A variety of events/situations can cause a teen to go into crisis. These include a breakup, death of a loved one, natural or large scale disaster, drug use/abuse and/or witnessing violence.
Unlike adults, youth live with their families and so any child or youth crisis must involve the family. This is why the new SAMHSA guidelines recognize that children and their families need to be a focus of crisis care.
Mental Health Issues
Psychologists are working on the front lines of this crisis, developing and disseminating solutions for families, schools and at the local level. They’re bringing mental health care to children at school, improving access to 988 (the single phone number for anyone in crisis), and creating community teams that provide support when needed.
The crisis in youth mental health is not new. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, high rates of anxiety and mood disorders were already being reported, along with a significant increase in emergency department visits related to suicide attempts.
Many of the clinicians POLITICO surveyed report that their kids’ mental health has worsened since the start of the pandemic, with social media, the pressure to look perfect and external factors like climate change and war contributing to increased stress and isolation. And, despite the fact that most major insurance plans cover mental health services, most families can’t afford those visits and are not getting the help they need.
Substance Abuse
Substance abuse can cause a variety of issues like poor school performance, legal troubles and strain on relationships with friends and family. It may also lead to health problems, including damage to the liver, heart and lungs.
Symptoms of substance abuse include spending more time and effort on getting, using, and recovering from drug use than on daily tasks or activities. It may also involve taking risks or ignoring consequences.
Parents should seek help from resources that provide treatment options and support for youth struggling with mental health and substance abuse. Treatment options can vary from outpatient counseling (where your teen attends therapy 1 to 2 times a week either in person or via telemedicine) to residential treatment programs where your teen stays for 24 hours a day.
Individual and group therapy can teach new coping skills to address emotional and behavioral problems. A therapist can also help identify the root causes of your drug or alcohol addiction and repair damaged relationships. In addition, there are medications that can reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings and be used long-term to support recovery.
Family Issues
Adolescence can be a period of significant stress for teenagers and their families. It can include social and emotional challenges like a growing focus on peer relationships and exploration of sexuality. It can also include health concerns like anxiety and substance abuse.
Sociopolitical issues like systemic racism, gun violence and climate change can cause additional stress and anxiety. Financial insecurity due to low wages or high housing costs can create stress and a sense of hopelessness.
Teens may experience a crisis if they are involved in activism related to one of these causes. They may be in danger of physical or psychological harm if they get caught up in protests or attacks. They may also be at risk of being a victim of bullying or hate crimes. These stresses can lead to a mental health crisis, including suicidal thoughts or harmful behaviors such as running away from home. Behavioral health services can help teens and their families cope with these types of crises.
Addiction
Millions of people around the world are proof that recovery is stronger than addiction, and that when treatment works and families heal, life gets better. Unfortunately, youth in crisis often face barriers to accessing the treatment they need.
Many adolescents who present for substance abuse treatment have co-occurring suicidality. This is an extremely challenging treatment population for a variety of reasons, including their complex motivational and treatment engagement challenges, their frequent and sometimes lethal use of psychoactive substances (e.g., hallucinogens), and their heightened vulnerability to suicide.
Treatment options include residential treatment centers, partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) and outpatient programs. These programs may involve a combination of individual and group therapy, medication and other supports to address both mental health and addiction. Some treatments focus on one specific substance, while others treat a range of substances, including prescription and non-prescription opioids, stimulants, alcohol, nicotine, inhalants and herbal remedies. Some also include family therapy. These programs typically last about 30 days.