Mental health disorders are common in the United States, affecting tens of millions of Americans each year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Yet only a fraction of those people receive treatment. Without treatment, mental health disorders can reach a crisis point. Show
Some examples of mental health crises include depression, trauma, eating disorders, alcohol or substance abuse, self-injury and suicidal thoughts. If you suspect a friend or family member is experiencing an emotional crisis, your help can make a difference. Spotting the SignsOne of the most common signs of emotional crisis is a clear and abrupt change in behavior. Some examples include:
Sometimes, these changes happen suddenly and obviously. Events such as a natural disaster or the loss of a job can bring on a crisis in a short period of time. Often, though, behavior changes come about gradually. If something doesn't seem right with your loved one, think back over the past few weeks or months to consider signs of change. Don't wait to bring up your concerns. It's always better to intervene early, before your loved one's emotional distress becomes an emergency situation. If you have a feeling that something is wrong, you're probably right. Lend an EarIf you suspect your loved one is experiencing a mental health crisis, reaching out is the first step to providing the help he or she needs to get better. Sit down to talk in a supportive, non-judgmental way. You might start the conversation with a casual invitation: "Let's talk. You don't seem like yourself lately. Is there something going on?" Stay calm, and do more listening than talking. Show your loved one that you can be trusted to lend an ear and give support without passing judgment. When discussing your concerns, stick to the facts and try not to blame or criticize. Seek Professional HelpReaching out can help your friend or family member begin to get a handle on an emotional crisis. But professional help is the best way to fully address a mental health problem and get that problem under control. You can explain that psychologists have specialized training that makes them experts in understanding and treating complex emotional and behavioral problems. That training is especially critical when an emotional disorder has reached crisis levels. Psychologists use scientifically tested techniques that go beyond talking and listening. They can teach their clients tools and skills for dealing with problems, managing stress and working toward goals. To help your loved one find a psychologist to speak with, you might encourage your loved one to speak to his or her primary care provider about available mental health resources in your community. If your workplace has an employee assistance program (EAP), that can be a useful resource and referral service. You can also find a psychologist in your area by using APA's Psychologist Locator Service. Concerns About Suicide or Self-Harm or Threats to Harm OthersNo emotional crisis is more urgent than suicidal thoughts and behavior, or threats to harm someone else. If you suspect a loved one is considering self-harm or suicide, don't wait to intervene. It's a difficult topic to bring up, but discussing suicide will not put the idea in someone's head. In fact, it's not abnormal for a person to have briefly thought about suicide. It becomes abnormal when someone starts to see suicide as the only solution to his or her problems. If you discover or suspect that your loved one is dwelling on thoughts of self-harm, or developing a plan, it's an emergency. If possible, take him or her to the emergency room for urgent attention. Medical staff in the ER can help you deal with the crisis and keep your loved one safe. If you think someone is suicidal or will harm someone else, do not leave him or her alone. If he or she will not seek help or call 911, eliminate access to firearms or other potential tools for harm to self or others, including unsupervised access to medications. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is also a valuable resource. If you're concerned about a loved one's mental state or personal safety, and unable to take him or her to the emergency room, you can talk to a skilled counselor by calling 1-800-273-TALK. If you're concerned about a loved one, don't put it off. You can make the difference in helping your friend or family member get back on track to good mental health.
Mental health is a combination of our emotional, psychological, and social well-being, affecting how we think, feel, and act. Our mental health also plays a factor in how we handle stress, relate to others, and make decisions. People who manage their mental health well are able to cope with the stressors of life, be productive both in and outside of work, and make meaningful contributions to their communities. Those who struggle to manage mental health may suffer from a mental illness. A mental illness is a common health condition that involves changes in emotions, thought patterns, and behavior. In fact:
Even though it’s more common in adults, children can develop mental health issues too. Mental health conditions that also affect children and young adults include:
What Is a Mental Health Crisis?A mental health crisis is any situation in which a person’s behavior puts them at risk of hurting themselves or others and/or prevents them from being able to care for themselves or function effectively in the community. Often, a crisis can involve thoughts of suicide for both adults and children. Let’s look at data and statistics on children’s mental health.
While mental health crises are a major threat to public health and can become fatal, clinical professionals are not always the ones on the front lines of intervening in or preventing such crises. Physicians and nurses sometimes are not aware that a patient is vulnerable to a sudden escalation in mental illness, or even that a mental illness is afflicting their patients. This is a major reason why non-clinical professionals with a background in an area such as general healthcare studies are needed. These individuals are able to help educate the public, develop novel intervention strategies outside of hospitals, and help ensure vulnerable individuals don’t fall through the gaps in a moment of crisis. However, there is a need for everyone — not just healthcare professionals — to understand the risk factors, warning signs, and interventions that can help others survive a mental health crisis episode. Warning Signs of Crisis EpisodeSigns of a mental health crisis episode may not always be apparent in a child. With the proper education, teachers, principals, and other staff members will know what to look for when the following mental health crisis signs arise.
Other warning signs and risk factors include:
Suicide Warning SignsSuicide in teens can be prevented if those around them learn to recognize the warning signs and intervene appropriately:
It’s important to take any talk of suicide seriously. “Suicide is a very difficult topic to discuss,” says Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in an article about the importance of speaking out about suicide. “But silence can have tragic results, and knowledge can save lives. The message that things can get better is more important today than ever before.” Examples of Triggers for a Crisis EpisodeCrisis episode triggers are external events or circumstances that may produce very uncomfortable emotional or psychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety, panic, discouragement, despair, or negative self-talk. Those with a mental illness typically handle triggers differently than other people. According to author Arlin Cuncic writing for Very Well Mind, from a mental health perspective, “being ‘triggered’ more narrowly refers to the experience of people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) re-experiencing symptoms of a traumatic event (such as exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violation) after being exposed to a trigger that is a catalyst or reminder.” There are both internal and external triggers that can remind a person of a past traumatic event.
