In 2013, former President Obama designated May as National Mental Health Awareness Month. He brought candid conversations on mental health into our homes, schools, and workplaces. This year, we would like to focus our conversations around children and adolescent mental health. Today, May 4, is Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day. The National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) is leading the charge to bring awareness and education to millions of Americans all across the United States.
Here in Juneau, I encourage you to talk about mental health in May and to educate yourself and at least one other person. Education and awareness are key to gaining compassion and understanding about what children, teens, and young adults deal with when they are struggling or diagnosed with a mental health condition.
One in five young people nationally will experience a mental health condition in 2017, this includes both children and teens. Approximately one-half of chronic mental illness begins before the age of 14 and three-quarters begin by the age of 24.
But the most important thing to remember is that although a young person may have a mental illness they are not their diagnosis. The politically correct way to discuss this topic is not to say that a child is mentally ill, but rather that a child has or is living with a mental health condition.
Mental Health Awareness Month is a time to educate yourself and others about the symptoms of mental illness and to underscore the importance of speaking about mental health with your primary care physician. Early identification and treatment can make a big difference for successful management of a condition for a loved one.
For example, major depression is a mood disorder that is much more serious than feeling blue or temporary sadness. Some children may experience it only once, but more than half of all youth have at least one additional episode over their lifetimes. Major depression includes the following symptoms:
1) Depressed mood or sadness
2) Poor concentration
3) Changes in sleep such as insomnia or sleeping much longer
4) Fatigue
5) Disturbance of appetite
6) Feelings of guilt
7) Feelings of hopelessness
8) Thoughts of suicide
Grade school children are more likely to complain about aches and pains than they are to report feeling hopeless or sad. Depressed teens may act out by showing anger or irritability, becoming aggressive, using drugs or alcohol, getting poor graders or running away from home.
An adolescent’s personal experience of depression is of feeling empty, hopeless, and lonely. Individuals struggling with depression can feel so hopeless that they become at risk for suicide.
The most important step a child or teen can take is to be as honest as possible with family members including parents, grandparents or a trusted adult about how they feel and what symptoms they are experiencing.
Any young person who experiences symptoms of mental illness should visit their primary care doctor for a focused discussion about mental health concerns and an assessment of any related physical conditions.
It is very helpful to first visit with a medical doctor for a diagnosis, but the next step is even more important. The next step is to go see a mental health or behavioral health specialist. A range of treatment options exist. Education and a connection with others who have walked the same path or are dealing with similar issues also can play a crucial role.
During the month of May, we invite you to have a conversation with your child, teenager, or young adult. The NAMI Juneau Office has brochures and pamphlets to share with parents, grandparents, teachers, and other family members. Learn the signs and symptoms of the different mental health conditions so you can talk with your children candidly about mental illness. An open and honest dialogue with your family can help fight against the stigma that surrounds this topic.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) offers information through its website www.nami.org and Helpline 1-800-950-NAMI (6264). NAMI Juneau provides free education classes and support groups to individuals living with a mental illness, their family members and friends. For more information, go to www.namijuneau.org or call NAMI Juneau at (907) 463-4251. The office is located in the Jordan Square Building, 9000 Glacier Highway, Suite 201.
• Alexis Ross Miller is a born and bred Alaskan. Three and a half years ago she was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. She has been volunteering with NAMI Juneau and is a certified Peer-to-Peer facilitator. She has taken the Peer-to-Peer class and also the Family-to-Family workshop, which NAMI Juneau offers annually. She highly recommends all these free NAMI Signature programs to anyone who is interested.
