Teen Depression and Anxiety

By: Rachelle Alcazaren | Outreach Worker in Kingston-Galloway

Statistics: 

• 1 in 5 people in Canada will experience a mental health problem or illness each year

• Anxiety disorders rose up to 20% in the last 5 years, and continue to rise along with hospitalizations for suicidal teenagers

• 1 in 3 adolescents aged 13-18 will experience an anxiety disorder

• Use of cannabis and alcohol by teens and younger adults has increased during the pandemic, with solitary substance use becoming more common. 

• More than a ⅓ of youth received mental health services in an academic setting ex. school , college, etc., but with the pandemic they are going without extra help

• Canada’s youth suicide rate is the third highest in the industrialized world

• Mental disorders in youth is ranked the second highest hospital care expenditure in Canada, surpassed only by physical injuries

• Only 1 in 5 children who need mental health services actually receives them in Canada

Our world is becoming even more dependent on technology than ever before. Because of the pandemic, our whole worlds revolve online, which is especially true for teenagers and children in school. Our connections have gotten broader in this world, but to our demise, they have gotten shallower as well. They are exposed to a number of people all at once on the internet, but sit alone in their rooms all day. The pandemic has only made it worse. There is a great need for deeper connection and relationship, but we aren’t able to have that at this time. Hangouts are replaced by FaceTime calls and Zoom sessions, and the only people we have to talk to that are physically near us, are our families. Unfortunately, not every teenager gets along with their families. It might be harder to share their inner thoughts and feelings with their parents and siblings. There are some youth in our own community of Kingston-Galloway that have shared their struggles with this issue. Especially concerning immigrant households, the youth have shared similar differences in culture, language, and ways of thinking between themselves and their parents that make it particularly difficult to find a middle ground. In general, our connections in this world consist of many people who only know us at face value, with only a few that know where we are at spiritually and emotionally.
Fostering relationships as a teenager is one of the most important factors in development. People who genuinely invest in a teenager’s life with care and commitment shape who they are and who they will become as people. At TCM, we invest in our teenagers through programs that build their character, leadership and relationship with God. Throughout the year, youth are able to participate in our Teens Leading Community Program (TLC). Here, youth learn and develop various skills, learn responsibility and grow their faith. They learn to be leaders in their very own communities. After all, who knows the community better than them? The TLC’s are a big part of our other Sonshine Day Camp and KIC programs.
Through these programs, they’re able to interact with kids in their community and help lead and guide them. These programs are vital to the community because it provides a place for youth to grow and cultivate their skills in a safe environment. An environment that not only cares about their education, health and well-being, but also their spiritual lives.
The fact that social media has ultimately replaced relationships (to varying degrees depending on the person) is a truly concerning fact. People are feeling more lonely than ever, especially now that everyone is in social isolation due to the pandemic. Social media also shows the best parts of people’s lives, and it can bring a person’s self-esteem down to see their own “reality.” Anxiety and depression is becoming more and more common in children, youth, and young adults. I am not saying that social media is the one true cause of everyone’s mental health problems, but that it is one piece in a puzzle of other factors causing increased mental health issues in today’s world.

Other Causes Could Include and Are Not Limited To:

• High expectations and the culture of achievement in today’s society

• A scary world: news articles from all over the world can be found by a click of a button. We hear and see stories of terrible things happening all over the world every day - something that is possible now because of technology 

• The unknown nature of the pandemic 

• Stressful home environment

• Hormonal changes in mood

• Social environment and social isolation 

• Remote learning because of the pandemic- days are long, lonely, and it’s hard to get academic help

How Can We Be There For Our Children and Teenagers? 

1. Be aware of mental health issues and don’t be afraid to talk about it with your child and/or youth. Fostering an environment of love and acceptance is important for their development. 

2. Listen without judgement or waiting for the opportunity to talk. It’s easy to dismiss our child/teen’s problems as dramatic. Sitting there with presence and purpose instead of dismissing it or having the need to give advice might be just what they need. Sometimes you don’t even need to talk! 

