Do you notice that your child or teen is experiencing brain fog? Maybe their appetite is changing, or they are having trouble sleeping. Does your teen appear more irritable than normal? Or is your young child experiencing any somatic symptoms such as headaches or stomach aches? These are common side effects that children and teens endure as a result of prescription medications. Holistic therapy can help combat these harmful symptoms.
Although medication has the ability to transform lives and allows individuals to function accordingly, heavily medicating children is not always the answer. Medication is a temporary solution, a band aid rather, for deeper-rooted, underlying issues. Medication does not heal an individual; instead, it works to suppress undesirable symptoms. In our opinion, symptoms should not be suppressed, but worked through in a positive way. In contrast to medication, a professional therapist can offer guidance and tools for children and teens to reduce the experiencing of negative symptoms and begin to lead a positive and healthy life. At Wisdom Within Counseling, we specialize in healing the body, mind, and spirit through holistic therapy.
Stimulant Medications
Stimulant medications are often used to reduce symptoms of ADHD in children. Although these may be effective in some cases, these medications can cause a great deal of distress for many children. Stimulant medications work by increasing levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. If balanced properly, the child may be able to have improved focus and attend to tasks more efficiently. If the dosage is incorrect and your child receives too much, it can stress out the brain’s neural network. Maybe you notice that your child is acting more grumpy, tearful, or even seems like a zombie. Essentially, these symptoms indicate that their dosage is not working properly for them. In addition, it is crucial to monitor your child while they are taking prescription medications for ADHD. If an individual takes more than prescribed, the medication can become addictive.
It is also important to be conscious of the side effects associated with stimulant medications. This can include:
- Sleep problems
- Decreased appetite
- Delayed growth
- Headaches and stomachaches
- Rebound
- Tics
- Moodiness and irritability
Depressants
Depressants work on the Central Nervous System by slowing down brain activity. They are used to treat panic disorders, anxiety, acute stress reactions, and some sleep disorders. Depressants induce sleep, drowsiness, comas, and decreased inhibition. Sedatives, sleeping pills, tranquilizers, and hypnotics are among prescription depressant drugs. Large or improper doses of depressant drugs can also cause confusion, lack of coordination, low blood pressure, slurred speech, inability to concentrate, and slowed heart rate and breathing. Depressants can also be addictive, and withdrawal symptoms can include anxiety, sleeplessness, and seizures. When taken with alcohol and other drugs, depressant medications can be highly dangerous and can pose serious threats to one’s health. Severe symptoms and side effects of depressants can lead to extreme breathing difficulties, and in some cases, overdose or death.
Antidepressants
Depression amongst teens is a serious and often debilitating mental health condition marked by persistent periods of sadness and loss of interest in activities. Consequently, many teens rely on antidepressants to resolve negative symptoms. There are several categories of antidepressants, each working to change the way the brain processes the neurotransmitters that are responsible for mood and emotions. This includes serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.
Also, the side effects associated with antidepressants are a pressing matter. The most commonly prescribed antidepressants, SSRIs, can have the following effects on teens:
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Insomnia or sedation
- Dry mouth
- Dizziness
- Weight gain
- Headaches
- Sexual side effects
There is also a range of long-term risks including decreased libido, insomnia, blood clots, increased risk of internal bleeding, addiction, inability to feel emotions, high blood sugar levels, tolerance, and withdrawal symptoms.
More importantly, is the “black box” warning for all antidepressants. This means that the drug itself has the potential to increase suicidal thinking and behavior, particularly during the first two months of treatment. Now, isn’t this ironic? The exact symptom that the medication is intended to treat, is actually enhanced when taking the prescription. This is why prescribing a high dosage or the wrong dosage of medication to children and teens can be a slippery slope. When deciding whether to begin treatment on an antidepressant, it is vital to weigh all of the risks with the pros.
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A Holistic Therapy Approach to Healing
Maybe you have tried prescription medication in the past and have experienced the grave side effects. Or, maybe you are skeptical about starting your child on a brain-altering substance. Perhaps you are looking for an alternative approach to healing your mind and body such as holistic therapy. Fortunately, there is an abundance of techniques and tools you can adopt into your lifestyle to help alleviate symptoms of hyperactivity, anxiety, restlessness, and depression. Complementary and alternative medicines exist to help individuals get back in tune with their body and live a natural and healthy life.
