The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted us significantly. For the past year and a half, we have canceled plans, been isolated from our loved ones, worked from home, closed schools, transitioned to virtual learning, we’ve dealt with grief, and much more. Oh, and we can’t forget the vaccine saga: to vaccinate or not to vaccinate. The stress and anxiety levels that we continue to experience have caused a rollercoaster of emotions. Throughout the pandemic, depression and sleep disruptions and thoughts of suicide have increased, especially among young adults. In addition, many people across the country have experienced job loss, and children have been affected by food insecurity. Thus, the pandemic has both short and long-term implications for mental health, and we must be prepared to address shortcomings in the months and years to come. Even after the novel coronavirus is in our rearview mirror, we will still have to deal with the emotional toll the invisible virus took on young and old. This section has a variety of resources that will help you with the ongoing pandemic.
The pandemic has impacted some students in the early grades, and the ability to read aloud quickly and accurately – largely came to a halt in March 2020, after the abrupt school closures brought on by COVID-19. Students’ development of phonic, oral reading, and comprehension have all been affected. Reading is a fundamental academic development, and students who struggle with reading will have difficulty in other subjects. The question that many teachers are asking is, how can we help struggling students catch up? Controlled Phonetic Reading (CPR) is an Orton-Gillingham-based curriculum that includes a variety of HANDS-ON, MULTI-SENSORY, word-for-word teaching lessons specifically designed for EARLY readers, STRUGGLING readers, or students diagnosed with DYSLEXIA.
To learn more about this resource watch an interview with the author of CPR, Melissa Hanson, and teacher Ruth Davis who has piloted this program for two years in her classroom. Also, visit the Creative Products 4 Reading website for more details.
Interview with Melissa Hanson and Ruth Davis
Articles
Video Clips for Adults about talking with children about the Russia/Ukraine War
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Teachers are such an essential part of our education system. Tending to the needs of the children/students, staff, parents, and local constituent members are just a few of the responsibilities in their job description. To help support the mental health of students and faculty, and staff, we have collected mental health resources, such as videos, suggested books, and websites, and mental health organizations to get you started on this mental health journey. Don’t forget to enroll in the North American Division Mental Health Training Course and Strategies for Educators.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ These resource links are being provided for informational purposes only. The North American Division of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is not responsible for the accuracy, legality, or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Please contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
Children and youth all demonstrate disruptive behaviors, triggered by an inability to control their emotions. However, when the behaviors are extreme, there is cause for concern. Disruptive Behavior Disorders (DBD) refers to a group of disorders that include Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Conduct Disorder (CD). ODD usually begins during the early childhood years; some of the typical behaviors are physical aggression, temper tantrums, and constant arguing. Unfortunately, ODD is not detected until it starts to impact learning and relationships in the later years. Conduct Disorder (CD) is a repetitive and persistent pattern of behaviors, where social rules are ignored. CD usually involves severe aggression towards adults, fighting, bullying, vandalism, intimidating peers, running away from home, and stealing. Early intervention for children and youth with disruptive behavior disorders is crucial. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder seen in children, teens, and adults. Those who struggle with ADHD have difficulties staying on task, planning, and prioritizing. Children with ADHD might have trouble taking turns, losing things, daydreaming, getting along with others, and controlling impulsive behaviors. Younger children may have a hard time sitting still while eating meals or doing homework. ADHD can last into adulthood. This section has a variety of resources that will help you better understand disruptive disorders.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ These resource links are being provided for informational purposes only. The North American Division of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is not responsible for the accuracy, legality, or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Please contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
Adverse Childhood Experiences, (ACEs) a study of 17,000 middle-class Americans documented how the experiences in a person’s early childhood years can significantly impact their adult physical and mental health. Some of these experiences may include – families dealing with food insecurity, the death of a loved one, abuse and neglect, a natural disaster, and more. Unfortunately, these are all real things that occur in many children’s lives, and we can’t undo what has happened to them. These events can affect children’s learning and cause them to struggle academically. In addition, children who have experienced ACEs will bring their pain and fears into the classroom. However, by putting on a trauma-informed lens, educators can help all children feel safe and secure in their classroom and reduce the negative impact of traumatic experiences on learning.
