Anxiety & Depression Up 3-4 Times 2019 Numbers

Hello,

It has been a crazy year in every way.  I don’t think there is anyone who has not been impacted.  What I notice at this point is that many people are tired.  They are taking COVID as a part of their lives.  It is in the background and not being talked about in the same way it was in March and April.  That said, it is very much a part of all of our lives.  When we are having a difficult time with something in our lives, we need to remember that for most of us, we are already emotionally stretched to the max!  

I have “felt” this impact over 2020.  It has been so strong in everyone I know.  Yet, when I bring the emotional toll up to people, they are often not consciously aware of it’s impact until we start talking about it.  Honestly, it feels like we are all going through this traumatic time together and, as can be true in when in the middle of trauma, we are not honoring the impact of not only all we having going on in our lives that is typical, but the extra layer of unspoken stress that is constantly there due to what is going on in our world.  

Recently, I was made aware of a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that found the symptoms of anxiety disorder in the second quarter of 2020 was approximately three times those that reported in the second quarter of 2019 (25.5% versus 8.1%); and symptoms of depressive disorder was approximately four times that reported in the second quarter of 2019 (24.3% versus 6.5%).  Say what?!?!?  Think about how significant that is!  For me, these numbers put hard data to what I think we have all been experiencing.  Even if you are not someone who is significantly struggling right now, chances are, someone you know and love is.  

So, what do we do?  

First, I think it is important to identify and label what this is and means for ourselves.  Feelings don’t go away by ignoring them.  

Second, actively do things to take care of yourself.  I know that many of the ways you used to take care of yourself may not be possible which is part of what is SO very difficult right now.  That said, as much as possible, try to find anything you can do that will help you feel just a little bit better.  I am not saying that you need to find something to make you feel pre-2020 better, that may not be realistic right now.  The goal is to incorporate any activity you can that will increase your peace and/or happiness just a little bit.  Feeling just a little bit better can make a big difference in the big picture of our lives.

Third, give yourself and everyone around you a break.  Everyone is doing the best they can.  I mean it.  That includes you and everyone around you.  I have always believed that people are doing the best they can.  A few years ago, I read one of Brene Brown’s books (don’t remember which one this was in) and she talked about the idea that people are doing the best they can in her book.  Like I said, I think I was wired to believe this, but I never thought about how this belief has impacted my life until I read her book.  In her book, she shared her husband’s thoughts on the topic, which paraphrased were, “I believe everyone is doing the best they can, and even if they are not, I like who I am better when I think that way about people.”  Love it!  So, you and everyone around you is struggling right now AND you and everyone around you is doing the best you/they can.  Remind yourself of this daily:)

Fourth, please know we are here for you.  If you or someone you love needs some extra support right now, please reach out!  We are seeing people both via telehealth and in-person.  This is a challenging time and, more than ever, it is important we all seek the support we need to get through.  As always, you can call us at 720-583-9332.  

Have a beautiful day!

Steffanie

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Dealing With Attention & Impulsivity Challenges

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What are the 9 symptoms of ADHD? Here are a …

What are the 9 symptoms of ADHD?

Here are a number of common signs of ADHD in children.

Self-focused behavior. A common sign of ADHD is what looks like an inability to recognize other people’s needs and desires. … Interrupting. … Trouble waiting their turn. … Emotional turmoil. … Fidgetiness. … Problems playing quietly. … Unfinished tasks.

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Is ADHD a mental illness? ADHD is one of the…

Is ADHD a mental illness?

ADHD is one of the most researched and prevalent childhood brain disorders. … ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is classified as a psychiatric disorder and the symptoms often continue through adolescence into adulthood.

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What is the best therapy for ADHD? This type…

What is the best therapy for ADHD?

This type of therapy is helpful for some kids with ADHD, and is often used along with medication. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): This is a type of talk therapy. The goal of cognitive behavioral therapy is to get kids to think about their thoughts, feelings and behavior.

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Avoiding Power Struggles in Parenting

Parenting involves many challenges; one of the most frequent parenting challenges that I have observed client families experiencing regularly is the ever-daunting Power Struggle. Power struggles may look different depending on the stage of development and age of the child, however, I believe that there are some strategies that parents can utilize to decrease, manage, and avoid power struggles that can be effective in many cases and can be tailored to kids at various ages.  

To begin, it is important for parents to develop awareness around when and how they are being pulled into power struggles. This can often look like negotiating, arguing, refusal, and/or a parent working far too hard to try to get a child to see things in a more rational way (when maybe this child’s brain isn’t yet developed to the point where that is going to be a reasonable expectation). This can look like a child pushing and pushing to get his/her way and escalating negative behavior, even to the point of an all-out verbal fight or screaming match (because, parents are human! And as much as they may try to stay calm, we all know how skilled kids can be at pushing the buttons!). I encourage parents to envision power struggles as if the child(ren) is trying to reel the parent(s) in with a fishing pole, and, however well-meaning parents may be, as soon as they have allowed themselves to be reeled in to that power struggle, they have lost, because they are now in an escalation, and the child(ren) is/are determining the energy and mood of the household. I imagine that this description probably sounds all-too familiar to many reading this right now, and I encourage those of you who want to get a better handle on power struggles to make it a point to notice when and how you are getting sucked into them with your kids.  

