Many people can look back on high school with strong feelings. There’s pressure down every hallway, pressure in every text message received, and a constant social media presence to maintain. This often happens at the expense of mental health.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that about 40% of high school students experience feelings of persistent sadness or hopelessness in 2023. That means that, in a classroom of 30 students, as many as 12 may be dealing with anxiety or depression.
Perhaps you see signs of a family member that worry you, but you’re unsure how to help someone in a mental crisis in an effective manner. At Willow Creek Behavioral Health, we offer immediate help with assessing, diagnosing, rapid stabilization, and ongoing care for those high school students with the need for mental health support.
You can get help for your child right now. An in-person professional assessment is available to you now. In any situation where there is a risk to your health, their health, or anyone else’s, call 911 or 988 for immediate support. You can also walk into our mental health treatment center in Green Bay 24/7 for immediate care.
How to Help a High School Student in a Mental Health Crisis
Perhaps you are not sure your family member needs immediate mental help. What can you do? There are several things to think about moving forward.
Ask What’s Happening
It is often surprising how many people believe something may be wrong but are not sure how to ask or provide support. Ask your loved one, “Are you struggling right now? How can I help you?”
In doing so, give them a chance to answer. They may need someone to hear what is really happening in their mind without judgment. They are not necessarily looking for a solution. Don’t say, “Well, here’s how to fix that….” Instead, offer to listen and learn from their individual experience.
Keep Them Safe
In difficult moments, stay with your family member. That may mean dedicating more time to being there after school and on the weekends. It may mean being a text away from them when they need it. Of course, you may be busy, but sometimes high school students just need to vent and know that the person they are talking to really is willing to listen.
By being there, you’re keeping the lines of communication open. Those bad moments don’t have to turn into high-risk events. Remember, if your loved one is at risk for hurting themselves or others, do not hesitate to get them professional treatment.
Connect With a Professional
If your child is experiencing any of the following symptoms, we recommend contacting a mental health professional. Some of the most important signs a teen needs a mental health counselor include:
- Dramatic changes in behavior and mood, often very much out of character
- Social withdrawal, including losing interest in hobbies or activities they used to enjoy, or spending time alone more frequently
- Decline in academics that is out of the ordinary for them
- Lack of self-care, including not following their normal personal hygiene routine or not caring for basic needs
- Physical changes, including significant weight gain or loss, or sleeping all of the time
- Engaging in increasingly risky self-destructive behavior
In these situations, setting up some time to speak to a therapist is critical. The therapist will discuss these signs and symptoms while also reassuring you of the strategies available that can help.
Acting Is the Most Important Step
Many parents find that they just don’t understand how this could happen to them and their child. Yet, the top causes of mental health disorders in teens show that these risks can happen to any child, no matter their background.
It is not easy for you, as a parent, to understand self-harm in teens or behaviors that change. Your loved one may seem “normal,” or you may have given them access to all of the types of care and support you think they need. Don’t brush off these behaviors as just being a teen or a growing phase. Act now to avoid the worst outcomes and life-long risks to your child’s wellbeing and future.
How We Can Help Your Teen Now
If your child is at risk or you’re just not sure how to help them with their mental health, make the call to Willow Creek Behavioral Health now. Let us work on providing your teen with the support and guidance they need at this critical time. There is no harm in reaching out, no stigma, and no bad effects. However, not acting can lead to complications, delayed care, and harmful outcomes. Contact us now instead.
