SO WE’RE GOING TO GATHER SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE AND KEEP YOU
UPDATED.
AND NOW LET’S GO TO OUR KSAT
YES, MY FRIENDS. IT IS MENTAL
HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH AND NOW
MRE THAN EVER. IT’S IMPORTANT.
>> TO FOCUS ON THIS ISSUE
BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE WE KNOW
ARE IN PAIN. EXPERTS SAY THAT
MORE TEENS, BLACK AND HISPANIC
MALES AND FEMALES ARE
COMMITTING SUICIDE. SO HERE’S
THE QUESTION. HOW CAN WE HELP?
AND TODAY WE’RE GOING TO HAVE
SOMEBODY WHO CAN SHED LIGHT
ON THAT AND MORE WE HAVE
DOCTOR, CHRISTINE, T A JOINING
US. SHE IS THE CHIEF MEDICAL
OFFICER WITH THE AMERICAN
FOUNDATION FOR SUICIDE
PREVENTION. DOCTOR THANKS FOR
SHARING SOME TIME WITH US
TODAY. I THINK WHEN IT COMES
TO ALL THOSE DIFFERENT GROUPS
THAT JUST MENTION THE RATE OF
YOUNG PEOPLE WRAPPED UP IN
ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, SELF-HARM,
SUICIDE. THAT IS INCREDIBLY
ALARMING BECAUSE THAT NUMBER
IS GROWING. SO ARE THERE
CERTAIN FACTORS THAT YOU’RE
SEEING WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT’S
DRIVING MORE TO FEEL IS SO
TRAPPED IN SOME WAYS.
>> WE ALL HAVE MENTAL HEALTH TO
MANAGE ALL OF THE TIME. BUT
THIS HAS BEEN A TIME RIGHT FOR
ALL OF US WERE UNCERTAINTY,
FEELINGS OF ISOLATION. AND NOW
COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC OR
THE OUR NEXT PHASE. THERE’S
JUST A LOT GOING ON FOR
DIFFERENT PEOPLE FOR DIFFERENT
YOUTH. AND LOOK, YOU KNOW, FOR
PEOPLE WHO HAVE ANY
VULNERABILITIES TOWARDS
DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, A HISTORY
OF TRAUMA, IT CAN JUST REALLY
PRESS UPON THE MENTAL HEALTH
AND SUFFERING OF THOSE
INDIVIDUALS. SO IT REALLY A
TIME LIKE NEVER BEFORE TO LEARN
HOW TO HAVE THESE MORE
AUTHENTIC CONVERSATIONS WHERE
WE CAN CHECK IN WITH ONE
ANOTHER AND REALLY HEAR WHAT’S
GOING ON. ALLOW THEM TO TALK
EVEN JUST TALKING ALONE HELPS
SO MUCH LET ALONE CONNECTING TO
PROFESSIONAL SOURCES OF HELP
WHEN NECESSARY.
>> NOW, DO YOU THINK IT’S U.S.
INTERESTS SAYING THAT RIGHT
NEXT SHOWING PICTURES OF PEOPLE
ON THEIR CELL PHONES OVER
TALKING ABOUT THIS. AND DO YOU
CAN YOU DRAW A PARALLEL OR CAN
YOU EXPLAIN HOW THE PANDEMIC
AFFECTED THIS OR WHAT IMPACT?
BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND MENTAL
HEALTH EXPERTS ARE STILL TRYING
TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT THAT
THAT HAD ON SO MANY PEOPLE.
BUT WHAT HAVE WE SEEN SO FAR?
>> ALL RIGHT. NOW OUR LATEST
CDC DATA TELLS US THAT 4 IN
10 YOUNG PEOPLE WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT HAVING EXPERIENCE,
PERSISTENT SADNESS OR
HOPELESSNESS DURING THE
PANDEMIC. AND THAT IS A HIGHER
LEVEL OF, YOU KNOW, RATES OF
THAT. THOSE KINDS OF
DISTRESSING EXPERIENCES, THEN
PREPANDEMIC AND WE DO THINK
THAT ALREADY THERE HAVE BEEN
INCREASING RATES OF DEPRESSION
AND ANXIETY NOW SCREEN TIME IS
IS A FACTOR. WE KNOW THAT AND
IT’S KIND OF A DOUBLE EDGED
SWORD BECAUSE IT CAN BE A
SOURCE OF CONNECTION. AND SOME
PEOPLE ARE REALLY ACTUALLY
SHARING AND RECEIVING SUPPORT
FOR THEIR MENTAL HEALTH
EXPERIENCES. BUT OTHERS ARE
NOT. AND AND THE GENERAL
FEELING IS THAT SPENDING A LOT
OF TIME ON THE SCREEN TIME,
WHICH GOT ACCENTUATE IT DURING
THE PANDEMIC. IF YOU THINK
ABOUT IT FOR ALL OF US, LET
ALONE FOR OUR YOUTH THAT WAS IN
PLACE OF THE USUAL PROTECTIVE
KINDS
OF ACTIVITIES LIKE IN PERSON
SCHOOL IN PERSON, SPORTS, I’M
SUPPORTIVE. KIND OF CONNECTED
EXPERIENCES THAT YOUNG AND
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS WOULD
HAVE ON A NORMAL BASIS. SO
THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF FACTORS,
YOU KNOW, FINANCIAL STRAIN LOSS
THE UNCERTAINTY AND FEARS ABOUT
THE IMPACT OF COVID OR, YOU
KNOW, VARIOUS FAMILY
CIRCUMSTANCES. SO THERE ARE
MANY DIFFERENT FACTORS. YOU
LOOK AT A SOCIETAL LEVEL,
INCREASED RATES OF SUBSTANCE
ABUSE, RATES OF PURCHASING NEW
FIREARMS INTO THE HOME. THEIR
WHOLE LOT OF FACTORS THAT CAN
AFFECT THE SUICIDE RISK OF A
POPULATION. BUT AGAIN, DON’T
THINK THAT WE ARE WITHOUT THE
ABILITY TO TO PROTECT OUR YOUTH
AND PROTECT EACH OTHER JUST
BY CHECKING IN BEING OPENING
UP THAT OPEN DIALOGUE.
