Resource Category: General Education

We have a variety of strategies and skills available to manage and/or “regulate” ourselves when we feel overwhelmed. Their effectiveness depends on the person as well as the type and intensity of the distress they are experiencing in that particular moment. Several types of tools address the different aspects of the emotional experience, and we can address our needs from all sides. We can manage unhelpful thinking, employ sensory strategies to calm our bodies, use social support to validate our feelings and get help when we need it.
This glossary contains common mental health terminology. It is a great jumping-off point to learn more about terms you may hear when engaging in conversation about mental health. In Judaism, we read the same weekly parshiot (portions) from the Torah in the same order each year. While we may be familiar with the parsha (portion) of the week, we reread it to refresh ourselves with the story and glean something new as we approach it with fresh eyes and an open heart. In a similar vein, you may be familiar with many of the terms in this glossary. We encourage you to continue to learn and explore mental health terminology, so you can make connections to mental health in a way that supports where you are on your journey.
Written in Partnership with In the City Camps: One in six youths, ages 6-17, experience a mental health disorder each year. Anxiety and depression are prevalent among children. Between 2016 and 2019, an estimated 9.4 percent of children from 3 years old to 17 (approximately 5.8 million) were diagnosed with anxiety and 4.4 percent (approximately 2.7 million) with depression.While we do not yet understand the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, we know it had a significant impact on children’s mental health. From March 2020 to October 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), emergency department visits for mental health crises increased 24 percent for children from 5 years old to 11 and 31 percent for those from 12 to 17 compared with the same period in 2019.
Written in Partnership with In the City Camps: Helping your child develop good coping skills will benefit them throughout their life. Building strong coping skills is helpful for all children and especially for those navigating mental health challenges such as depression or anxiety. Here are some tips on fostering a supportive environment at home.
Written in Partnership with In the City Camps: Despite increased awareness of mental illness among their caregivers, many children and teens are still struggling with untreated or undertreated mental health issues, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Approximately 14 percent of 10- to 19-year-olds currently are experiencing a mental health condition such as depression and/or anxiety.