Each New Year begins with great hope and promise. It’s the chance to reinvent oneself, transform habits, and make a fresh start. But when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, studies suggest we are set up for failure before the year even begins.

It’s supposed to be the happiest time of the year, but is it? Emotions are more intense during the holidays than at other times throughout the year, and celebrating with family and friends brings about a diverse range of feelings. While many people experience joy and happiness during the holiday season, others experience a completely different set of emotions including stress, sadness, depression, loneliness, and fatigue.

Many of us have experienced trauma over the last few years as we’ve been forced to deal with the fallout from the pandemic, geopolitical conflicts, social unrest, and a dire economic outlook. Unfortunately, the youngest among us have not been immune to the trauma either.

Making self-care a priority is essential when you work in a healthcare setting. Day in and day out, you spend a large portion of your day caring for the well-being of your patients, but over time, it can take a personal toll. The last several years have brought even more challenges for healthcare providers across the country as more people are going through difficulties and reaching out for help. 

Parents, researchers, pediatricians, and front-line mental health providers are all saying the same thing: there is an ongoing mental health crisis among youth in America. Taking action to mitigate these challenges is essential. However, it can be hard to know where to start without the appropriate data.

ADHD, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders present in childhood. Despite receiving significant attention throughout the last 30 years, doctors and researchers are still uncovering new potential causes, contributing factors, and treatment options for those with ADHD.

Recent legislation allows children to take mental health days off from public school, but not all states are on board. See where your state stands, and how you can advocate to include mental health selfcare as a legitimate reason for missed school days.

Some of the best summer activities can also help children decompress from a stressful school year, which can help improve troubling mental health symptoms. As social distancing measures are now relaxed, and more activities become available, children may need some encouragement to step outside of their comfort zone and get more engaged in a world that may still feel overwhelming. You should be ready to listen to their concerns and work with them to find activities that feel both fun and safe.

It’s no surprise that pediatric mental health issues have skyrocketed to unrivaled levels as children have been forced to navigate the challenges that have come with the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Desperate for ways to address this growing concern, healthcare professionals across the United States are coming together to share ideas about programs, policies, and best practices that will positively impact the mental health of youth and adolescents in the US.

Each May, we celebrate National Children’s Mental Health Week to underscore the importance of nurturing positive mental health among our nation’s youth. This year, from May 1st-7th, the awareness week will emphasize the vital importance of building strong emotional health for children’s long-term development and overall wellness.