Connections Wellness Group to equip parents and local school professionals with mental health warning signs for teens
The changes that come with a new academic year can be a catalyst for stress and anxiety for many teenagers.
The National Institutes of Health estimates that 20% of youth and adolescents suffer from a mental, emotional, developmental or behavioral disorder. Anxiety and stress caused by school can lead to a decline in attendance and ultimately impact school performance. Already nearly 1 in 5 students miss school due to mental health concerns. It is more important now than ever for parents and school professionals to know the warning signs that a teenager may be struggling with their mental health.
“At Connections Wellness Group, our focus is on the whole child,” said Molly Muniz, LMSW, Business Development Specialist at Connections Wellness Group. “We recognize that students can feel overwhelmed by the academic and social pressures of traditional school environments, which can contribute to a decline in mental health. We want to help prepare parents and school professionals to be able to effectively notice warning signs.”
Teenagers may show a variety of warning signs while struggling with their mental health, including changes in behavior, mood, physical health and other conditions:
- Behavior: Withdrawal from friends and family, canceling plans or losing interest in activities they used to enjoy.
- Mood: Extreme mood swings, irritability, anger or fearfulness.
- Physical health: Loss of sleep, changes in appetite, aches or pains.
- Other conditions: Increased use of drugs or alcohol, panic attacks, or thoughts of death or suicide.
The widespread frequency of mental health conditions among adolescents has escalated due to a lack of access to treatment. Mental Health America finds that over 59% of youth impacted by major depression symptoms will not receive any mental health treatment, increasing the need for awareness nationwide.
To combat back-to-school anxiety for teens and adolescents, Connections Wellness Group (CWG), a Blended Health company, will host a ‘Teenage Mental Health 101’ webinar for parents and educators, so they can help students navigate the stressful season and set students up for a successful year ahead. This session will be held Sept. 20 at 12 p.m. CST.
Parents can register for the webinar here: https://connectionswellnessgroup.com/youngmindswebinar/
CWG will also offer webinars later this year and in 2025 to address a variety of mental health conditions in youth and adolescents, including:
- “About Coping Skills” on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024
- “Anxiety and Depression in Youth” on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025
- “Screen Time and Social Media” on Thursday, March 13, 2025
- “Preparing for Summer” on Thursday, May 8, 2025
CWG is a growing provider of behavioral and mental health services in Texas and Tennessee. With mental illness diagnoses increasing each year, CWG is dedicated to redefining mental health care through its services. Its mission is to expand access to outpatient behavioral health care services for adolescents and adults by providing strong continuity of care through convenient, innovative and high-touch individual and group services.
For more information about CWG, including its services, programs and locations, please visit connectionswellnessgroup.com.
###
About Connections Wellness Group
Connections Wellness Group, a Blended Health company, is redefining mental health care through innovative intermediate services. The organization’s mission is to expand access to outpatient behavioral health care services for adolescents and adults by providing strong continuity of care through convenient, innovative and high-touch individual and group services. The organization has 18 locations in Texas (Greater Dallas-Fort Worth) and Tennessee (Greater Nashville and Memphis).
Media Contact:
Kelly Asiala
[email protected]
260-444-8141