Crisis level – that’s what some medical experts are calling the mental health crisis happening among children, teens and even young adults.
In “Healthier Together,” KIRO 7’s Ranji Sinha spoke with behavioral health experts to dig deeper into the root causes of the crisis and learned that simple actions are often enough to offer help.
Dr. Mike Franz, executive medical director of behavioral health for Regence Blue Shield, agreed with many other experts on youth and mental health.
“The situation is not good. I think a lot of people would say the situation is close to dire, if not dire. I would go so far as to say we’re experiencing a pandemic followed by an epidemic,” Franz said.
The deserted streets and eerie scenes at the peak of the pandemic will cause some degree of mental distress for almost everyone.
Still, Franz said for children, teens and some young adults, mental health concerns existed for years before the pandemic.
He said depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders and substance abuse disorders are all present among children, teens and young adults and have been exacerbated by the pandemic.
“Up to 25 percent of girls may experience a severe depressive episode at any one time,” Franz said.
The CDC regularly surveys about 17,000 high school students, Franz said, and the most recent results come from the past two years.
Of this group, 44% reported persistent feelings of hopelessness or sadness, 19% reported considering suicide, and 9% reported attempting suicide.
For girls, the numbers go up, according to Franz and CDC data.
“We are calling for action. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the U.S. Surgeon General have all declared a national emergency,” Franz said.
Understanding mental health emergencies is key to addressing them, Franz said.
He said parents need to be aware that the majority of behavioral health issues emerge by age 24, and 50 percent by age 14, but many children are not identified as having these conditions.
Parents need to do the screening and be mindful of any changes in daily life as well as any forms of emotional change.
He also said that declining academic performance is one symptom and tackling all this comes with very simple instructions.
“Don’t ignore it. First of all, pay attention. Be there. And the most important thing is to be there and be able to respond,” Franz said.
With summer just around the corner, schools may not be able to support children who are in crisis or on the verge of going into crisis.
This is one of the reasons why Franz says it’s important to get outside and be active in the summer.
Franz also said parents working with children in crisis shouldn’t do certain things.
“Talking about your war experiences won’t help. Sometimes it might be helpful to be a little thoughtful in your self-disclosure so your child can empathize with you, but in general just be there, and they might feel more comfortable and receptive to you,” Franz said.