3. Older kids might not want to talk, and younger children might not have the words to express what they’re feeling. Establishing an environment that they can be comfortable in can take time.

4. Focus on resilience. Help them build skills that they can use to adapt to day-to-day challenges. What can they control? What can’t they control? Identify the little things that they do have control over and the things that only God has control over. Feeling helpless makes you more vulnerable and prone to depression and anxiety, so focusing on these skills can build their resilience. 

5. Model good self-care to your children. If you can’t take care of yourself, how will you be able to care for them? 

6. Learn the warning signs of anxiety and depression, and the symptoms associated with it. It is better to be knowledgeable than ignorant.

7. Get professional help. Here are some links to organizations that specialize in anxiety and depression in children and youth:

Kids Help Phone

• For children and youth

• Provides professional counselling and information and referrals for mental health, addictions and well-being

• Phone and online via web post or live chat

• Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

• Free, anonymous and confidential

• Call: 1-800-668-6868 to speak with a professional counsellor

• Text: CONNECT to 686868 to connect with a trained, volunteer Crisis Responder

Good2Talk

• For people between the ages of 17-25

• For post-secondary students in Ontario

• Provides professional counselling and information and referrals for mental health, addictions and well-being

• Free, confidential and anonymous helpline

• Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

• Call: 1-866-925-5454 to speak with a professional counsellor

• Text: GOOD2TALKON to 686868 with a trained, volunteer Crisis Responder

Mental Health Helpline

• All ages

• Provides information about counselling services and supports in your community

• Listens, offers support and provide strategies to help you meet your goals

• Provides basic education about mental illness

• Call: 1-866-531-2600

Ontario Distress Centres

• All ages

• A free telephone help-line for people experiencing emotional distress (including suicide)

• Provide listening and referral services primarily through highly trained volunteers

• Most centres are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

• Call a distress centre in your area

*information taken from Ontario Mental Health Services Children and Youth

Resources: 

• ADAA

• Healthy Children

• Haven Toronto

• NYU Langone Health

• Healthy Children

• Child Mind

• CTV News

• New York Times

• Psychiatrics Times

• Discovery Mood

• Dana Foundation

• The Power of Relationships (Video)

Sowing Seeds

By Rachelle Alcazaren, Kingston-Galloway | Outreach Worker

Toronto City Mission’s (TCM) Sonshine Day Camp is a program in the summer that allows children in the communities of Flemingdon Park and Kingston-Galloway to go to day camp for free. However, this past summer (2020) the pandemic altered plans and Outreach Workers had to find other ways to reach out to the children, youth and families of the community. In the community of Kingston-Galloway, Rachelle and her partner Carmen thought of ways to stay engaged. They thought of walk-by treat days where they and their TLCs (Youth Leaders) would set up a booth outside so that individuals in the community could pick up free freezies and popsicles on a hot day. Although the idea was exciting, Rachelle did not expect too much, however after the second treat day, that changed.  

In the moments outside, little by little, they were able to connect with the community. Suddenly, families and individuals that they’ve never met in Kingston-Galloway started showing up and were engaging with Rachelle and Carmen. To one family, they shared why they continued to do outreach and their hearts for the families, like them, in the community. To an older gentleman, connecting with them was a moment of happiness in his day. Even though it was a small event that was done for the community, Rachelle realized that through this, there was an opportunity to share with Kingston-Galloway about what TCM does and why TCM continues to stay in the community. Many families still do not know that TCM exists or what TCM exactly does within their own neighbourhood. It was in that moment where Rachelle realized that God was really working during the walk-by treat days. Their hearts for the community and the vision of TCM to see families impacted by poverty lead transformed lives were shared. God taught Rachelle in these moments that His plan and His will are much greater than our own. Even if they were small or short conversations, they were able to plant seeds within the people of the Kingston-Galloway community. 

