This is Ask Lisa, a podcast to help people understand the psychology of parenting.

Psychologist Dr. Lisa DeMore, author of two New York Times best-selling parenting books, takes your questions.

And I'm co-host, Rina Ninan, a journalist and mom of two.

Some of what we talk about comes from raising children ourselves.

Most of the time, I'll be getting answers to your parenting questions.

So send your questions to Ask Lisa at Dr.Lisademore.com.

Episode 71, my kid was dumped by her friends.

How can I help?

Are we done yet with this pandemic? I know, Rina. Everybody is so over it.

What are you hearing?

What I'm hearing is almost impossible to distinguish from clinical depression.

Wow. You know, when I'm talking with people, adults and kids and teenagers, the mood they're

describing, the low feelings they have, as I sit there listening as a clinician, I'm like,

okay, is this two plus years in a pandemic

plus the long dark winter or is this clinical depression? I mean, they really sound similar

right now. Why do you think so many people feel like they're at a low point and are desperate

for help? I think winter plus the seeming endlessness of this is just people are just worn down and then everyone

around them is worn down so nobody's in a good mood like you're just going from grumpy person to

grumpy person which makes it hard to feel good and upbeat you know I had to go in um pre-pandemic

I would go into New York take the train five times a week for work.

And I haven't done that in two years and I went in. And I found myself exhausted in these meetings

of meeting people. Like, understanding sort of how to reconnect with people is a new thing.

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