During the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of youth mental health concerns and thoughts of suicide rose dramatically. Sadly, this has been a trend for more than a decade.
Providing teenagers with access to high-quality mental health care is critical. If your teenager is in crisis, consider intensive outpatient therapy (IOP) as an option.
What is a Crisis?
Basically, a crisis is any situation that is beyond the scope of your typical problem-solving resources or skills. For youth in particular, a crisis can be any situation where they feel unsafe or have been left unable to cope on their own. It can also involve a threat to their own or someone else’s life or safety.
In addition, adolescent hormone changes can cause emotional volatility and heightened moods. Combined with their desire for independence and autonomy, this can lead to risk-taking behaviors and an increased focus on peer relationships at the expense of family connections.
Other factors that can cause a mental health crisis in teens include the death of a loved one, separation from a parent or significant other, or a major change to daily routine. They may be unable to cope with these stresses and can often become depressed or anxious. For some teens, these events can trigger suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
What are the Signs of a Crisis?
Symptoms that are likely to progress into a mental health crisis include a desire to harm others or oneself, impulsive or dangerous behaviors, extreme mood fluctuations or an inability to function. Other warning signs of a mental health crisis include missing work or social events, deteriorating eating or sleeping habits and having uncharacteristic outbursts of anger and irritability.
People can be in a crisis for many reasons, and what might seem like a crisis to you may not be a crisis to another person. In general, a crisis can be triggered by life events such as the end of a relationship, losing a job or feeling hopeless and helpless.
It’s important to stay calm and act slowly when confronting someone in crisis. It’s also recommended that you offer them options rather than trying to take control of the situation. This can avoid causing further panic or even making them feel as though you don’t care about their feelings.
What Can I Do to Help?
Depending on the severity of your teenager’s mental health crisis, several different treatment options exist. Some may be more appropriate for teens in crisis, like intensive outpatient therapy (IOP) or day treatment programs.
If your teenager is in danger, it is critical that you act quickly to get them help. You should call 911 or your local crisis line, and describe your teen’s symptoms and the severity of their situation.
At youth mental health listening sessions across New York state in 2023, youth indicated that they want more access to programs that are youth-driven and youth-centered. To address this, Governor Hochul established the first and largest Youth Assertive Community Treatment program in the country, providing wraparound care that includes crisis support, psychotherapy, and medication management – preventing hospitalization. In addition, pediatricians are uniquely positioned to destigmatize mental health and provide long-term, ongoing relationships with children and their families. This allows them to identify and refer teens to outside therapists when needed.
How Can I Help My Teen?
You can help a teenager in crisis by addressing the underlying issues that are contributing to their distress. It is important to communicate with them openly, and use nonviolent communication techniques such as making nonjudgmental observations, empathizing with their feelings, and being specific in requests. It is also helpful to provide them with structure and support by enrolling them in a mental health program, such as day treatment or intensive outpatient therapy.
If your teen is in an immediate danger of harming themselves or others, call 911 or take them to the nearest emergency department. You can also contact your county crisis line, which is staffed 24 hours a day.
Another option is to seek professional intervention, such as the Systemic Intervention Model (SIM). This model is less confrontational and focuses on motivating a teen to get treatment. It is usually paired with family therapy and is often used for teens who are at risk of self-harm or are in a suicide crisis.