Mental health for young people

Young people’s mental health and wellbeing has never been more in the spotlight. But despite this, knowing how to find the right help and support when your young person needs it, can be a daunting task. Our expert, Clinical Lead for Counselling and Emotional Wellbeing Jane Edwards, explains more…

What type of mental health concerns are you seeing in young people?

We are mainly seeing anxious young people across all age ranges. We are seeing anger, which presents as behavioural issues, panic attacks, low self-esteem, low mood, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, eating issues, isolation and loneliness. Often if a young person presents as being angry, there is an underlying reason, or worry, for the anger, this is explored in therapy, but can in the first instance be discussed with family. We are increasingly working with young people who are presenting with complex neurodiversity who are requesting help with their emotional or mental health.

Are you seeing more of these worries?

Yes, we have seen a large increase in referrals into our counselling service and into school health for emotional wellbeing support, for a wide range of worries. Often a young person will present with more than one issue or concern and referrals are becoming more complex.

Why are you seeing more of these worries do you think?

I think young people are feeling unsure of the world they live in and their futures. They feel under pressure to be a certain way and to perform academically, often fuelled by social media. They often feel misunderstood and that they have no one to talk to who will understand their point of view and their feelings. They are also worried about the cost of living and how it affects their family, climate change and war. They are also affected by social media influences and the pressure to be a certain way, this has an effect on their self-esteem, which can lead to more serious mental health issues. Young people, particularly males, are less affected by the stigma of referring themselves for help. This is a good thing as asking for help is not shameful or a sign of weakness, young people are becoming more able to ask for what they need.

Where should they go if they are worried?

In the first instance they should speak with a trusted person. This could be a parent, carer, family member, teacher, peer, friend or their GP. They can also contact Kent School Health to discuss any concerns they have around accessing talking therapy or emotional wellbeing support from a school nurse.

What if the young person wants to speak to someone confidentially, without telling their family first?

They can do this by contacting Kent School Health. We accept self-referrals and would work with any young person to address their concerns and worries around confidentiality. They can also contact ChatHealth, our confidential text messaging service for young people aged 11 to 19-years-old. ChatHealth provides direct access to a nurse who can give advice, support and will signpost to other services when needed. It is available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm on: 07520 618850.

Is there anything families and young people can do while they wait for support?

They can continue to communicate with each other, because communication is key. It is important for parents, carers and professionals to be open and listen to the child or young person. They can access a range of helpful advice on the Kent School Health website: https://family.kentcht.nhs.uk