11 minute read
It's Okay to Not be Okay
It's Okay to Not be Okay
Youth Mental Health on the Northshore
Do the words “mental health crisis” upset you? For too many in St. Tammany Parish, they do—especially when those words refer to their own child.
Upsetting or not, facts don’t lie. “The mental health crisis for children in our parish is a very real, legitimate concern,” said Nick Richard, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness-St. Tammany (NAMI).
“Anxiety, isolation, depression and feelings of hopelessness have increased significantly among our youth here and nationwide,” Richard said. “At one point during the pandemic, we had a 40% increase in young people with persistent thoughts of suicide.”
Several things account for this dramatic uptick in youth mental health issues. Increased screen time has been proven to affect one’s sleep cycles, said Elise McIver, a psychologist and board-certified behavior analyst who founded Keystone Center for Pediatric Health in Covington. This impairs a child’s ability to regulate emotions, handle stress and make correct decisions. Plus increased screen time reduces physical activity and social connectedness.
Kids are also exposed to the constant bombardment of social media, forcing them to always be accessible—always be “on.”
“Remember that adolescents are hard-wired for two things: to become independent and to care a lot about being accepted by peer groups,” Richard said.
Social media often becomes another venue for peer pressure. “Everything on social media is not the whole picture—just the ‘great’ part of the picture,” said Adele Bruce-Smith, mental health outreach specialist with St. Tammany Parish Coroner’s Office. “This puts pressure on kids to be perfect. Kids need to hear, ‘Don’t listen to those bad things that you’re not good enough or you can’t get better.’”
The constant presence of COVID also exacerbates the problem. Because it’s something kids can’t see or always be protected from, everything and everybody becomes a potential enemy or a source of infection. This heightens children’s anxiety. They have no life experience or coping mechanisms to deal with the threat. “We started getting calls about kids ages 8-11, something that never happened before,” Richard said.
The stigma attached to mental health problems compound the problem. “Parents are ashamed. They think they did something wrong,” Richard said. “We need to get over this stigma. If you broke your leg, you’d have a doctor fix it, right? The same is true for mental health issues. When they arise, see a specialist, such as a psychologist, counselor or psychiatrist, to fix the issues going on in your brain/mind.”
Therein lies the problem. Everyone occasionally experiences fear, worry, sadness or distress. At what point do these symptoms warrant help?
Recognizing a child has a problem is the first step. Knowing which mental health professional to consult—and finding one on the Northshore—are the next tasks. Fortunately, NAMI serves as a no-cost, mental-health-resource clearinghouse for St. Tammany.
“At NAMI, we have close relationships with providers,” Richard said. “We know what insurance they take, what their specialty is and who has availability. There is nowhere else to find this information.”
NAMI representatives are trained to ask the right questions to connect parents with the proper resource. Generally, unless the child is in danger or is having suicidal thoughts, Richard refers parents to a psychologist.
NAMI also offers health resources, education programs, support groups, services and community education for people living with mental illness and their loved ones. The NAMI St. Tammany Mental Health App offers quick access to online mental health resources, maps their location, calls resources directly, and anonymously shares individual entries through phone or email messages.
“That’s because, if we don’t have a diagnosis or don’t know what we’re looking at, psychologists are very good at testing, doing assessments, and figuring out what’s going on. We may also recommend a social worker or a counselor, depending on the situation,” he said.
Once parents find the right mental health professional for their child and receive a treatment plan, everyone who interacts with the child—in school and at home—must follow the plan.
Such was the case with Louis, a four-year-old who had fears, frequent tantrums and outbursts of physical aggression.
Louis’ mom met with family members her son interacted with most. She shared the treatment plan recommended by McIver and asked them to follow it, too. After two weeks, Louis’ parents noticed positive changes in their son’s behavior and life at home became more peaceful. Ultimately, the family was able to take a successful vacation to Disney World.
The child’s school should also follow the treatment plan. “At the onset of any concerning behaviors or changes, it’s important that parents inform the school principal or the school mental health provider so that we can all work together as a team to support the child in receiving an education,” said Jeanelle Stein, LCSW, St. Tammany Parish School Board mental health coordinator.
This academic cooperation continues to play a big role in the treatment of 15-year-old Patrick. Diagnosed with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder and anxiety, he struggled socially and academically, which increased his anxiety and subsequent meltdowns.
After seeing McIver for treatment, Patrick now attends school dances and football games and excels in after-school athletics. Witnessing their son’s transformation, Patrick’s parents feel empowered—and grateful. Thanks to therapy, they stopped worrying and learned to enjoy Patrick for who he is. “I want parents to feel empowered and know that change can be made in treatment,” McIver said.
This sentiment is echoed by the mother of Mary, a 13-year-old with eating disorders. “Being in therapy has had a tremendous effect on our family and school life in the most amazing way. Our daughter started showing positive changes right away and is much more confident in situations where food is involved. I would tell other parents who have children that struggle with mental health that you’re not alone.
We consider therapy a true blessing. With the right support, we can do hard things,” Mary’s mother said.
Look for the warning signs.
Generally speaking, seek help if:
• The child’s behavior is developmentally inappropriate. For example, a nine-yearold throwing frequent temper tantrums.
• The child’s behavior is impacting social relationships with others, including family members and friends.
