Mental Illness and Youth

What's underneath the pain, and what can we do to support kids with their mental health?

Photo by Kat J on Unsplash

Recently, someone my age wrote, “I wonder why our young people are mentally ill?!”

I am not a mental health professional and I do not give advice about mental health.

I am a journalist, a memoir coach, and someone who regularly writes about living with anxiety and depression due to chronic and complex trauma and complicated grief.

As a writer, my work revolves around listening to the world and sharing its stories. And today, I have something to say.

Since the pandemic began, I’ve been contacted by numerous people who’ve realized they need to tell their life stories. At my last count, I’ve heard from more than 100 people. Every single story involves at least one brush with — if not a debilitating immersion into — emotional crisis, be it a panic attack, a struggle with depression, grief, an anxiety disorder, or managing the aftereffects of addiction and/or abuse.

My clients look like you. Like your neighbors. Like your friends and your relatives. Like your own children.

And what I hear from my younger clients is that they’ve become utterly disillusioned with the world and they want and need to see CHANGE.

Kids Desperate For Change

To achieve change, some have tried what many might consider the *traditional routes* (including advocacy and community activism), yet where they seem to end up is relying on their individual voices to convey their messages and finally achieve a sense of agency and empowerment. Instead of using megaphones, more and more young people are choosing to silently tap their words out on pages, hoping to make as big an impact as possible. It should be noted that these are the kids fortunate enough to be literate.

To be sure, many of my clients have achieved financial independence. They have food on their tables, stable families, and access to therapists and social supports who sustain them when their lives felt (or went) off the rails. They’re the lucky ones who tell their stories of living with emotional struggles and/or mental illness and have overcome unspeakable odds.

And yet, some of my clients do not have such luxuries, especially the younger ones. One, in particular, has been on the precipice of financial ruin, working hard and scraping by, desperate to let the world know what it’s like to be scared and uncertain and battling anxiety and depression; determined to help others see there are other sides to life than what we scroll past on Facebook and Snapchat and Instagram and TikTok. I work with this client on a pro-bono basis.

Navigating life in these times is, for many of us, already incredibly hard. But imagine for a moment what it’s like to be young and reliant on others who do not see you or keep you safe. Imagine what it’s like to feel untethered, invisible, cornered, and hopeless. To feel isolated, to lack resources, to feel scared and powerless. To not even know how to ask for what you need.

Adverse Childhood Experiences

If you’ve ever heard of an ACE score, you know the profound impact childhood trauma has on an individual.

ACEs (or Adverse Childhood Experiences) are, according to the CDC, “potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood (0–17 years). For example:

• experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect

• witnessing violence in the home or community

• having a family member attempt or die by suicide”

The CDC’s description continues to say:

“Also included are aspects of the child’s environment that can undermine their sense of safety, stability, and bonding, such as growing up in a household with:

• substance use problems

• mental health problems

• instability due to parental separation or household members being in jail or prison”

And that’s not even a comprehensive list.

According to the CDC, “ACEs are linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance use problems in adolescence and adulthood. ACEs can also negatively impact education, job opportunities, and earning potential. However, ACEs can be prevented.”

But how?

The CDC says, “To prevent ACEs, we must understand and address the factors that put people at risk for or protect them from violence. Creating and sustaining safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for all children and families can prevent ACEs and help all children reach their full potential. CDC has produced a resource, Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Leveraging the Best Available Evidence, to help states and communities use the best available evidence to prevent ACEs. It features six strategies from the CDC Technical Packages to Prevent Violence.” I’ve added a resource link to this post.

Begging For Our Attention

Many ask, “How can we help youth with their emotional pain?” but the first questions we should ask are, “What’s causing kids so much mental anguish?” and “How can we help prevent it in the first place?”

It’s hardly news that mental illness in this country needs to be addressed, particularly for our youngest citizens who’ve been exposed to unimaginable tragedy and experienced unfathomable upheaval. Kids may not tell you how hard it’s been for them, but I’m here to tell you they’re feeling it, they’re eager to be seen, and they’re begging for our attention.

Here’s some info about ACEs. Please take the time to learn about their impact on our children.

https://www.cdc.gov/violencepreven.../pdf/preventingACES.pdf