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Mental Health Issues are in Crisis Situation for Teens/Young Adults by Sharon O’Donnell


Anyone who has read my blog, sporadic as it has become, over the many years I’ve been writing for motherhoodlater know that my middle son, now 23, has struggled since high school with severe anxiety. It’s gotten much better since 2010 and he’s thriving in grad school now, but there are still some bumps along the road. In working with my son, I became alarmed at how many teens and young adults struggle with severe anxiety and depression and the continued rise in such cases; such cases also contribute to the suicide rate in this age group.

I came across something that was written by a parent whose 14-year-old son recently completed suicide. It’s heartbreaking but eye-opening and soul-touching. I want to share it with you below.

I’ve become active in mental health support in my community and my church in the past several years. The biggest takeaways so far from support groups are 1. we have to take away the stigma of mental health illnesses  2. parents still need to be involved in their child’s mental health care even thought the law says that child is over 18 (mental health conditions sometimes make it imperative that the parent is still part of the care team — an informed part of the care team.) 3. Teens and young adults are bounced around from place to place because the short limits of care end, and so the teen must leave and go somewhere else.

I also developed a website about some of these issues — http://www.uplit.org

Please read. Get a tissue first. Thank you.

https://www.newsbreakapp.com/we-just-didnt-even-have-a-chance-to-save-him?s=a1&id=09kW73A5

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  1. One Response to “Mental Health Issues are in Crisis Situation for Teens/Young Adults by Sharon O’Donnell”

  2. This is an eye-opener, Sharon. Thank you so much. My daughter is in her mid-twenties and had been depressed after she stopped law school. She was hard on herself at first, thinking she failed us and that she’s good for nothing now. We really need to listen when they speak before their brains play a trick on them. She’s always like that since she was little, unlike her teen brother who’s very open and lively. We suggested that she sees a professional but she said no and we don’t want to force her. Eric Bartlett’s letter is heartbreaking. Connor was only 14, my heart goes out to the family. The statistics he mentioned about teens who wanted to commit suicide or have tried was very alarming. Bless our children.

    By Dawn on Oct 29, 2017