>> AND I THINK PART OF THAT IS
CERTAINLY KNOWING WHAT TO LOOK
FOR, RIGHT? I MEAN, WHEN IT
COMES TO TEENAGERS, ESPECIALLY
THERE ARE A LOT OF BIG EMOTIONS
DURING THOSE YEARS. AND SO I’M
CURIOUS IF YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE
FOR PARENTS ON WHAT TO LOOK FOR
TO SAY, OKAY, THIS IS THIS IS
SOMETHING DIFFERENT. THEN WHAT
PEOPLE MAY CHALK UP TO NORMAL
TEEN BEHAVIOR. WHEN ARE THERE
SIGNS OF A PROBLEM?
>> AND SO GLAD YOU’RE ASKING
THIS BECAUSE FOR A LONG TIME
I’VE BEEN NOTICING THAT WE
WRITE OFF TOO MANY SIGNS OF
DETERIORATION, ZINN MENTAL
HEALTH TO KIND OF NORMAL
TEENAGE A MIXED AND THE TRUTH
IS, WHILE THERE ARE APPS IS
A TIME OF CHANGE IN TRANSITION
AND THE BRAIN IS DEVELOPING
ACTUALLY ALL THE WAY THROUGH
THE EARLY 20’S. THE BRAIN IS
STILL PHYSIOLOGICALLY
DEVELOPING. BUT WHAT I WOULD
SAY IS IF THERE ARE SIGNS AND
EXPRESSIONS OUTSIDE YOUR USUAL,
YOUR CHILD’S USUAL PATTERNS OF
BEHAVIOR. AND I KNOW THAT’S A
REALLY BROAD DEFINITION.
BUT TRUST YOUR GUT INSTINCT IF
THEY ARE SEEMING WITHDRAWN
THEIR TONE OF VOICE IS MORE,
YU KNOW, HOPELESS. THEY’RE
TALKING IN TERMS OF FEELING
LIKE THEY’RE A BURDEN TO OTHERS
FEELING OVERWHELMED NOT
BOUNCING BACK AND THEN
INCREASES IN SUBSTANCE USE
CERTAINLY DRINKING DRUG USE,
BUT ALSO AGGRESSION AND FEELING
MORE IRRITATED, MORE EASILY
ANGERED IF THERE ARE SIGNS THAT
THEIR ACADEMICS ARE
DETERIORATING. THEIR COACH
CALLS YOU AND SAYS, YOU KNOW,
THEY’RE NOT ACTING LIKE
THEMSELVES. SOMETHING IS
DIFFERENT. I WOULD PAY
ATTENTION TO ALL OF THAT.
AND MOST OF ALL PAY ATTENTION
TO YOUR GUT AND RELY ON THE
OTHER ADULTS IN YOUR CHILD’S
LIFE TO CHECK IN WITH THEM.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, TRY TO
OPEN UP THAT OPEN DIALOGUE IN
THE HOME ENVIRONMENT. I KNOW
IT’S NOT EASY AS PARENTS BUT
REALLY LETTING THEM KNOW THAT
YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
THEIR EXPERIENCES ARE AND BE
QUIET ENOUGH SO THAT THEY’RE
THEY HAVE SPACE TO TALK ABOUT
THAT. SO LET’S ALSO TALK ABOUT
TREATMENT.
WHERE CAN PARENTS, WHERE DO YOU
START THAT WE’RE COMPARE.
WHAT’S THE FIRST NUMBER THAT
PARENTS CAN CALL TO SEEK
TREATMENT COUNSELING? THINGS
LIKE THAT?
>> YES, IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY
CONNECTED TO ANY MENTAL HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS, THAT IS
COMPLETELY OK, YOU CAN ALWAYS
START WITH YOUR PEDIATRICIAN
AND THEY WILL TELL YOU WHO
THEY’VE, YOU KNOW, BEEN
REFERRING TO IN THE COMMUNITY
AND YOU KNOW WHO THEY HAVE GOOD
EXPERIENCE WITH. IF YOU HAVE
INSURANCE, YOU CAN STARTLE
CERTAINLY START BY CALLING.
YOUR INSURANCE ARE CHECKING
ON THE WEBSITE AND, YOU KNOW,
PUTTING IN MENTAL HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS AND PUT IN A
RADIUS THAT YOU’RE WILLING TO
DRIVE AND BE READY TO MAKE SOME
PHONE CALLS AND AND REALLY VET.
IF YOU HAVE THE KIND OF
FRIENDSHIPS AND NETWORK WITHIN
YOUR COMMUNITY WHERE YOU ARE
ABLE TO TALK ABOUT MENTAL
HEALTH, WHICH IS CERTAINLY
HAPPENING MORE AND MORE AMONGST
WORKPLACES AND FRIEND GROUPS.
THEN THAT’S ANOTHER PLACE WHERE
WE TALK TO EACH OTHER ABOUT,
YOU KNOW, WHO WE SHOULD GO TO
FOR THIS. THAT AND OTHER TYPES
OF HEALTH CONDITIONS AND MENTAL
HEALTH IS NO DIFFERENT.
>> OK, DOCTOR, CHRISTINE, YOU
T A SHE IS THE CHIEF MEDICAL
OFFICER WITH THE AMERICAN
FOUNDATION FOR SUICIDE
PREVENTION. THANK YOU SO MUCH