STUDENTS ATTEMPTING SUICIDE AND BATTLING DEPRESSION IS UP IN THE ROANOKE VALLEY.
IT'S A CONCERN FOR PARENTS ...
SCHOOL LEADERS AND PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
KIDS ARE TRYING TO COPE WITH A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITIES ... GETTING GOOD GRADES ... HOLDING DOWN A JOB ... AND
AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES. IT'S WHAT MANY OF US WENT THROUGH TOO -- BUT THROW IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND IT'S AN EXTRA PRESSURE.
10 NEWS ANCHOR JENNA ZIBTON SAT DOWN WITH LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLERS ...
TO TALK ABOUT THE PRESSURE TO PERFORM AND WHAT EVERY PARENT NEEDS TO KNOW.
21:18:39 RAE BARKER, RECOVERING ADDICT DO NOT SUPER HERE I ALWAYS FELT LIKE I NEEDED TO BE PERFECT, LIKE I NEEDED TO PERFORM PERFECTLY TO COPE WITH
THAT ANXIETY... AS A 12-YEAR OLD STUDENT AT ANDREW LEWIS MIDDLE SCHOOL...
RAE BARKER TOOK HER FIRST DRINK.
13-21 21:18:56 RAE BARKER, RECOVERING ADDICT - "ONE DAY I GOT CURIOUS LIKE SOME KIDS DO AND REACHED FOR A DRINK THAT WAS IN MY
PARENTS LIQUOR CABINET." 21:21:46 RAE BARKER, RECOVERING ADDICT - "IT PROGRESSED PRETTY QUICKLY TO YOU KNOW MY MOM WOULD GO OUT AND MOW THE LAWN AND I HAD
CHOIR PRACTICE LATER AND I WOULD BE GOING IN AND TAKING SHOTS OF LIQUOR I WAS PROBABLY ABOUT 14 WHEN THAT WAS HAPPENING." SHE WAS A STRAIGHT A STUDENT...
SINGING IN THE CHOIR... AND ON THE FORENSICS TEAM...
ALL WHILE KEEPING A BIG SECRET.
21:22:54 RAE BARKER, RECOVERING ADDICT - "I WENT TO SCHOOL HUNG OVER AND QUITE A FEW TIMES WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL HIGH ON PILLS." 21:23:28 RAE BARKER,
RECOVERING ADDICT - "NOBODY KNEW. MY FRIENDS DIDN'T EVEN
REALLY KNOW THE EXTENT OF IT. I KEPT IT PRETTY WELL PRETTY WELL HIDDEN." TODAY ACROSS BOTETOURT AND CRAIG COUNTIES... ROANOKE AND SALEM ... STUDENTS IN
MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL ADMIT TO TRYING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, HEROIN AND ALCOHOL. MORE THAN 35- PERCENT PERCENT OF HIGH SCHOOLERS SAY THEY FEEL DEPRESSED, AN
INCREASE FROM TWO YEARS AGO.
ABOUT A QUARTER OF MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS SAY THEY FELT DEPRESSED.
MORE THAN ONE IN TEN STUDENTS HAVE ATTEMPTED SUICIDE 11- PERCENT OF MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS AND 13-PERCENT OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 1:19-1:29 14:52:19 SARAH JANE LAWRENCE,
FAMILY SERVICE OF ROANOKE VALLEY PREVENTION PROGRAM MANAGER - "IT'S VERY SERIOUS AND IT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I HOPE THAT PARENTS AREN'T AFRAID TO ASK THEIR TEENS
ARE YOU GONNA HURT YOURSELF, DO YOU THINK ABOUT HURTING YOURSELF, DO YOU THINK ABOUT SUICIDE?" FAMILY SERVICE OF ROANOKE VALLEY PREVENTION PROGRAM
MANAGER --- SARAH JANE LAWRENCE SAYS FITTING IN WITH A GROUP IS IMPORTANT.
46:39 SARAH JANE LAWRENCE, FAMILY SERVICE OF ROANOKE VALLEY PREVENTION PROGRAM MANAGER I THINK THE PRESSURES JUST HITTING THEM FROM ALL THE ANGLES THAT HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE AS
WELL AS JUST THE MAGNITUDE NOW THAT WE HAVE WITH SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE ONLINE PRESSURE AS WELL 21:36:23 RAE BARKER, RECOVERING ADDICT - "NOBODY TAUGHT ME WHAT ANXIETY WAS NOBODY TAUGHT ME WHY
I FELT LIKE MY CHEST WAS TIGHT EVERY TIME I WAS GOING INTO A TEST." NAT POP OF WILLIAM FLEMING CLASS
COPING SKILLS... ARE PART OF THE LESSONS INSIDE THIS WILLIAM FLEMING HIGH SCHOOL CLASS.
NAT POP 13:47:24 NICHOLAS ADAMS, 11TH GRADE - DO NOT SUPER HERE "THERE'S A BIT OF PRESSURE." WE SAT DOWN WITH THREE HIGH SCHOOLERS... WHO SAY THEY
FEEL PRESSURE EVERY DAY.
2:12-2:20 13:42:02 DESTINY POWELL, 10TH GRADE - "IT'S HARD DOING PRE-AP CLASSES AND AP CLASSES, DOING SPORTS AND THEN ALSO COMING HOME TO
DO CHORES AND WORKING." 2:21-2:28 13:37:01 JOHN WAGNER, 10TH GRADE - "THE WORK ITSELF IT'S THE MOST STRESSFUL PART.
THE HOMEWORK, ESSAYS ALL THAT STUFF. IT'S KIND OF STRESSFUL." 12 THE THREE ARE PART OF THE TEEN OUTREACH PROGRAM. THEY SAY IT'S HELPFUL TO LEARN WHAT THEY CAN
DO... INSTEAD OF STRESSING THEMSELVES OUT...
OR TURNING TO DRUGS OR ALCOHOL.
2:36-2:43 13:46:17 NICHOLAS ADAMS, 11TH GRADE - "I USED TO MAKE A LOT OF IMPULSE DECISIONS AND NOW I THINK BEFORE I MAKE ACTIONS."
13:42:50 DESTINY POWELL, 10TH GRADE - "I JUST TAKE TIME TO STEP BACK, LOOK AT THE DAY AND MAKE SURE I'M OK. IF I NEED TO TAKE A BREAK
I'LL TAKE A BREAK. IF I NEED TO
TALK TO SOMEONE I'LL TALK TO MY FRIENDS AND MY PARENTS, MY SISTERS." NAT POP BARKER HAS BEEN SOBER FOR THE PAST 18 MONTHS AND IS NOW
HELPING OTHERS ON THEIR JOURNEY TO RECOVERY.
31:07 RAE BARKER, RECOVERING ADDICT - "I FEEL LIKE A BRAND NEW PERSON IT'S INCREDIBLE TO NOW BEING ON THE SIDE WHERE I CAN HELP OTHER PEOPLE TO REACH
MY HAND OUT AND SAY HEY I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH I'VE BEEN THERE." JENNA 3:42-END LAWRENCE SAYS PARENTS --- ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT WHO YOUR
TEEN IS HANGING OUT WITH SET LIMITS ABOUT PHONE TIME LOOK INTO COUNSELING FOR YOUR CHILD AND POSSIBLY THE ENTIRE FAMILY STAY EDUCATED
TELL YOUR KIDS YOU LOVE THEM AND CARE FOR THEM BARKER IS NOW LEADING YOUNG PEOPLE IN RECOVERY... AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL AA GROUPS... WITH A YOUNGER CROWD.
JENNA ZIBTON, 10 NEWS, WORKING FOR YOU.