Summary: <a href="http://on-boys.blubrry.net/125-anxiety-depression-in-boys/4381049165_4aacaf3870_o/" rel="attachment wp-att-587"></a>Photo by Brent Gambrell via Flickr<br> <br> <br> <br> 1 in 2 children will develop a mood or behavioral disorder or substance addiction by age 18. <br> <br> We parents like to think that if we "do everything right," our kids will be mentally and physically healthy with nary a care in the world. But that's not the case. The truth is that mental health challenges, including depression and anxiety, affect people of all ages from every segment of society -- including Jen, who was diagnosed with double depression in her mid-30s.<br> <br> Sadly, boys & men are far less likely to seek help for a mental health condition than girls and women. Fear of looking "weak" or "unmanly" causes many guys to bottle up their feelings, with potentially disastrous results. (In 2016, <a href="https://afsp.org/about-suicide/suicide-statistics/">white males</a> accounted for 7 of 10 suicides in the United States.)<br> <br> Anxiety and depression, the two most common mental health disorders, are highly treatable, but too many children and families suffer alone. Only about 40% of children and teens with anxiety or depression receive treatment.<br> <br> Intervening when your son exhibits symptoms of anxiety or depression can change the trajectory of his life, for the better.<br> In this episode, Jen & Janet discuss:<br> <br> * How persistent stigma keeps families from acknowledging and seeking help for anxiety & depression (4:05)<br> * Symptoms of anxiety and depression in boys & men (4:56; 10:59;16:49)<br> * The link between anxiety & depression and risk-taking behavior, including drug use and promiscuous sex (7:40)<br> * Breaking through denial (11:53)<br> * How to help your child, even if no one else thinks there's a problem (13:45) or you have a hard time accessing mental health services (14:01)<br> * The difference between "worry" and "anxiety" (17:46)<br> * The link between anxiety & depression (20:44)<br> * How to find professional help, including online counseling (24:42)<br> * How to identify a boy-friendly therapist or counselor (27:53)<br> * The importance of self-care when dealing with a family member's mental health issues (29:30)<br> <br> Links we mentioned (or should have) in Episode 125:<br> <a href="https://amzn.to/2LnWct7">The Good News About Bad Behavior: Why Kids Are Less Disciplined Than Ever and What to Do About It</a> -- book by Katherine Reynolds Lewis<br> <br> <a href="http://www.on-boys-podcast.com/123-the-good-news-about-bad-behavior-with-katherine-reynolds-lewis/">Episode 123: The Good News About Bad Behavior with Katherine Reynolds Lewis</a><br> <br> <a href="http://www.on-boys-podcast.com/115-the-boy-crisis-with-warren-farrell/">Episode 115: The Boy Crisis with Warren Farrell</a><br> <br> <a href="https://buildingboys.net/author-ann-douglas-opens-up-about-how-to-help-boys-with-mental-health-challenges/">Author Ann Douglas on How to Help Boys with Mental Health Challenges</a> -- BuildingBoys blog post<br> <br> <a href="https://amzn.to/2LmxCsD">Parenting Through the Storm: Find Help, Hope, and Strength When Your Child Has Psychological Problems</a> -- book by Ann Douglas<br> <br> <a href="http://www.on-boys-podcast.com/114-sleepovers-camp-and-separation-anxiety/">Episode 114: Sleepover, Summer Camp & Separation Anxiety</a><br> <br> <a href="https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/talk-to-someone-now/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Suicide Prevention Lifeline</a>: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)<br> <br> <a href="https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline</a>: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)<br> <br> <a href="http://kbro."></a>
