Age 12 greeted me with prayers to God to take my life before I took my own. When I first brought my very legitimate concerns to an adult, he smiled uneasily and went back to bouncing the basketball ever in his hands: “Don’t worry. It’s not that serious. You will just get over it.” Unfortunately, this can be the response of many people when they are smashed in the face with the life-or-death pleas of a peer or impressionable child. Spreading knowledge, encouraging young people to get help, and eliminating stigma is imperative. I am grateful that I have had different friends, quite literally, save my life during my end-of-days… Let’s #EndtheStigma be #StigmaFree, move toward #SuicidePrevention, and #LiveLaughLove.
Some Facts:
Approximately 1 in 5 youth aged 13–18 (21.4%) experience a severe mental disorder at some point during their life. For children aged 8–15, the estimate is 13% *1
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death of teenagers…
11% – mood disorder
10% – conduct or behavior disorder
8% – anxiety disorder
70% of youth in juvenile justice systems have at least one mental health condition and at least 20% live with a serious mental illness. *2
Half of all chronic mental illness begins by age 14; three-quarters by age 24. Despite effective treatment, there are long delays—sometimes decades—between the first appearance of symptoms and when people get help. *3
Over one-third (37%) of students with a mental health condition age 14–21 and older who are served by special education drop out—the highest dropout rate of any disability group. *4
More than 90% of children who die by suicide have a mental health condition. *5
Great Source Infographic: http://www.nami.org/NAMI/media/NAMI-Media/Infographics/Children-MH-Facts-NAMI.pdf
From http://www.nami.org — Other Contributing Sources:
*1 — Any Disorder Among Children. (n.d.) Retrieved January 16, 2015, from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/prevalence/any-disorder-among-children.shtml
*2 — National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice. (2007). Blueprint for Change: A Comprehensive Model for the Identification and Treatment of Youth with Mental Health Needs in Contact with the Juvenile Justice System. Delmar, N.Y: Skowyra, K.R. & Cocozza, J.J. Retrieved January 16, 2015, from http://www.ncmhjj.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/2007_Blueprint-for-Change-Full-Report.pdf
*3 — Kessler, R.C., et al. (2005). Prevalence, Severity, and Comorbidity of 12-Month DSM-IV Disorders in the National Comorbitity Survey Replication. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62(6), 593–602. Retrieved January 16, 2015, from http://archpsyc.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=208671
*4 — U.S. Department of Education. (2014). 35th Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2013. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved January 16, 2015, from http://www2.ed.gov/about/reports/annual/osep/2013/parts-b-c/35th-idea-arc.pdf
*5 — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (1999). Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, National Institute of Mental Health. Retrieved January 16, 2015, from http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/ps/access/NNBBJC.pdf
