MANKATO — Perhaps your child used to love school, but now they don’t.
Or they once spoke frequently about their friends, but lately the topic hasn’t come up.
Or maybe they’re weighed down by comparing themselves to others on social media.
These “little things,” as Nash Surdy said, might be cause for alarm.
A licensed therapist, co-owner of mental health counseling clinic Mending Roots in Mankato and clinical supervisor there, Surdy urges parents to seek mental health care for their child in the early stages rather than waiting until the problem presents as an emergency.
“It’s better to go in when you’re noticing a little bit of it because if it’s debilitating, it’s going to be a longer, bigger process,” he said. “Don’t push that off.”
Anxiety rates among children in the region are on the rise. Surdy said as many as 50% of the kids he works with are struggling with the mental illness.
Nationally, the rates are even more alarming. As noted in a recent article in The New York Times, doctor’s visits for children’s anxiety rose by more than 250% over 10 years, according to a study of nearly 2 million children.
Back at home, Sarah Sifers, a psychologist in the pediatrics department of Mankato Clinic Children’s Health Center, agreed that the number of kids experiencing anxiety is increasing in the Mankato region.
“We see many young people struggling with anxiety today and it’s due to a lot of factors,” she said. “Pressures from school and activities, the impact of social media, less connection with extended family, events in the world around them. So many of our pediatricians are seeing more kids with anxiety and many of those kids are making their way to me.”
The trend comes as no surprise, Surdy and Sifers agree.
“There are a lot of factors playing into the increase,” Sifers said. “We are also making a point of screening children for mental health concerns. That’s something the primary care providers at Mankato Clinic do a really good job of so that children aren’t slipping through the cracks.”
Compared to his childhood during the ‘90s, when life was more carefree for kids, Surdy said today’s youth are faced with challenges their ‘90s peers never experienced.
“There’s a lot more things to be exposed to and be worried about,” he said. “I don’t remember knowing what was going on with the news when I was a kid but now I have 10-year-olds coming in and asking about world events. It doesn’t surprise me that these (mental illnesses) are on the rise because they have more on their plate as far as knowing what’s happening.”
Social media is another newer tempest for kids today. Some kids who struggle with mental illness may be dialed into their social media accounts rather than engaging in other, healthier activities, Sifers said. And they might also be experiencing cyber bullying when online.
“The research suggests that increased social media use can be associated with an increase in mental health concerns,” she said. “On the flip side, it can be a way for youth to build supportive social connections.”
She too encourages parents to get a head start on seeking help for struggling kids.
“I think that one of the key pieces is going in to seek healthcare right away,” Sifers said. “Oftentimes, when things are in the earlier stages, we can help kids get on a good path with just a few visits. So you don’t have to wait until things are really rough.”