As Outreach Workers in the heart of the Kingston-Galloway community, Rachelle feels that they have a privilege and a responsibility to plant and water these seeds, to spread the good news. She learned through this experience that this doesn’t necessarily mean that they go out and start preaching at people. That the experience of meeting people where they are at and having small yet powerful conversations with them can be impactful. In that moment you may not see the seeds blossom. It might not be powerful at the moment, but that is why they are called seeds. Seeds are incredibly small, but with the proper care it can grow into the biggest tree in the forest. While they plant and water these seeds, Rachelle is relieved to know that God is the one responsible for making them grow. God is certainly in control. He is the one that will work in the lives of the people and transform them in His own time and His own will. Through this experience Rachelle is excited to see what God has in store this upcoming year, and she invites you to join them in prayer as they continue to pray for the families within the Kingston-Galloway community. 

Devotional | Rachelle | #30DaysofSonshine

This is Rachelle. She found out about TCM through Instagram, and because of her love for kids and desire to help others, God led her to begin her ministry with us. Rachelle is now one of our outreach workers for Kingston-Galloway (KG) as of January of this year. Today she will be sharing a devotional plan that has been shared with our KG youth, and we hope you’re encouraged by it.

Link to Devotional: https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/17170-who-i-am-in-christ

Follow Toronto City Mission (TCM) on Social Media:

Website: http://www.torontocitymission.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/torontocitymission/

Instagram: http://Instagram.com/torontocitymission/

#TorontoCityMission #30daysofsonshine #TCM #TheMission #Ministry #Innercity

Self Care in Quarantine

By Rachelle Alcazaren, Kingston-Galloway | Outreach Worker

In the last two months, businesses have stopped running, people have stopped working, and we have all come to a standstill while waiting for this nightmare to be over. Regardless of how much time I have been spending at home, I have come to realize that even with “nothing” to do, I have become busier and busier as the months progress. I don’t know if I’m the only one feeling this way or if this experience has been the same for everyone, but as the to-do list for my job life and my home life grow - restlessness, weariness, and anxiety also grows. It just seems like everything I do now in quarantine takes a lot more effort. Grocery shopping has become a tedious task (and a battlefield!), and it takes a lot more intention and effort for me to catch up with my friends and family members who I have not seen since March. Also, I can only imagine how others feel working at home- endless zoom calls and no physical human interaction. Zoom call meetings also have a tendency to make me extremely exhausted, more so than a normal meeting would have had before Ontario went into lockdown. Being at home day after day makes me restless, and my anxiety grows as the lockdown keeps getting extended. 

It’s easy to become trapped in our mundane quarantine routines, which is why it’s more important than ever to be in tune with yourself spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally. I am a massive supporter of self-care. I believe that taking care of yourself is necessary in boosting your confidence and self-esteem, producing positive feelings, managing your stress levels, and reminding yourself that you are important and your needs should also be met.

Physical Self-Care

Physically taking care of yourself can look like many things.

• Getting a good night’s sleep and taking the time to rest 

• Eating healthy food that will give you energy for your day

• Exercising

• Going for a walk/hike and getting some fresh air outside is always nice!

• Taking an online zumba or yoga class

• Staying hydrated

• Bubble baths! 

• Face masks

• You’d be surprised by how nice and calm I feel after taking the time to take care of my skin!

Mental Self-Care

• Doing something that you usually don’t have time to do and that you enjoy

For me this looks like reading a good book, watching a good Korean drama, and/or baking a yummy dessert. This can also look like decluttering your home, unplugging yourself from technology for a while, or a DIY home improvement project you’ve always wanted to work on. Taking care of yourself mentally looks different for everyone.

Emotional Self-Care

• Writing your thoughts in a journal to relieve stress

• Talking to a close friend or mentor

• Having a healthy support system that loves, encourages and supports you is important!

• Realizing the importance of boundaries

•  Sometimes other people’s problems can affect our own emotions, and in turn our lives are adversely affected. Instead of their emotions becoming our own, it is important to draw emotional boundaries so that we can be grounded and present for that person in their time of need.