• The child’s behavior interferes with school and/or afterschool activities.
• The parents feel their discipline strategies are ineffective and their child’s behavior is not changing.
• The child exhibits lack of remorse or empathy.
Specialized care could include:
• School-based mental health services
• Changes in academic schedule
• Consultation with outside providers
• Collaboration with teachers to create a safe and supportive learning environment for the student.
Suicide and Our Youth
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the third-leading cause of death among youth ages 10-24 and 17% of U.S. high school students report they seriously considered suicide in the past year.
Warning signs include:
• Talking about wanting to die /kill themselves
• Talking about feeling hopeless or in unbearable pain, having no reason to live, being a burden to others.
• Sleeping too little or too much.
• Withdrawing or isolating themself.
Parent Resources for Children with Disabilities and/or Mental Health Concerns
Exceptional Lives
exceptionallives.org/louisiana
Louisiana EarlySteps
laeikids.com
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) St. Tammany
namisttammany.org
Northshore Families Helping Families
fhfnorthshore.org
Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD)
ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/subhome/11/n/329
Sources for Help
NAMI-St Tammany: 985-626-6538
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 9-8-8
St. Tammany Parish Coroner’s Office: 985-781-1150
VIA LINK’s Teen Crisis Textline: 833-TXT-TEEN (833-898-8336)
Parent Tips for Supporting Your Child’s Mental Health
• Prioritize healthy sleep, nutrition and exercise habits and limit screen time for the entire family. This lays the foundation for optimal mental and emotional health.
• Model the behaviors and coping skills you want your children to develop. Children imitate the behaviors of those around them. Manage anxiety and uncomfortable emotions by modeling, teaching and practicing effective coping mechanisms, such as journaling, deep breathing, exercising outdoors and repeating positive affirmations.
• Maintain open communication, talk about emotions regularly, and provide unconditional love and support.
• Create consistent schedules and routines at home. A predictable daily schedule and step-by-step routines (like mealtimes and bath times) allow children to feel in control of their environment and creates a calmer household for everyone.
• Provide frequent, specific and immediate praise and positive feedback. Praise is one of the most powerful tools parents have in their parenting tool belt.
• Give effective instructions to create a calm household.
• Give warnings before transitions (for example, from playtime to dinner time).
• Be near the child and use eye contact when giving instructions.
• Give instructions one at a time; be short and specific. Be direct, (Instead of “Can you sit down and get started?” say, “Please sit down and start your homework.”)
• Allow a few seconds for children to process the instruction.
• Spend quality time together consistently and establish family rituals. This is essential for strengthening the family bond. Examples include family meals, weekly game nights or a yearly camping trip.)
• Prioritize your own mental health. Parent mental and emotional health is deeply related to the wellbeing of their children. Parents can prioritize their own mental health by ensuring adequate sleep and exercise, accessing sources of support, practicing self-compassion, and engaging in activities that fill them up.
• Observe changes in behavior (appetite, sleep, mood, sociability, academic performance, loss of interest in once pleasurable activities) and seek help, if needed.
Q & A with Elise McIver, PhD, BCBA
What are the most common mental health issues you see for children and adolescents?
Some of the most diagnosed mental health disorders in children and adolescents include Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), other behavior disorders (such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder), anxiety and depression.
What should parents do when their child exhibits warning signs?
Parents have remarkable instincts. If they are questioning whether to seek an evaluation or treatment for their child and family, they should not hesitate to do so. Early intervention is often the key to successful treatment.
Should parents first consult a pediatrician if they feel their child has a mental health issue?
Pediatricians play a unique and vital role in supporting children and families struggling with mental and behavioral health difficulties. Pediatricians can serve as allies for parents by screening for mental health concerns, providing referrals for mental health specialists, if needed, and helping parents to monitor goals and progress. Parents can also obtain referrals from their child’s school psychologist or counselor, as well as local community or parenting groups.
Can you briefly explain your method of treating mental health issues and the rationale behind it?
As a behavioral clinical psychologist, I utilize evidence-based evaluation and intervention services to diagnose and treat a range of interrelated issues that children and adolescents may experience. Each family’s assessment and treatment plan are individualized based on several considerations, including the child’s age, presenting concerns, cognitive level and family/parent factors.
Keystone Center generally emphasizes behavioral and cognitive-behavioral approaches in treatment. We focus on teaching socially important behaviors and skills to improve a child’s functioning. Common behaviors and skills we address include, problem behaviors at home or in school, academic skills, social skills, prevention of delinquent behavior, and skills of daily living (for example, organizational skills and personal hygiene).
We often use active teaching methods in treatment to help teach parents specific strategies that will improve their child’s behavior and overall well being. In addition to helping parents apply these skills consistently at home, a large emphasis is placed on consultation with teachers and other care providers to ensure there is consistency across environments. Goal setting and data collection are also incorporated in treatment so that progress can be monitored and changes in intervention strategies can be made when needed. These components are essential for parents to achieve the change they desire for their child and family.
Parents dealing with issues related to their child’s mental, behavioral, and/or emotional health are not alone. The parenting journey is a deeply rewarding but often challenging one, so we strive to take a team approach to empower the entire child and family. Life-changing progress can be achieved with the right supports and treatment.
