission and guide the Institute’s research goals and priorities over the next five years.
You can follow along with the progress NIMH makes toward its Strategic Plan goals by exploring the new research highlights section.
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