In
the first few weeks of shutdown, a friend was telling me how surprised he was
at his daughter’s seeming resilience in the face of being sent home in her
senior year of college due to Covid-19. He and his wife had grieved for their
child’s losses – commencement, plus springtime senior activity that she’d been
looking forward to since freshman year. But the daughter seemed remarkably OK,
even energized by the intensity of it all, the strangeness.
“It’s
because she’s a digital native,” he’d wagered. Meaning she’d never known a time
without computers or the Internet and was long acquainted with fostering and
maintaining relationships online. So endless Zoom classes, Facetime, Google
hangouts, et al, were not a stretch. Also, a longtime “indoor kid,” she didn’t
seem to mind the long days of spring and early summer, spent largely in front
of screens.
On
the day of her “virtual graduation,” however, she fell into a black mood and
refused to be part of the proceedings. These moody episodes have continued. Heading
into fall, seven months into the ever-evolving “new normal” of a pandemic, she’s
seeing a therapist, on antidepressant medication, and doing OK.
In
her article for mindbodygreen.com, psychotherapist Dr. Annette Nunez
advises parents to be on the lookout for such pandemic-related changes in child
behavior, noting that especially younger children – particularly extroverts – suffer
when deprived of routine that ordinarily offer a sense of structure in a
chaotic world.
Personalities
make a difference. Says Dr. Nunez: “Children who are more introverted and who
are shy may be thriving spending more time at home and learning online.
Children who have an extroverted personality, on the other hand, are likely
missing the ability to socialize with their peers, work in teams, and feed off
one another's energy.”
Dr.
Nunez cites these as warning signs: Changed or bad sleep habits, physical
complaints, dietary changes, and mood swings. All can be calls for help. She
recommends talking about it, looking into your child’s school therapist (if
there is one), and, of course, calling a health care professional if any of the
above situations worsen or become chronic.
Dr.
Nunez also stresses that it’s normal for everyone – parents and children – to
be experiencing grief, anxiety, and depression in these trying times, and to be
aware that talking it through can be a good start towards relieving emotional
stress for all.
Need
to talk to someone. Use the following hotlines:
Call Centers:
Dutchess - 845-486-2700 /
845-485-9700
Orange - 888-750-2266
Ulster - 845-340-9000
National Alliance on Mental Illness
Dutchess County helpline talk or
text
845-485-9700 or toll free
877-485-9700
Orange County Crisis Call Center
311 in Orange County
(845) 346-HELP outside Orange
County
Orange County Crisis Call Center
Confidential textline for teens for
info, referrals or just to chat
Text4Teens is now available 24
hours a day by texting 845-391-1000
Mental and Emotional Wellness
Resources: Orange County
Helpline/Rapeline (800) 832-1200
Mobile Mental Health Hotline is the
only one of its kind in Sullivan County
The Arc Sullivan-Orange Counties,
NY hosts “Children’s Mobile Crisis Intervention” service in the Sullivan County
area. The program, which is for children under 18, is designed to assist a
parent or guardian in need of an intervention during a time of crisis. The
program operates after traditional business hours when most children are at
home.
845-701-3777
NYS has set up a COVID Mental
Health Hotline, staffed by over 6,000 mental health professionals, that people
can access to access online or by phone. Call if you need help in coping with
the stress, anxiety, isolation, etc.
1-844-863-9314
Ulster County COVID-19 Hotline
845-443-8888
Ulster County Mobile Mental Health
Mobile Mental Health is operated by ACCESS: Supports for Living, between the
hours of 10 AM - 10 PM.
1-844-277-4820.
Family of Woodstock, Inc.
(845) 679-2485 or 338-2370
(845) 647-2443
(845) 255-8801