Methodist Experts Warn of Rise in Mental Health Issues Among Teens, Share Advice

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Methodist providers are seeing a rise in mental health issues among teens. Matthew Gibson, MD, a pediatrician with Methodist Physicians Clinic, and Roxanne Wayne, MS, LIMHP, a therapist with the Methodist Community Counseling Program, spoke to Omaha media about their concerns and offered advice for parents and teens. 

"Kids are doing well in the sense that they're not hospitalized with COVID, but they are disproportionately affected with all the other side effects of the pandemic," Dr. Gibson said. "We know we're having mental health issues, there's food insecurity, there's bigger issues with ADHD, there's issues with social skills and bullying."

“There are real things that they are dealing with and often times they want to not bring that to their parents," Wayne said. "But if parents can show them that they’re there for them and they’re willing to listen, more often than not they’ll come to you."

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