Health Plan of San Joaquin | Focus Your Health | Spring 2021

Is COVID-19 bringing your teen down? Living with the fear and restric- tions of COVID-19 is enough to bring anyone down, but teens may be especially affected. They may be missing friends as well as major events like prom, sports or graduation. It’s normal for your teen to feel sad during these times. But how can you tell if they need a little extra emotional support? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests you look for these signs that your teen is struggling: ● Unusual changes in mood or behavior. Is your teen irritable? Are they texting and talking to their friends less often than expected? ● Lack of interest in things they used to enjoy. ● Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much. ● Problems with memory or thinking. ● Lack of personal hygiene. How you can help One of the best things you can do to help a struggling teen is to let them know you’re there for them. Acknowledge their feel- ings of sadness and even anger. Also, be a role model. Try to stay positive yourself. Express optimism that things will get better. The AAP and other health experts also suggest that you: Talk honestly with your teen. Correct any misinformation about COVID-19 they may have in a calm, factual way. Stress the importance of social distancing to stop the spread of the virus. Encourage them to stay connected. Allow them to spend time video chatting with friends and loved ones. Let them play online games with friends. Urge them to go for a walk or run outside. Just getting outside can help. Adding exercise to that outing can help even more. Also consider taking family walks after dinner. (Remember to keep at least 6 feet away from other people.) Steer them toward activities they can do at home. Maybe your local library has e-books online. Encourage your teen to do video workouts. They might enjoy creating a vlog of life during the pandemic. Or they could take a virtual tour of a museum. Spend quality time together. Take part in an activity or conversation of your teen’s choice with the goal of actively listening to them. Encourage hobbies. Creative activities like building models or painting can instill a feeling of joy and accomplishment. Limit daily news intake. This can help everyone in the household feel calmer. Think your teen is depressed? Talk with your child’s doctor if you have concerns about your teen’s mental health. The doctor can advise you on what steps to take next. HealthReach 2057 What’s this? Want to learn more about the topics in Focus Your Heal h ? With our HealthReach Audio Health Library, getting the health infor- mation you need is as simple as 1-2-3 . You can find a list of topics and codes at hpsj.com/ advice-nurse . 1 Call 800.655.8294 anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 2 Once you are connected to the call center’s auto- mated menu, press 2 to access the library. 3 Follow the prompts to listen to the topics that interest you. 1 6 Focus Your Health