Although it is an epidemic, it is quiet. Young people in our communities are literally confronting an alarming mental health crisis that is impacting every community and every level of the economy.
That’s the view at 30,000 feet. The view from the ground is even more dire. There has been a marked increase in the number of teens considering suicide (nearly 20% of sixth graders in the Washington Healthy Youth Survey report) and drug overdoses are on the rise (by 2023 in King County. Fentanyl overdose deaths increased by 47%). All the numbers are there, easily accessible, and easy to use to make your point. But this is about the young people who make up that number.
This is a story about Lucas (name changed for privacy). He was a 17-year-old from Bellevue and appeared to be in good spirits from the outside. He endured the standard teenage angst, problems at school, and social injustice incidents, but nothing that raised any red flags. But inside he was suffering, feeling like he was up against a brick wall, and when talk of “ending it” quickly entered normal conversation, it all became very real. Mr. Lucas and his parents, at the recommendation of their school counselor, sought help from Youth Eastside Services, where I am the counselor and CEO, after one of Mr. Lucas’ friends brought his concerns to them. I asked for it.
That’s when it all makes sense and you start seriously looking for a solution. How do we deal with this situation? What programs can be put in place to reach teens who are dealing with mental health issues? How can we make it more palatable to people below? These are all valid questions and very important. But the truth is, in real life, mental health issues don’t always show up as red flags or cues. So the question is, how can we help someone in this moment, what can we do to break beneath the surface to find out exactly what a young person is going through?
Ask them how they are doing.
Seems too simple, right? But think about it. In a society where mental health and emotional sharing are still stigmatized, young people suffer in silence. Adults are afraid to broach the subject for fear of having to answer some really difficult questions. More importantly, it’s the fear of the topic, the fear of the answer, the fear of not knowing what to do.
It’s all understandable. Most of us are not child psychologists, but it tells us something we all need to be aware of as the situation worsens exponentially both locally and nationally. Yes, the scale of the mental health crisis is huge, but addressing it starts at the micro level.
Two simple actions to consider:
- Take five minutes out of your day to “check in” and ask young people you interact with regularly how they’re doing.
- Share your feelings about how you’ve been dealing with depression, challenges, life in general, and whatever it takes to break down the stigma of talking about mental health concerns.
Parents, coaches, teachers, caregivers, tutors, all of us. Take advantage of small moments, such as going to school, standing in line at the grocery store, or watching TV, to see how life is impacting your children. Sometimes they don’t have an answer, but it might just be the hand they were looking for.
