If you’ve read any of these newsletter articles, you know I’m super lucky to have a 16-year-old son, Corey, who is a sophomore at Hillsborough High School. And though I’ve spent most of my career in the children’s mental health arena, I have learned more about this topic interacting with Corey and his peers. To illustrate, I’m going to share a story.
Two years ago, Netflix featured a series called “13 Reasons Why”. As you may recall, it focused on teen suicide, anxiety, depression, sexual assault and other significant teen issues. Being a well-informed and engaged mom, I felt it was my job to talk to Corey about this controversial show and invite him to watch it with me. Gold star moment for me, right??? My awesomeness was blown to hell when he nearly rolled his eyes and informed me that he and many of his friends had watched ALL 13 HOURS of the series during their daily school bus ride home. Not only did I feel like a parental loser, but I learned a very valuable lesson – our children are exposed to much more than we realize!
So, why do I bring this up? May is National Mental Health Awareness Month and May 9th was Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day. This year, the Children’s Mental Health national focus is suicide prevention and the impact suicide has on children, youth, young adults, families, and communities. I believe that shows like “13 Reasons Why” and social media have forced or enabled us to have this conversation. You see, it was not too long ago that the term “suicide” was never discussed with children. There was an urban myth that if we don’t say the word suicide then it won’t happen. Sadly, we have learned that ignoring the signs and symptom of suicide, depression and anxiety in our kids has resulted in awful outcomes as suicide is now the second leading cause of death for youth aged 10-19.
But even in the face of this statistic, I am hopeful. I’ve seen first hand kids willing to discuss their feelings and learning how to listen to their friends. As parents, we understand the need to take our kids’ issues seriously and offer support rather than downplaying their issues. And our community is addressing the stigma associated with youth mental health issues by supporting events and activities like the Speak Up 5k, Be the Voice for Hope, and Get Loud (some of which will be described in this newsletter edition)!
So please, during this month of Mental Health Awareness, make an effort to learn ways YOU can support youth mental health by visiting our website:
www.crisiscenter.com
. Together, we can make a positive impact in our children’s mental health!
Clara
