Support for our Youth with Mental Health Issues

At our meeting this week (31st March) Heather Dillon, a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Nurse spoke to us about the need to invest in the future of the mental health of the young.  Her job as a Consultation Liaison Nurse at PMH is all about caring for young people and making sure they are connected with those who can best support them.

 

Heather indicated that the group of young people she works with are the 12 - 25 year old age bracket. She told us that these people are more likely to develop a mental health issue if they also have a physical issue.  Getting information from the people she serves is key to being able to connect them with the right support.  Heather mentioned a couple of young people that she'd worked closely with and in both cases she was successful in supporting them, getting them connected with others and then enabling them to deal with their issues and find a more meaningful and fulfilling life.  It is not something that is able to be done in a 'quick fix' type of approach; as you have to build up a rapport with them, and get them comfortable talking about their fears and issues - this can take time.

 

Mental Health is about having social and emotional wellbeing.  Having a Mental Health Problem is when someone has a fairly common negative reaction to events which are usually not severe or long lasting; whereas a person who has a mental health issue finds that this reaction is longer lasting.  Anxiety and depression are common mental health issues found in young people.

 

About 75% of adults with mental health issues had their first onset of the issue before they were 24.  So it is important to get it dealt with sooner rather than later.  Suicide is the leading cause of death for 15 - 24 year olds in Australia.  It is more common that skin cancer deaths.  One in four young people have a mental illness; whereas for older people it is one in five.  More work needs to be done on developing some data around the problems associated with mental illnesses.

 

Heather went on to tell us of some early warning signs to look out for in young people:  if they show new, noticeable and persistent changes in their thoughts, feelings and/or behaviour; or their appetite, sleeping patterns or social involvement patterns change then be aware that they could suggest a mental health issue.  Young people who are easily irritable, stressed, worried, feeling down, or crying; or who have changes in their school/work performance could also have mental health issues.  Some young people take to self harm as a way of coping. 

 

For Heather, sometimes it takes a bit of searching to find the right person to connect a young person with who can help.  There are lots of organisations out there who are willing to help - they just need to be connected to the person who needs the help.

 

Some of them that were mentioned by Heather include:

Act, Belong Commit

au.reachout.com

youthBeyondblue.com

Headspace.org.au

Blackdog institute

youthfocus.com.au

Lifeline - ph 13 11 14

 

Don't forget that on the 21st May we will be having our first Youth Mental Health Forum at Forster Community Centre in Belmont.  Come along and find out how we can support the young people of today who will be our leaders of tomorrow.

 

They are worth it.

 

Thank you Heather for a most interesting talk.