The Douglas S. Feldman Suicide Prevention Project
It’s a phone call we get all too often: A parent tells us their son or daughter is experiencing severe depression, anxiety and thoughts of suicide. And the situation has worsened due to the COVID-19 virus.
“The isolation brought on by the pandemic is hard on everyone, but it’s especially difficult for young people,” says Regina Barros-Rivera, Associate Executive Director of North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center. “All their normal routines have been upended, like going to school, playing sports and celebrating special occasions. Many have lost someone close to them, and they are in a constant state of fear. It’s a crisis that’s getting worse by the day.”
Sadly, suicide among young people isn’t a new problem. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the second-leading cause of death for ages 10-24, with more teens and young adults dying from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, birth defects and other major illnesses combined.
Thanks to a generous gift from Donald and Ellen Feldman, in September the Guidance Center launched a new program, the Douglas S. Feldman Suicide Prevention Project, an expansive initiative that aims to tackle the epidemic of suicide among young people.
“Through the Douglas S. Feldman Suicide Prevention Project, we will bring essential, life-changing services to the children and families in our community,” says Elissa Smilowitz, who is heading up the program. “We will address high-risk cases with a thorough evaluation for suicide risk; multiple weekly sessions of individual, group and family therapy; and a culturally sensitive treatment plan that focuses on safety strategies, healthy coping skills and relapse prevention.”
Evaluation with a psychiatrist regarding the possible use of medication will also be provided, along with in-home treatment and referrals to programs and services that will support parents’ efforts to protect their children.
The Guidance Center will also provide educational forums and a suicide survivors’ support group for those who suffer this tragic loss.
Andrew Malekoff, Executive Director of the Guidance Center, says, “We are grateful to the Feldmans for enabling us to develop a suicide prevention initiative that will enhance our ability to reach young people who may see no way out from the despair they are feeling. It’s a prime example of how our dedicated supporters make a profound difference in the well-being of our community.”
He adds, “Join us in spreading the word to schools, community organizations and friends. Information is power, and this program can save lives.”
Donations to support the Douglas S. Feldman Suicide Prevention Project can be made at www.northshorechildguidance.org/donate or by calling (516) 626-1971, ext. 320.
Maternal Depression Rates Rise During Pandemic, By Vanessa McMullan
Originally run in Anton Community Newspapers
Pregnancy and childbirth are exciting times in a family’s life, filled with joy and awe. For some mothers, however, the situation is far more complex. While many women experience some mild mood changes during or after the birth of a child, 15 to 20 percent of women have more significant symptoms of postpartum depression and other perinatal mood and anxiety disorders or PMADs.
Fifteen to 20 percent of women have more significant symptoms of postpartum depression and other perinatal mood and anxiety disorders or PMADs.
At North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, we work with moms and pregnant women whose symptoms may include feelings of sadness, irritability, guilt, lack of interest in the baby and changes in eating and sleeping habits. Some also experience trouble concentrating, thoughts of hopelessness and even thoughts of harming the baby or herself.
Research shows that the pandemic has increased the incidents of PMADs, and also heightened symptoms. One study found that the rate of symptoms of depression in new mothers amid the pandemic was nearly three times the rate of new mothers’ symptoms pre-pandemic.
The reality is that, as with so much about the virus, there are still many unknowns as to the impact of COVID-19 during pregnancy and for babies and young children, which creates enormous stress. Being a new mother can be isolating under normal circumstances, but during the quarantine and social distancing protocols, the sense of isolation has been greatly magnified. Expectant and new parents are concerned about a host of issues, from financial and job stability to the health of their babies and themselves.
The pregnancy and birth experience, especially during the height of the pandemic, was anything but normal. Many pregnant women and new moms had to go to their doctor’s appointments by themselves, and if they got bad news, they had no one with them to lean on. Most had no baby showers, no visits from grandparents, no birthday parties—even an absence of partners in the hospital before, during and after the birth. They often had very little support from friends and relatives who typically help the new parents in the days after the baby comes home, for fear of catching or transmitting the virus.
Families who have school-aged children have had to struggle with the decision of whether or not to send them back to the classroom, where they may be exposed to the virus and bring it home to the family. Even though New York has improved in terms of COVID-19 numbers since the height of the pandemic, being cautious is still important, and we have no way of knowing what the next several months will bring. And the fact that all of us will be inside more will likely present significant challenges.
The good news is that North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center has been able to serve these moms and families during the pandemic through remote therapy, either by video or phone. In addition to individual and family therapy, the Guidance Center has continued to offer remote group counseling, so parents don’t feel so alone. Our psychiatrists are also seeing clients remotely, in the cases where medication is needed.
Through our Diane Goldberg Maternal Depression Program, the Guidance Center provides:
• Screening and assessments
• Individual, couple and family therapy
• Crisis intervention consultation
• Psychiatric evaluations and medication management, where needed
• Support groups
• Back-to-work family support
• Help with self-care
As one new mother told us, “You’ve been my lifeline during this time when I needed connection and reassurance and support.”
If you or someone you love is experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression or other perinatal mood disorders, call the Guidance Center at 516-626-1971 and tell them you are seeking help for maternal depression. We are here for you.
Vanessa McMullan, LCSW, is supervisor at The Marks Family Right from the Start 0-3+ Center at North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center. She also heads up the organization’s Diane Goldberg Maternal Depression Program. Call 516-626-1971 or visit www.northshorechildguidance.org to learn more.
COVID, Kids and Nightmares
The pandemic is impacting the daily lives of our children in numerous ways, with anxiety related to remote learning difficulties, loss of social activities and fear of illness and death creating a mental health crisis. But COVID is also having a big effect on their nightly lives.
