Teenagers Trying To Commit Suicide

This past Sunday on 60 Minutes, as well as an article in the New York Times, teenagers are going to hospital Emergency Rooms at alarming rates for cutting themselves, trying to commit suicide, and other mental health breakdowns. The problem: ERs are not staffed with clinicians who could help teens. They seek Mental Health inpatient units that could monitor the adolescents and who provide counseling. Unfortunately in many areas, there are no beds available in these facilities.

According to the New York Times today, "Nationally, the number of residential treatment facilities for people under the of 18 fell to 592 in 2020 from 848 in 2012, a 30% decline, according to the most recent government survey. Yet, in 2019, 13% of teenagers had a major depressive event, which increased 60% from 2018. The pandemic and more time on-line is a major cause of these events in adolescents.

Many Hospital ERs become the major driver of kids staying over night. In fact, out of 88 pediatric hospitals countrywide, 87 of them regularly house adolescents when they have a mental health episode. Parents, unfortunately, are at a loss of what to do when there child has a mental breakdown.

Here are some other thoughts of what can be done when your adolescent has an episode:

1. Establish a strong relationship with a Psychiatrist and/or Psychologist for your child

2. If it is night time, call the Psychiatrist or Psychologist on call, and seek advice

3. Instead of Hospital ERs, call inpatient treatment facilities in your area to seek a bed

4. Enroll your teenager in an outpatient treatment facility

5. If your adolescent has a special friend, invite the friend to talk to your child during the day.

I have dealt with a difficult adolescent and it is exhausting. There are no easy answers. It costs a lot of money to get the proper treatment and then, sometimes, it doesn't even work. Many of these kids, do not understand why they are upset and making poor decisions. All I can tell you, is it does get better. But, being in it, is difficult.

Please feel free to contact Health Advocate Experts at info@healthadvocateexperts.com if we can be of help.



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