Being aware of someone’s personal triggers is especially helpful because it allows others to recognize sensitive situations, provide an adequate warning to those who may be triggered, and take other steps to prevent known triggers from leading to a crisis situation. How to Prevent a Mental Health CrisisFortunately, mental health crises can be prevented. As such, how teachers, parents, and peers respond to a child’s mental health crisis is crucial. How an authoritative figure should speak to one suffering from a mental illness crisis varies based on their relationship to them.
Communication Tips and Talking PointsStarting a conversation about mental health can be uncomfortable, no matter how necessary. Here are a few tips for parents and educators for talking to children about their mental health.
Seek Help from a ProfessionalMental illness can be treated. Here is a list of medical professionals one can utilize when seeking treatment for mental illness.
Provide SupportIt’s important to provide loved ones with support when they’re suffering from a mental crisis. This ensures that they are not alone in the process and minimizes the damage that may come along with mental illness. Here is how you can help a loved one with a mental illness:
Immediate Crisis Response and Emergency InterventionCrisis response refers to all the advance planning and actions taken to address natural and man-made disasters, crises, critical incidents, and tragic events. Of course, in an emergency, you should always call 911. However, in some cases, having a crisis response and intervention plan can be helpful as well. Crisis intervention is beneficial because it can mitigate adverse reactions, facilitate coping and planning, assist in identifying and accessing available support, normalize reactions to the crisis, and assess capacities and need for further support or referral to the next level of care. The three main goals of crisis intervention are:
In regards to a suicidal crisis on school grounds, some key principles to remember are:
Parents and teachers can help prevent mental health crises by helping adolescents and teens develop emotional intelligence and healthy coping skills. Assess the SituationBefore making any rash decisions, assess the situation and ask yourself: Is the person in danger to themselves or others? Is emergency assistance needed? Can I call someone for guidance? Are there resources to help me and the person at risk? What triggered the crisis? Am I capable of handling this on my own? It is important to assess the situation because the person you are trying to help may not be able to communicate clearly. If you’re able to figure out what is going on using your own assessment of the scenario, you may find it easier to help control the moment. Emergency Resources and Suicide Prevention HotlinesAlways call 911 in an active emergency situation, especially if someone is trying to harm themselves or others, or is threatening to. Additional help is also available 24/7 via specialized emergency hotlines. Here is a sample list of national hotlines you can call, text, or online chat when in distress: AIDS AIDS Info: Treatment, Prevention and Research (800) HIV-0440 Alcohol
Child Abuse Crisis and Suicide
Domestic Violence, Rape and Sexual Assault Medical
Online Chat
Other
Pregnancy
Running Away
Substance Abuse
Techniques to De-Escalate a CrisisHere are 10 tips on de-escalating a crisis. Remember, only do this on your own if you feel comfortable doing so. If not, emergency personnel should be called immediately.
The Importance of Mental Health AwarenessTo implement preventive measures, we need to deconstruct the stigma associated with mental illness. This will help make communicating about the topic feel more natural and help students realize it is OK to talk about it — and they aren’t alone. Having the proper mental health resources for students ready is just one of the many ways we can take away the stigma and show the importance of mental health awareness. Mental health awareness is important because with awareness comes more support and care for those who are in need. When the public is educated on everything there is to know about mental health and mental illnesses, it becomes more likely that these topics become less taboo and negative. Mental health can be just as important — if not even more so — as physical health. This is because it can be hard to maintain your physical health without a healthy mental capacity. Coping StrategiesStudents can take action against their mental health issues and should feel empowered to do so. Here is a list of coping strategies and mental health resources for teenagers and college students: Dealing with GriefIt’s not uncommon to show signs of grief after losing a loved one, decline in health, death of a pet, a miscarriage, divorce, and more. Grief is the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. If you are not able to handle grief on your own, it’s important to know that you don’t have to — reach out to a parent, teacher, or mental health professional right away. There are five stages of grief:
To experience these feelings after any emotionally heavy life event is normal. Luckily there are ways to cope with grief:
Mental Health and Self-CareInvesting in self-care enriches coping skills, energy level, sense of well-being, and the ability to create balance. Applying different self-care techniques — like skin and hair care, reading, baths, meditation, etc. — into your daily routine is beneficial because it allows the mind and body to work together for overall wellness. Prolonged amounts of stress caused by mental illness can weaken the immune system. This can also lead to more serious health issues such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes, strokes, and high blood pressure. Symptoms of elevated stress levels include but are not limited to:
We may not be able to control the stressors of life, but we can control how we react to them. Self-care allows us to do so in a way that is beneficial to our overall well being. Resources for Mental IllnessIn case of an immediate emergency (such as suicidal thoughts, potential to harm yourself or others, or any other life-threatening scenarios) you should always call 911. However, there are other mental health resources that can be utilized for those who need both short-term and long-term solutions: Support for SchoolsMental health may be an underfunded educational staple for some schools. Luckily there are ways that teachers — backed by the support of lawmakers and principals — can provide support for their students. This can include:
Mental Health Facilities and Government AgenciesHere is a list of mental health facilities and agencies that can help: It’s important to always remember — if you have a mental illness or are on the verge of a mental crisis, you are not alone. With proper education techniques and the right resources, teachers, parents, and other authority figures will be able to properly care for our youth’s mental health, especially in times of crisis. Recommended Reading: Sources: |