Once you develop an awareness of what the power struggles in your home look like and how you may be getting sucked into them, here are a couple of strategies for stopping yourself before getting sucked in in the future. First, have clear, concrete, consistent expectations and boundaries for your child’s behavior; if it helps (which I think it often does) to have these written out, try putting them in the form of a chart that you and your child can track together. Start with maybe 5 or so objective behavioral expectations, so that you and your child are on the same page with understanding what is and is not acceptable behavior in your home (for example, “Mom/Dad will not have to ask more than two times for [child’s name] to complete a task;” “[Child’s name] will complete two specified chores each day before being able to have screens;” “[Teen’s name] will check in with parents every hour while out with friends and will be home no later than 9pm;” etc. to tailor to your specific child). Also have clear rewards/consequences in place for when these expectations are or are not met. The more concrete, clear, and consistent you can be with both the behavioral expectations and the rewards/consequences, the less room there will be for negotiations and arguments in the heat of the moment. As kids get older, and especially as they become preteens and teenagers, it becomes very appropriate to have your kids give input into setting the expectations and the rewards/consequences. A family counselor can help you navigate this process as needed.  

Now you’ve established the boundaries, so you can further avoid getting sucked into power struggles by ignoring (yes, ignoring!) negative behaviors that are pushing the boundaries (unless these behaviors are in any way dangerous or causing harm!). As your child is working to reel you in, state calmly, “You know the expectations, and you know the consequences if you continue to choose to not follow them,” and then walk away and/or completely ignore the ongoing behavior. So often the very act of giving extra attention to negative behaviors that are pushing the boundaries is in itself reinforcing those behaviors, because they are attention-seeking behaviors. Denying that attention stops that inadvertent reinforcement, and eventually (this will not be immediate and may take some real dedication on the part of the parent!) the behavior will decrease because it is not accomplishing its function. This is maybe the toughest part of avoiding power struggles, but it can be very effective!  

If you need help, please call us at 720-583-9332!  We are here to support you  

By Heidi Bonilla, MA, LPC 

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Medicaid Autism Testing & Medicaid Autism Diagnosis

We are so excited to share with you that Mountain Vista Psychology is now able to complete Autism Testing & Autism Diagnosis for those who have Medicaid! As you know, we are a mission and passion driven practice. We have been on mission to ensure quality mental health care is accessible so lives can be changed. Our mission is the reason why we decided to get paneled with Medicaid. There are long wait lists throughout Colorado for people who need to get an Autism evaluation and possible Autism Diagnosis, often up to a year. Long wait lists are true for everyone, but especially those who have Medicaid. This is heart breaking. Why is this so heart breaking? If you wait a year to get tested and diagnosed for Autism, you miss a year of intervention, accommodations, support, and understanding. A year of life wasted. A year of intervention delayed. This is especially critical for kids, who can get access to interventions that can greatly improve their lives.

So, how do you know if you should pursue an Autism Evaluation? Below, we have included symptoms of Autism Spectrum according to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention’s website (https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/signs.html):

A person with ASD might:

Not respond to their name by 12 months of age

Not point at objects to show interest (point at an airplane flying over) by 14 months

Not play “pretend” games (pretend to “feed” a doll) by 18 months

Avoid eye contact and want to be alone

Have trouble understanding other people’s feelings or talking about their own feelings

Have delayed speech and language skills

Repeat words or phrases over and over (echolalia)

Give unrelated answers to questions

Get upset by minor changes

Have obsessive interests

Flap their hands, rock their body, or spin in circles

Have unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel

Social Skills:

Social issues are one of the most common symptoms in all of the types of ASD. People with an ASD do not have just social “difficulties” like shyness. The social issues they have cause serious problems in everyday life.

Examples of social issues related to ASD:

Does not respond to name by 12 months of age

Avoids eye-contact

Prefers to play alone

Does not share interests with others

Only interacts to achieve a desired goal

Has flat or inappropriate facial expressions

Does not understand personal space boundaries

Avoids or resists physical contact

Is not comforted by others during distress

Has trouble understanding other people’s feelings or talking about own feelings

If this sounds familiar, don’t wait, get an evaluation. We provide a thorough evaluation by a licensed psychologist without the long wait times! So, if you have Medicaid and you think your child may be on the Autism Spectrum, please don’t wait to get evaluated. Call us today so you can get answers. We are here to help!

Phone Number for Our Care Coordinator: 720-583-9332

info@MountainVistaPsychology.com

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