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Tech for struggling teens



Mental health help from new tech tools

Mental health help from new tech tools


The teen years are generally challenging, and having social lives and schooling restricted by the pandemic is adding to the anxieties of adolescence. Social media can allay those problems, or it can make them worse.

But there are other tech options specifically designed to help teens with their issues. Parentmap.com urges parents to talk to their kids and seek professional help if it seems needed. The article lists a number of apps and websites that may be of assistance.

For on-the-spot support

My3 aims to prevent suicide by providing at least three phone numbers to call in case of suicidal urges, including 911, National Suicide Hotline, and other numbers input in advance by the user. Designed by mental health professionals, the app also offers approved strategies for avoiding suicidal thinking and suggests resources to pursue at times of depression.

Calm Harm suggests ways to avoid giving in to self-harming impulses. Methods such as “comfort, distract, and breathe” will hopefully be internalized over time. The teen can add a list of trusted people to call at stressful moments.

READ MORE: Tweens and teens reflect on friendship

For day-to-day use

HappiMe for Young People leads the user through a series of steps to deal with negative feelings: Learn, Recognize, Deal With Your Emotions, and Replace. The app also comes in versions for adults and young children.

Virtual Hope Box
Three modes —Remind Me, Distract Me, and Relax Me —help teens find a centered state when stress is threatening to overwhelm. The user can upload photos, songs, quotes, and even games to bring up when they need calming. They can create a customized “coping card,” and there's also a meditation option. 

Staying Positive

Apart of Me
This app's adventure-game setting offers a chance to explore a beautiful land, while bringing coping methods to bear when obstacles appear. Characters give guidance, and meditation exercises teach helpful skills. The app also includes instructive and inspiring recordings by teens who have conquered difficult situations.

Three Good Things
An app created by teens encourages the user to write down three positive experiences each day, available for recall when times get tough.

Thanks for ParentMap, a great parenting publication in Seattle, WA



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