Spiritual Self-Care

Sometimes when we’re busy, it’s easy to push aside our quiet time with Jesus. When we are busy we also tend to become mentally strained and tired of everything going on around us. In times like these it’s more important than ever to look to God for peace, strength, courage, love, and nourishment. When we’re weary from the situations going on in our life, pray more, get deeper into the word, practice gratitude, be more present in your church/Christian community, love others more deeply, choose joy, and most importantly rest in His ever-lasting presence and peace.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead. Pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

-Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

It may seem selfish to think of yourself and to do things for your own benefit, but in reality when you’re good to yourself you have a lot more to give to others. You have a lot more compassion, resources, love, and strength for others, and to do what needs to be done. You can’t fill another person’s bucket of water if you don’t have enough water in your own, and I think that’s a really important lesson for all of us to learn. 

The Impact of COVID-19 on TCM

By Rachelle Alcazaren, Kingston-Galloway | Outreach Worker

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Toronto City Mission has worked hard to actively contribute to the community, as well as lend a helping hand to the families that are a part of our programs. The way we serve the community may be executed differently, but our love and heart for the families we serve has not changed. 

The pandemic has not come without its challenges. As an organization that centres around building relationships through face-to-face interactions, we have had to completely change the way we interact with our families, and how we communicate God’s love and hope to them as well. We believe that conveying God’s love and hope is especially important during this time as fear and uncertainty have been circling through the minds and hearts of the people. In order to best interact with the kids, youth and parents, we’ve been experimenting with different online platforms and have had to get creative with how to reach out. 

Below, learn more about what is going on in the communities we serve and how you can support our mission during the pandemic.

1. How have our families been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic?

2. How is God working in TCM during this time?

3. How can I come alongside TCM during the coronavirus pandemic?

1. How have our families been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic?

Families accessing the local food bank

First of all, some parents have stopped working or have had their hours reduced by at least 60%. Other parents have been working from home. Children have started online schooling, but most of the time they are stuck at home, restless and bored. This has had a major impact on the families as a whole. 

Grocery shopping has become a burden for most. It is hard for some to buy the groceries they need, and single-parent families have to face the decision of whether to bring their young children to the store with them, even with the virus rapidly spreading throughout the community. Additionally, some have physical restrictions that include not having a car to transport groceries. This makes it difficult to buy all of the items they need in one trip. 

Lastly, the parents are becoming burnt out. Because of the pandemic, parents have also taken on the role of teacher/tutor, full-time cook and entertainer (for the kids), all the while dealing with their work situation and everyone’s mental health. 

At this moment, we are doing everything we can to help meet the needs of our families. Whether that be with tutoring, online sessions with the kids, giving out groceries and care packages, or spending time with the youth through devotionals and online games. These are just some of the ways we have been able to serve the needs of the families impacted by the pandemic. 

2. How is God working in TCM during this time?

Although the pandemic has come with its challenges, it has also come with its blessings. Ironically enough, the distance between us and our families have physically gotten farther, but God has somehow allowed our relationships with them to deepen and become closer. It has made us even more intentional in reaching out, and we have learned so many new things about our kids, youth, and the parents that we serve. This experience has also allowed us to spend more time with Him, listening to His heart for the community and feeling the love of God around us. 

This pandemic has also encouraged us to keep trusting in the Lord, no matter what the future may look like for ourselves and for TCM. God knows exactly what He is doing, and we must continue to have faith in God’s plan and perfect timing. In a way, God is bringing people together in prayer and support for one another during this critical time. There is nothing like a crisis to bring people together, and during this time we have become closer to our community. It is our prayer that even when this pandemic has passed, we will not forget what God has done for us, and we pray that we will continue to be intentional with our relationships.

Our Outreach Workers leading their kids in an exercise activity through our online KIC (Kids In Community) program.

3. How can I come alongside TCM during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Supporters can keep in touch with us, pray for us, and follow-up on how we are doing individually and as a whole. 

If you have suggestions, ideas or how we can better serve our communities during this time, we would love to hear them. 

Donations are also welcome. Food donations are especially in demand at the moment, and it would be a great addition to the food bank. Please email Dorothy at dwong@torontocitymission.com to get in touch with us.