Traditional Medicine
Traditional forms of alternative medicine include acupuncture, ayurveda, homeopathy, naturopathy, and Chinese or Oriental medicine. If you find that you are unfamiliar with these practices, you are not alone. These unique approaches are difficult to find in Western society. Ayurvedic medicine is one of the world’s oldest holistic healing systems. The focus of ayurveda is to promote good health, not fight disease. There is also a strong emphasis on the connection between the mind, body, and spirit. Homeopathy is based on the belief that the body can cure itself. Similarly, naturopathy asserts that diseases can be successfully treated or prevented without the use of drugs.
Somatics in Holistic Therapy
Additionally, somatic work is popular amongst holistic practitioners. Somatics describes any practice that uses the mind-body connection to help assess one’s internal state and listen for any signals the body is communicating about areas of pain, discomfort, or imbalance. Falling under the umbrella of somatics is touch therapy. Healing by touch is based on the notion that illness or injury in one area of the body can affect all parts of the body. With manual manipulation, the injured body part and all connected parts can be brought back to health and the body can fully focus on healing. Body and touch therapies include chiropractic and osteopathic medicine, massage, body movement therapies, and also tai chi, and yoga.
Nutrition
The body can also be healed through proper diet and nutrition. Afterall, you are what you eat! Humans have evolved from consuming a simple diet consisting of meats, fruits, vegetables, and grains, to a diet that today is high in fats, oils, and complex carbohydrates. These additives can have profound negative consequences on our physical and mental health, and are leading contributors to certain chronic illnesses. Fortunately, there are many dietary changes and herbal approaches one can make to help balance the body. This can include dietary supplements, herbal medicine, and consuming an overall healthier diet. Additionally, incorporating fresh, seasonal produce can significantly improve mental clarity, digestion, and overall health. Swapping your Starbucks drink loaded with sugar and caffeine for a cup of green tea can go a long way. Also, you can increase your intake of water to help support your body’s pathways.
Expressive Therapies
Creative and expressive therapies provide children, teens, and adult clients with an outlet to channel their inner frustrations. Art therapy, dance therapy, music and movement therapy, and play therapy serve as effective means of regulating the nervous system and accessing and releasing difficult emotions. For example, play therapy can support a child of divorce by allowing them to have a safe space to understand and process the dynamics of their circumstance and work through unresolved pain. Whereas art therapy may allow an anxious teen to express themselves beyond words.
Wisdom Within Counseling Takes a Holistic Therapy Approach
Here at Wisdom Within Counseling, our philosophy is to help client’s heal their mind, body, and spirit through holistic therapy. We offer a variety of techniques include touch and gentle massage therapy, sound healing, music therapy, yoga therapy, outdoor sessions, play therapy for children, and expressive art therapies for clients of all ages.
Holistic therapy and counseling
We help children, teens, and couples in Connecticut in Bozrah, Waterford, Old Lyme, Ivoryton, Griswold, Darien, Centerbrook, Westbrook, Essex, East Lyme, Newington, Shelton, South Windsor, Granby, Franklin, Branford, Griswold, Groton, Ledyard, Suffield, Lisbon, Montville, Bristol, Stratford, Hartland, Glastonbury, Colchester, East Haddam, Hadlyme, Hamburg, Enfield, Old Saybrook, Riverside, Westport, Ridgefield, and Madison, Connecticut.
Online and in person in Niantic, we help couples, children and teenagers in neighboring towns.
In other Connecticut towns, we offer video counseling in Connecticut to families in Portland, Berlin, Bethany, Bethel, Bethlehem, Milford, Kent, Bloomfield, East Hampton, Southington, Haddam, Litchfield, Simsbury, Fairfield, Cobalt, Marlborough, Cromwell, Canton, Avon, Rocky Hill, West Hartford, Clinton, Wethersfield, Middlebury, Rye, New Canaan, Cheshire, Waterbury, Guilford, Chester, Deep River, Moodus, Durham, and Middletown, Connecticut.
At Wisdom Within Counseling, we also believe that individuals can be best supported through these natural approaches as opposed to solely relying on prescription medications.
We would love to help you and your family heal from past trauma, overcome conflict, or manage depression and anxiety through the use of our unique therapies.