Psychosis is an extreme mental disorder where a person is disconnected from reality, which results in disrupted thinking. The National Alliance on Mental Illness states that over 100,000 young people experience psychosis annually. Psychosis may occur because of a psychiatric illness such as schizophrenia and occurs in episodes known as psychotic episodes. Psychosis can also be triggered by a health condition or substance abuse. Childhood psychosis is rare, however, psychiatric illnesses in children and youth have increased and are usually accompanied by other mental health challenges such as depression and bipolar disorder. Some of the early signs of psychosis include believing things that others don’t exist, trouble thinking clearly, withdrawal from family, decline in hygiene, hearing voices, and more. It is believed that psychosis is triggered by trauma, substance use, brain injury, schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder. Early intervention is critical and shows the best outcome. This section has a variety of resources that will help you better understand psychosis.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ These resource links are being provided for informational purposes only. The North American Division of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is not responsible for the accuracy, legality, or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Please contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
Substance use disorder is a disease that affects the brain. Substance abuse can lead to addiction, a complex condition in which a person cannot control the abuse of illegal/legal drugs, prescribed medications (like opioids), alcohol, recreational drugs, and nicotine. When a person has a substance use disorder, their body craves substances, and they are unable to stay away from them or stop the addictive behavior. The most common addiction is drugs (such as pain relievers, nicotine, and opioids) and alcohol. One in 10 Americans has an addiction to both. The common signs of substance abuse disorder include increased secrecy, memory loss, tiredness due to lack of sleep, personality changes, significant adverse changes in established relationships. Seeking early intervention from a qualified professional is critical in minimizing physical, emotional, and psychological damage from substance use disorder and will also start the road to recovery. This section has a variety of resources that will help you better understand substance use.
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These resource links are being provided for informational purposes only. The North American Division of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is not responsible for the accuracy, legality, or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Please contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
For a variety of reasons, many students are overwhelmed and start to slip into a state of depression. It is important to understand that some of these students are also dealing with traumatic events from their past, and it’s not unusual for children and youth struggling with trauma and pain to engage in self-harm to reduce pain. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines self-harm as “an act with non-fatal outcome…” Which means that it is a deliberate action causing pain. Suicide ideation refers to contemplating or planning to self-injure or planning suicide, which is on the rise. Suicide is one of the most common causes of death among high school and college students. Stress and depression have been linked to suicide attempts/suicide. However, there are ways to help such students. Many colleges and universities are beginning to offer social support to assist students in managing stress and anxiety and have even incorporated mental health counseling services and suicide and depression awareness programs. During these transition years, students need to have a robust campus support system in place. This section has a variety of resources that will help you better understand suicide/self-injury and non-suicidal self-injury.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ These resource links are being provided for informational purposes only. The North American Division of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is not responsible for the accuracy, legality, or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Please contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
Everyone will struggle with fear, anxiety, or stress at some point in their lives. However, people with anxiety disorders, which are frequently caused by traumatic events, deal with excessive worry and continuous fear. These overwhelming feelings of anxiety often interfere with the daily routines and can prevent people from living fruitful and productive lives. The three common anxiety disorders are social anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. Symptoms of anxiety disorders can include nervousness, restlessness, sweating, trouble sleeping, feeling weak, having stomach problems, trembling, increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and constant worrying. Anxiety disorders do not typically resolve on their own, so people with this disorder need to seek help from a mental health provider. This section has a variety of resources that will help you better understand anxiety disorders.
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These resource links are being provided for informational purposes only. The North American Division of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is not responsible for the accuracy, legality, or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Please contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
Depression is the most common childhood mental illness and nearly two million children and teens battle depression in the United States. Depression is a mood disorder distinguished by persistent feelings of sadness. Depression can affect both adults and children of all ages, including infants. Yes, you read correctly, even infants. While each child and adult experience symptoms differently, some of the most common include feeling of sadness; having low self-esteem, difficulty with relationships, decreased energy, difficulty concentrating, suicidal thoughts, frequent headaches, stomach aches, and even fatigue. While the exact cause of depression is not known, research has linked genetics and environmental factors as the common reasons for depression. Depression can have severe consequences and should require medical attention and treatments like talk therapy. If persistent signs of depression are detected in children and teens, parents should talk to their child’s pediatrician and get the appropriate help. Early intervention can make a difference in the lives of children and teens battling depression. This section has a variety of resources that will help you better understand depression.
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These resource links are being provided for informational purposes only. The North American Division of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is not responsible for the accuracy, legality, or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Please contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
The American Psychiatric Association defines eating disorders as “behavioral conditions characterized by severe and persistent disturbance in eating behaviors and associated distressing thoughts and emotions. They can be severe conditions affecting physical, psychological and social function.” Eating disorders are serious but treatable physical and mental illnesses that can affect people of any gender, age, body shape, and weight. Eating disorders are prevalent in adolescents and are associated with significant medical and psychiatric problems. Types of eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, pica, rumination disorder, and other specified feeding and eating disorders. Many people with an eating disorder struggle in secret for years before even reaching out for help. While no one thing causes eating disorders, here are some factors that may contribute to the problem: genetics, physiological issues, culture, environment, and biochemistry. This section has a variety of resources that will help you better understand eating disorders.
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These resource links are being provided for informational purposes only. The North American Division of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is not responsible for the accuracy, legality, or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Please contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.