How to support teenagers in need

Recently, AIA hosted their annual 4490 Summit in Sydney. Over the course of the event, audiences heard leading experts in health and wellness speak on issues related to their field. One such expert was Professor Ian Hickie, co-director of Health and Policy at The University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre, who spoke of the national need to increase our levels of support for teens who are at risk of developing mental illness.

Suicide is the leading cause of death among young people aged 15–24 in Australia, with one in five Australians experiencing a mental illness in any given year. In an attempt to address these staggering figures, we spoke with Anne-Marie Cooper – registered Psychologist at Stawell Medical Centre – about steps we can take to support at-risk youth in our community.

According to Anne-Marie, we need to attempt to affect cultural change on a macro level. “People are quick to talk about how they care for their physical health,” she observes. “In any workplace or friendship group people boast about how many kilometres they run a week, the particular diet they’re on, or what they’re doing in the gym.”

The problem is that there isn’t necessarily an equivalent pride when it comes to caring for our mental health. “People don’t brag about seeing a psychologist or a therapist. There’s a disconnection between what we call physical and mental health.”

This distinction can be, as Anne-Marie points out, traced back to René Descartes’ 17th-century theory of mind-body dualism. But this philosophical position can lead us to overlook the fact that health is holistic.

“We have one body, and the brain is an organ that’s part of the entire system,” Anne-Marie says. In fact, some mental illnesses – such as schizophrenia – are linked with poor physical health outcomes, as well. While, conversely, good physical fitness is considered a protective factor when it comes to the development of depression.

So how do we address this separation of physical and mental? It’s a complicated question that requires a multifaceted solution. According to Anne-Marie, a vital first step will be education. “Both on a widescale epidemiological level and right down to how we talk to our children about mental health issues when they’re growing up.”

According to the Black Dog Institute, one in four young people in Australia are living with a mental disorder. Given the prevalence of these issues, there’s still a marked lack of education about how to identify teens who may be struggling.

“A lot of people would recognise the symptoms of a heart attack or be able to identify whether someone has diabetes – but ask people about depression and anxiety and there tends to be ignorance,” says Anne-Marie.

“Parents are taught what to feed their children. They’re taught how to support their kids in learning to read. But they’re not really taught how to care for their children’s mental health.” To this end, she recommends utilising online resources such as those provided by the Black Dog Institute and Be You that address developmental stages and the challenges associated with them.

With improved education comes a greater chance of intervention. “Early intervention is hugely important. It reduces the severity, duration, and reoccurrence of mental illness,” stresses Anne-Marie. Fostering resiliency and equipping youth with coping skills is critical to helping them navigate what can be a fraught time of their development.

In fact, the onset of mental illness typically presents in mid-to-late adolescence, with Australians aged 18–24 having the highest rates of mental illness when compared to any other age group.

Unfortunately, there is a prevalence of a ‘wait and see’ approach when it comes to mental health. This can be compounded by the fact that teenagers are not always adept at communicating their emotional state to others. When these factors converge and delay treatment, it can lead to adverse health outcomes.

By the same token, we need to consider the efficacy of the mental health advice that’s offered in public spaces. In recent years, there’s been an emergence of a ‘self-care’ movement online.

While discussion of mental health is a positive step forward, Anne-Marie recommends a degree of skepticism when it comes to some of the strategies touted by vocal self-care advocates. “These people are huge influences, but the information that they’re giving out isn’t necessarily evidence-based,” she says.

This proliferation of information is a symptom of the spread of technology that’s changed the mental health landscape – for better or worse. The rapid adoption of social media among teens has provided a new avenue for harassment. “Certainly what psychologists see is a lot of severe bullying of youth that’s done across social media platforms,” says Anne-Marie.

Despite this, technology also represents a vital tool for teens facing mental health struggles. “For example, there are a lot of free apps that are useful as part of a treatment for mental illness, and they’re often taken up by youths much quicker than other population segments.” This can be especially beneficial for youths living in rural or remote areas, where access to health services is particularly limited.

When we are discussing support for vulnerable teens in Australia, we’re talking about the need for a coordinated approach from parents, schools, and community to challenge prevailing stigmas about mental health.

“Any civil society would not want suicide to be the leading cause of death for their young people. What you can conclude from that is that we’re not doing enough,” Anne-Marie says. While there’s a long way to go to affect widespread change, it’s a process that can begin at home. “Parents need to model positive behaviours to their children.”

Staff writers come from a range of backgrounds including health, wellbeing, music, tech, culture and the arts. They spend their time researching the latest data and trends in the health market to deliver up-to-date information, helping everyday Australians live healthier lives. This is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances. The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances 

Disclaimer:
The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as financial, medical, health, nutritional, tax or other advice. It does not take into account any individual’s personal situation or needs. You should consider obtaining professional advice from a financial adviser and/or tax specialist, or medical or health practitioner, in relation to your own circumstances and before acting on this information.