Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Make a sustaining gift today to support local journalism!

Taking A Toll: Kids' Mental Health

A young boy sits with his head down in his arms.
Good Housekeeping

For the second show in our three-part series about the mental health impacts of the past year, called Taking A Toll, we focus in children. As kids struggle through remote learning and isolation, many are feeling lonely and anxious. We discuss solutions and resources to help. 

Air date: Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021. 

GUESTS:

Resources and Advice from Our Guests

The phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifelife is 800-273-8255. 

Text HOME to 741741 for free, 24/7 crisis counseling. 

Call or text the Samaritans helpline at 877-870-4673 for 24/7 access to help. 

The phone number for NAMI NH is 1-800-242-6264. 

Teen Line provides support for teens by teens. 

The American Psychological Association has COVID-19 information and resources.

The CDC has guidelines for coping with stress.

New Hampshire has peer support agencies.

Speaking of Suicide has a list of resources

Normalize talking about mental health. Share with your kids how you are feeling to open up that conversation. 

Talk to someone about how you are feeling. 

Talk with children about their strengths so they feel more confident. 

Go outside. 

Get some exercise. Try yoga or stretching. 

Make sure you find time for family fun. Build it into your weekly routine and give kids something to look forward to. 

Find ways to maintain social contact with friends. 

Talk with kids about how they express their stress. Pay attention to those signs. 

Ask kids how they are feeling and if they are having unsafe thoughts. 

Attend therapy. 

Talk to the child's pediatrician. 

Try to create some routine in the child's life. 

Try mindfulness to manage stress and anxiety, including deep breathing. There are free apps that will guide you through this. 

Limit time on social media. 

Talk with kids about internet safety. 

Check out Breath: The New Science of A Lost Art by James Nestor. 

This show was produced by Jane Vaughan. 

Related Content

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.