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The Kids Are Not Alright : Consider This from NPR A new advisory out this week from the US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has deemed loneliness a public health challenge that needs immediate attention. And some of those most severely affected are young people.

But it's not just loneliness. Across the country, kids are struggling with challenges to their mental health - from social isolation to poor grades at school.

NPR's Sarah McCammon speaks to Lisa Damour, a psychologist, and author of the book "The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents", about what's going on with kids and how they can be helped.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

Consider This from NPR

The Kids Are Not Alright

The Kids Are Not Alright

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Studies have raised alarms about the many ways kids have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic– from loneliness, to depression and anxiety, to faltering grades. OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images

Studies have raised alarms about the many ways kids have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic– from loneliness, to depression and anxiety, to faltering grades.

OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images

A new advisory out this week from the US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has deemed loneliness a public health challenge that needs immediate attention. And some of those most severely affected are young people.

But it's not just loneliness. Across the country, kids are struggling with challenges to their mental health - from social isolation to poor grades at school.

NPR's Sarah McCammon speaks to Lisa Damour, a psychologist, and author of the book "The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents", about what's going on with kids and how they can be helped.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Michael Levitt and Marc Rivers, with engineering by Carleigh Strange. It was edited by Adam Raney and Jeanette Woods. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.