10 ways to help teens cope with stress, anxiety
According to the American Psychological Association, 90% of Gen Z โ which the U.S. Census classifies as people born from 1997 to 2013 โ in 2022 had experienced psychological or physical symptoms as a result of stress within a time period of one year.
KSAT to launch mental wellness video podcast โFrom Living in Silence to Living Out Loudโ with host Talli Dolge
โFrom Living in Silence to Living Out Loudโ is a monthly video podcast from KSAT 12 focused on mental health and wellness, sharing personal experiences, resources and coping skills. It will be available in January 2023.
Endeavors Veteran Wellness Center is a hub for Veteran care
Located at 6333 De Zavala Road, in San Antonioโs Medical District, the Veteran Wellness Center at Endeavors is prioritizing health care and well-being for veterans and their families regardless of service, discharge status or family relationship.
Itโs vital to talk about mental health. KSAT invites you to a town hall with local experts on May 26 at 7 p.m.
During the town hall, we will explore the impacts of mental health and wellness this year and beyond. Weโll also be answering mental health and wellness questions that you can submit ahead of time.
Mental health on the COVID frontlines: Our next crisis?
The following article touches on mental health as it pertains to those who have worked on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the real emotional stories we cover play out in the documentary above. Health care turned upside-downIn March 2020, the world was flipped upside-down, and because of that, there have been and continue to be many who have experienced difficult moments, some of which have led to real mental health crises. As a society, weโre constantly putting an emphasis on physical health, which is important, but somewhere along the way, it seems as though mental health was forgotten. This certainly wasnโt someone who suffered from mental health conditions or depression for years. Watch our entire special, What Lies Beneath: Managing Mental Health, above.
School mental health pilot program expands into more districts
SAN ANTONIO โ Two years ago, KSAT12 was first introduced to a collaborative program involving six local agencies. The mental health mobile unit was a way to give students, their families, faculty and staff a place to go for their mental health needs. The CARE Zone opened up at South San ISD and has since flourished, with now Harlandale and Edgewood ISDs adding it to their schools. The programโs curriculum has also expanded as a result of the pandemic and services became widely available virtually. For more information about what services are provided by the CARE Zone, you can visit each districtโs website.
Demi Lovatoโs shocking new docuseries sheds light on mental health struggles
In 2018, singer Demi Lovato almost lost her life to a drug overdose, and now, sheโs stepped forward to tell the world her story. Lovatoโs new docuseries โDancing With the Devil,โ which you can watch on YouTube, explores the events that led up to her near fatal overdose. The docuseries not only covers Lovatoโs prior mental health issues, but how she now processes her daily struggles. AdMany of us have known someone who has had difficulty with mental health, or perhaps someone who struggles with addiction. The first two episodes of โDancing with the Devilโ are available to watch on YouTube, and you can expect to see two more episodes coming out.
Parenting in a Pandemic: Experts tackle topics from anxiety, depression in kids to self-care for parents
While things seem more hopeful in recent weeks, parents are still battling with the effects of the pandemic. Anxiety and depression are on the riseA big and important topic the pandemic has highlighted is mental health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anxiety and depression in children has increased over the past decade or so. Signs of depression and anxiety in childrenUltimately, Knudsen said โparents know their kids and I think they know when thereโs been a significant change. AdThe A-GAME scale is something Andrus created to help parents know when itโs time to act on potential tech addiction.
Therapy dog Marcus brings joy amid pandemic to Childrenโs Hospital of San Antonio
SAN ANTONIO โ Meet Marcus! He is one of the most in-demand staff members at the Childrenโs Hospital of San Antonio. Since he joined the staff in November, the hospitalโs full-time, in-house therapy dog visits several patients and staff a day and prescribes lots of love. The hospital used to have several more outside volunteer therapy dogs, however when the pandemic struck, those volunteer visits came to a halt. โDemand here is already high; everyone wants to see Marcus,โ Sharawi said.
โItโs absolutely OK to feel anxiousโ: Professional counselor gives advice to those worried about end of mask mandate
SAN ANTONIO โ Belinda Tuyub isnโt looking forward to Wednesday when the state opens back up 100% and ends its blanket mask mandate. Itโs absolutely OK to feel anxious,โ Taylor said. Taylor recommends taking stock of how you feel about it and then setting โhealthy boundariesโ based on that. When you do have to be around people, Taylor recommends taking the precautions that you can, like wearing your own mask and maintaining distance. AdAdditionally, Taylor recommends managing your expectations.
Pride Center offers new free group therapy for LGBTQ youth of color, Spanish speakers
The free program will cater to young people of color and Spanish speakers in the queer community. Salcido stayed true to himself, eventually becoming the executive director of the Pride Center of San Antonio. However, the second pilot counseling group, which is for adults 18 and older who speak Spanish, still has spots available. AdThe Pride Center will use research done during these eight-week counseling sessions to mold more group counseling programs for the future. To sign up for the Spanish speaking group, head to the Pride Center websiteโs group therapy page.
Some snacks that promote positive mental health
Here are some food suggestions to help you live in a state of calm in 2021. These foods are a rich source of stress-busting omega-3 fatty acids which play an important role in brain health. Mussels, clams and oysters are rich in vitamin B12 in addition to Omega-3s, which are both prominent nutrients in diets connected with lower anxiety. In fact, B vitamins, including vitamin B12, help to maintain the nervous system, and stress can cause a slight increase in the bodyโs requirements of these b vitamins. Carbohydrates can help to boost serotonin production in the brain, which is key in influencing our mood.
WATCH: KSAT Communityโs โResilience in the New Year Virtual Mental Health Town Hallโ
Millions of people in the U.S. are affected by mental illness each year. One in five U.S. adults experience mental illness, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). To help the San Antonio community during this difficult time, KSAT Community hosted a virtual mental health town hall on Wednesday, Jan. 27 at 2 p.m. with three panelists answering commonly asked questions over mental health. AdStill have more questions about mental health? RELATED: KSAT Explains: Your mental health in 2021 amid COVID pandemicDo you need help with a substance-related issue?
How to transcend post-election Thanksgiving conversations with the ordinary magic of resilience
To make matters potentially more stressful, Thanksgiving โ and conversations with family members who may not agree with your political views โ is right around the corner. Thatโs why itโs vital to learn to adapt to negative emotions and move on in a healthy, productive manner through the ordinary magic of resilience. Resilience Toolbox:Take a deep breath โ If you find yourself in an upsetting conversation or anxious about the future, you may stop and take a deep breath. When you take a deep breath, your body is sending a message to your brain to relax and calm down. List things you can control โ In life there are some things that you can control and some things that are out of your control.
5 ways to help combat anxiety in the age of COVID-19
In the middle of a worldwide health pandemic, we not only have to protect ourselves from COVID-19, we also have to protect ourselves from daily mental health challenges. Either way, here are some helpful lessons that keep me going and help to combat my anxiety. Also, please consider talking to a licensed therapist who can help you grow your mental health toolbox, you donโt need to do it alone. and, with the proper mental wellness tools, we can come out of this stronger and more resilient. In 2019, she helped form the San Antonio Mobile Mental Wellness Collaborative, a unique group of six mental health nonprofits who provide a holistic approach to mental wellness to school districts.