While mental health issues have long existed, the increasing number of children experiencing mental health crises is alarming. Plus, the problem isn't caused by a single root cause, which makes it a complex case to resolve.
Addressing this issue requires early intervention, quality mental health care access, and family and community support. In today's episode, we'll discuss an important topic: how you can better manage your child's mental health crisis.
Looking back, we can only make sense of things when we connect the dots.
Steve Jobs once said, “We can only connect the dots when we look back.” This quote also applies to mental health. When you take a step back and observe your child, you connect the dots and see all the signs regarding your child's mental health.
Nobody ever regrets getting help. They only regret when they don't. Unfortunately until now, there are still individuals who feel embarrassed about their mental health struggles and may be hesitant to seek help.
But that shouldn't be the case. It's crucial to prioritize mental health. When individuals don't seek help and try to cope with their mental health struggles alone, they may experience more significant and long-lasting difficulties.
What happens when you're in a crisis
Many people consult with me when they are in a state of crisis. What's alarming is that even more young children are experiencing crisis now. This alarming issue sparks discussions and debates among mental health professionals, organizations, and policymakers.
Often, crisis creeps up on you, and at times, you may not even realize that your child is already dealing with anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues. If you're struggling and don't know what to do, it's best to seek help from a licensed mental health professional, especially if your child is in danger of harming himself or others.
When you're in crisis, you're in panic mode, which is what happens to most parents. So understandably, parents may feel overwhelmed when their child is experiencing a mental health crisis. But in such events, it's important to step back and remain as calm as possible.
At present, people are in extreme amounts of crisis. The rates of suicide rates have gone up even further because of the pandemic. In addition, cases of anxiety, depression, OCD, self-harm, suicidal ideation, and more continue to increase alarmingly.
The number one thing you need to do when your child is in a crisis.
What you need to do when your child is in a crisis is to put on your oxygen mask. That's important because you won't be able to breathe, and your child will co-regulate with you. So, put your oxygen mask on.
It means that you're going to be as regulated as possible. You won't be able to do that if you don't calm your brain. Like I always say, calming your brain does wonders.
We need to take a step back as much as we possibly can. It is difficult in a crisis, but you can always ask for help. You can have a lifeline, whether a friend or a relative, who will help you connect the dots and deal with challenging situations.
If you're working with a provider who is an expert, you need to listen to their recommendations.
If you're working with a provider who is an expert and who you feel aligned with, you need to listen to their recommendations. Hopefully, everybody has a provider they feel aligned with because communication plays a vital role in this journey.
There's nothing wrong with asking for help. It's a sign of strength to recognize when you need support. It's essential to create a team of people who can support you as it feels very isolating sometimes when dealing with crises and other challenging circumstances. It greatly helps to have a group of people who can provide emotional support, guidance, and practical assistance.
We also want to have realistic timelines and realistic expectations. Some of the greatest failures I see in cases involve people focusing on the gaps rather than the gains. You need a licensed professional. This is not something you're going to do on your own.
The changes we want to make will take time to happen. So have hope, have belief, and be consistent. All we have to do is to trust the process and believe that the tools and resources will improve our children's mental health.
No matter where you are in your journey, we have resources to help you:
Links and Resources:
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