At-Home Learning and Pandemic-Related Depression: How to Manage

Woman helps daughter with home schooling while suffering from pandemic-related depression

With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing into 2021, many families are feeling the strain of managing distance learning for children and teens. This highly contagious acute respiratory disease appears to spread between people via respiratory droplets. In order to reduce the spread of COVID-19, normal activities like attending school, church, or coming together in large gatherings need to be avoided for the time being.

Around the country, schools have responded to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic by switching to virtual, at-home instruction and other forms of distance learning. For children and teens who are going to school online, and are currently separated from friends and habitual routines, the situation can be disruptive and stressful.

Mental health issues like depression might be worsened by this situation, or you might see signs of depression and anxiety in children and teens without a history of previous mental health symptoms. Parents and caregivers may also be struggling with additional stress-related mental health needs due to the unusual demands of distance learning support.

You should know that you’re not alone in this situation, even if you’ve been staying socially distanced to limit the spread of COVID-19. The expert team of family therapists at Nugent Family Counseling, led by Geoff Nugent, PhD, LMFT, LPCC, BCPC, CSPC, offers support to children, teens, and families from conveniently-located offices in San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Aliso Viejo, California.

Handling the stresses of online learning

Helping your child or teen with online distance learning can be a unique challenge, potentially quite different from supporting a kid in in-person school. Parents need to balance awareness of this unprecedented situation with continued expectations and focus on the future for children and teens.

Your student’s performance might be poorer in online school, or ADHD issues might become more of a problem than ever. Find the middle ground between pushing your child too hard, and not providing enough structure and support. The experts at Nugent Family Counseling can help you and your family adjust to the current situation.

Strategies like setting a family schedule, taking time to connect with friends, and staying in touch with your child’s school can be helpful. You may need to put together plans to care for your child’s mental health and wellness, in addition to supporting them through a different type of educational year.

Getting the support you and your family need

Learning online from home puts students and parents or carers in new relationships, and you may benefit from professional guidance, counseling, or advice as you handle the challenges of parenting in 2021.

Children and teens may also be suffering from emotional or psychological disruptions due to the pandemic situation. Separation from friends, loss of hobbies and activities, and worries about the future are a lot for young people to handle.

At Nugent Family Counseling, we’ve got your child or teen’s and your whole family’s mental health needs covered. Whether your child needs screening for ADHD or a different learning disability, you need family counseling, or you think your child or teen could benefit from treatment for clinical depression, our care team is here to help.

You can schedule an appointment with a provider at Nugent Family Counseling by giving us a call today, or book online with our convenient tool.