Gillian Pipia, who works with North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center’s younger clients at our Marks Family Right from the Start 0-3+ Center, has seen a significant increase in children’s intrusive thoughts related to COVID-19, particularly when it comes to their bedtime routines and sleeping patterns.
“Bedtime is usually a period when the usual distractions and tasks of life such as school, homework, dinner and bath time are completed, and children are left in bed, in the dark, alone with their thoughts,” says Pipia, LCSW. “The virus has created a situation of heightened anxiety that has resulted in behaviors such as bedtime avoidance, clinging to parents during their bedtime routine, refusal to get off electronics or more frequent nightmares.”
It’s not uncommon for children to internalize and hold in their fears as a way of coping, she adds, which is why their pandemic worries are likely to manifest in nightmares.
While some older kids can articulate their feelings by discussing them in therapy, younger children need more creative ways to express their feelings; therefore, during therapy sessions, Pipia encourages them to draw, write or play with toys as a way to express and process their fears.
“Many of the children draw scary monsters, and some have had reoccurring dreams where they are drowning, which reflects the fact that the virus is invisible,” she says. “They feel they have no control over it.”
When it comes to reducing nightmares, Pipia encourages her young clients to think of items or people that help them feel safe, such as a hug from a parent, favorite stuffed animal, special blanket or night lights. She also teaches them a practice called “Grounding in the Five Senses,” which involves thinking about five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste.
“It helps them to let go of the worry and focus on something more concrete,” says Pipia. “Parents can teach this to their children and use it anytime they are having trouble sleeping, or for other anxious moments.”
Parents can incorporate many other strategies to help children with COVID-related nightmares:
- Stick to their normal, calming bedtime routine, perhaps reading an extra book that focuses on a happy, comforting topic.
- Validate their worry and other feelings so they feel seen and heard.
- Don’t tell them they have nothing to worry about or are being silly.
- Model reassurance and safety either verbally (“I’m here, I will protect you”) or physically with a hug.
- Encourage them to imagine happy endings for their dreams before bedtime.
- During the daytime, give them the choice about whether to draw, talk or in some other way convey their feelings, which will help them feel some sense of empowerment in the face of uncertainty and fear.
- Limit their exposure to COVID-related news—but do respond to any of their questions in an age-appropriate way.
During the pandemic, North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center is seeing clients remotely via telehealth platforms or, when deemed necessary, in person. To make an appointment, call us at (516) 626-1971 or email intake@northshorechildguidance.org. Remember, we never turn anyone away for inability to pay.
A Dangerous Addiction Among Youth, By Dr. Nellie Taylor-Walthrust
Note: The following column will run this week in the Roslyn News and other Anton Media newspapers.
Despite the economic woes brought on by the pandemic, one type of store is popping up in increasing numbers in neighborhoods all across Long Island: smoke shops, which carry everything from cigarettes and e-cigarettes to pipes and bongs.
These stores are taking advantage of the growth in popularity of vaping, which involves inhaling and exhaling an aerosol (or vapor) produced by an e-cigarette, vape pen or other smoking device, some of which resemble flash drives or other everyday objects. You may have heard vaping referred to as JUULing, since the brand JUUL has become so ubiquitous.
Many e-cigs are clearly designed to appeal to young people, with flavors such as strawberry, gummi bear and cotton candy. In 2020, 83% of youth e-cigarette consumers used flavored e-cigarettes. (New York is seeking a ban on the sale of these flavored products, but an appellate court placed a hold on the ban this September.)
Today, there are approximately 3.6 million middle and high schoolers who are regular users of e-cigarettes, and the numbers have been growing. Studies show that from 2017 to 2019, the percentage of teens who said they vaped in the past 12 months doubled: from 7.5% to 16.5% among eighth graders; from 15.8% to 30.7% among 10th graders; and from 18.8% to 35.3% among 12th graders.
Alarming Health Impacts
Although many tweens and teens are sold on the idea that vaping is far less dangerous than smoking regular cigarettes, the research strongly suggests otherwise.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the vast majority of e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive and can harm adolescent and young adult brain development. In addition, a variety of toxic chemical additives are often in the mix, including ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deeply into the lungs; diacetyl, also damaging to the lungs; and heavy metals such as nickel, tin and lead.
So what is a parent to do? First, let your kids know that e-cigarettes are not safe alternatives to cigarettes. The studies increasingly show that they can cause:
- Damage to the brain, heart and lungs
- Cancerous tumor development
- Preterm deliveries and stillbirths in pregnant women
- Harmful effects on brain and lung development when use occurs during fetal development or adolescence
When you approach the conversation, instead of lecturing, ask an open-ended question, such as “Have you heard about vaping?” and “Is it popular at school?” Offer honest, science-based information, geared toward your child’s or teen’s age—and start these conversations when your kids are young.
Make your reasons for not wanting your child to vape clear. Many of them have no idea that e-cigarettes have nicotine and are highly addictive, since marketers have told them it’s safe and “cool” to vape. You may want to rehearse a situation where they might be asked to try vaping, letting them practice saying, “No thanks, I don’t smoke” in a direct, clear fashion.
If your tween or teen has already started vaping, don’t punish or shame them. Explore online programs like “Truth Initiative,” which offers a free smoking cessation program called “This is Quitting,” or call the American Lung Association at 800-LUNGUSA for more resources.
Finally, be a positive role model and don’t smoke. Your behavior matters far more than you might imagine.
Dr. Nellie Taylor-Walthrust is the Director of North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center’s Leeds Place, which operates an Adolescent Outpatient Chemical Dependency Treatment Program. If your child or teen is having problems with vaping, drugs or alcohol, call the Guidance Center at (516) 626-1971 for help.