Teenagers’ mental health has reached a crisis point. We have to bring support to them (and their parents) at home.

It’s why Brightline is launching our comprehensive behavioral health platform and teletherapy for teens, to help them deal with all the tough stuff the Covid-19 pandemic has thrown their way.

The Brightline Team

It was supposed to be their “best year yet.” I mean, isn’t that what every teenager hopes for when they’re ringing in the New Year with their friends? Maybe not in those words, but same deal. But now 2020 has basically come and gone, and it’s been anything but the best year yet.

No prom, no graduation, no summer hangouts, no joking around in the halls between classes with their friends, no sports practices, and now holidays are about to be a letdown compared to what they usually are.

Instead, this year has been a whole lot of holing up in the cave they call their room, rolling out of bed for Zoom classes and in a TikTok/Twitch vortex…unless you say you made food (are we right?).

Talk about fear of missing out. And it’s not like midnight on December 31 is going to mean the hot mess that was this year is suddenly behind us.

Our teens are hurting, and we have to act now

Mental Health America (MHA) has reported over 315,000 people taking their mental health screeners from January to September of this year, huge jumps from previous years — and teenagers are doing the worst.

Of people who took the screeners, MHA reported that those ages 11–17 are more likely than any other age group to have moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Over 90% who took the screeners scored in the moderate to severe range for depression, and 83% for moderate to severe anxiety.

We’re seeing alarming increases in kids and teens going to the Emergency Department for mental health-related reasons — up 31% since the start of lockdowns in March compared to the same period in 2019.

Add to that how isolating all of this feels. Across the country, we’re entering new lockdowns and restrictions, and even more isolation for teens.

This year, stuff that already would be tough on them — like a breakup, fights with friends, having trouble focusing in school — feels so much bigger and so much worse.

So the attitude you’re probably getting a whole lot of lately? It’s not just your kid. Who can blame them for feeling bitter about all this? It totally goes against what they’re wired to want to do. They crave connection, and hanging out with their parents just isn’t going to cut it.

This isn’t teenage angst. This isn’t something they’ll “just get over.” Our teens aren’t okay. But we can help by bringing support right to where they are — at home.

Introducing Brightline Care for Teens

Brightline care for teens goes beyond just therapy — it includes our comprehensive behavioral health platform, teletherapy, evaluation and medication management when needed, and support for parents, too. Because no one should have to deal with all this stuff alone. Not you, and definitely not your kid.

It all happens without you leaving home (or having the battle with your teen about getting out of their room or putting on something other than sweatpants).

With your teen, we’ll dig into what’s going on and tackle the tough stuff they’re dealing with — whether that’s a tough breakup or fights with friends (because that’s definitely all still happening), feeling lonely and isolated while at home, having trouble concentrating in all those Zoom classes, having a weird sleep schedule, or whatever else they’re dealing with.

We’ll work with them and you to come up with a personalized plan. That might include weekly therapy, evaluation and medication support if we decide together they might benefit from that, and daily exercises in our app.

Our therapists will start with really getting to know your teen. We’re here to help them find ways to deal when tough feelings come up and learn strategies to cope long-term.

With us, care doesn’t just happen once a week in sessions. You and your teen will have separate logins to the Brightline app, where you can chat with your Care Navigator if you have questions. Your Care Navigator will also equip your teen with interactive exercises in the app that can help them to keep making progress between appointments.

We’re here to be on their team, but we’ve got you, too. Let’s be real, you’re probably dealing with your own stuff now. And seeing your kid go through a tough time is a whole other level of stress.

It’s why Brightline membership includes support for parents — giving you resources to learn about what your kid is dealing with, coaching you through how to talk with your teen (and when to keep your thoughts to yourself), and checking in to see how things are going at home.

We’ve got your back, and your teen’s. You don’t have to go it alone anymore.

Need support for your teenager?
Spots are filling up fast — reserve yours now and get free membership when you sign up in November!

Reserve your spot at hellobrightline.com/teens