 |
Depression and mental health issues for children and young people can be varied and can have a great affect upon their self esteem and confidence. Mental health issues can range from eating disorders, anxiety and obsession through to depression and anger. “Children's mental health is the strength and capacity of children's minds to grow and develop with confidence and enjoyment. It consists of the capacity to learn from experience and to overcome difficulty and adversity. It's about physical and emotional well-being, the ability to live a full and creative life and the flexibility to give and take in friendships and relationships. Children who are mentally healthy are not saints or models of perfection but ordinary children making the most of their abilities and opportunities.” www.youngminds.org.uk One of the most important mental health issues relating to safety is that of depression. Being the victim of a crime, abuse or bullying can have a significant impact upon the mental health of anyone. Therefore it is important that we understand and know what the potential issues and impact on the lives of children and young people can be. What is depression? Depression is an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness, sadness and lack of self worth and self-esteem. Many people feel sad occasionally - but when someone is depressed, the sadness or feeling low are so extreme or persistent that they get in the way of normal activities. What causes depression? The cause of depression isn't fully understood. Many factors can contribute, such as losing a loved one (or in children, the breaking up of a good friendship), illness, stress, family problems (for example, domestic abuse or violence in the home or parents who are splitting up) - and problems such as bullying at school or being the victim of a crime or abuse. But some children are more resilient to difficulties than others and while some cope, others become depressed (See the Child Development’ page on this website for more information about resilience). What can parents and carers do It's not always easy to spot depression in children, because they're less capable of expressing their feelings and often tend to react to their moods in a more physical way. So, while some children are clearly sad, withdrawn, and tearful, others may become hyperactive troublesome bullies. If you're worried about your child, especially if they've had symptoms for longer than three to four weeks, you should talk to your doctor. Talk to your children's friends too, to try to get a different perspective on their feelings. Depression is poorly understood but some children are more at risk, particularly those who have a physical illness, have been abused, or come from a home where there is marital disharmony or family breakdown. However, many simpler worries can also trigger an episode, such as exam fears. Other forms of mental health issues
Services in the city which can help Specialist Connexions Advisor Brighton & Hove have a Specialist Connexions Advisor for young people worried about their mental health, such as; depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, lack of motivation, self-harm, bereavement and any young person with a mental health diagnosis. For more information contact: Specialist Connexions Personal Advisor YPC Young People's Centre, 69 Ship Street, Brighton, BN1 1AE Tel. 01273 887886 Email: richard.baylie@impact-initiatives.org.uk Specialist Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) Specialist CAMHS is a mental health service for children and young people who have serious difficulties or mental health needs. See the eligibility criteria download below for more information about when parents and carers can refer their children to CAMHS and what mental health needs CAMHS could help with. CAMHS contact details: St Stephen’s house, Borough Street, The White House, 54 New Church Road, Hove. Tel: (01273) 327221 Alternatively speak to your GP or local health service for more advice and information about any concerns you may have about a children’s mental health. There are also counsellors available for children and young people to access at their school. Children can also talk to their school nurse to find out more information. In addition, there are several services available in the city for young people who can provide counselling and support services, such as the Youth Advice Centre, Young People’s Centre or Safe and Sorted. For more information about these services and contact detail see the ‘Map of Services’ on this website. @ease Young Minds email: enquiries@youngminds.org.uk Website: www.youngminds.org.uk/ Downloads Depression in Children & Young People: This downloadable factsheet from the Royal College of Psychiatrists gives you more information about depression, how it can affect children and where parents can access help and advice about any concerns. How can child & adolescent psychiatrists help: This download, also produced by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, provides parents and carers with more information about child and adolescent psychiatrists, how they can help and how parents and carers can contact them. Eligibility criteria for CAMHS: This download provides parents and carers with the eligibility criteria for referrals to the service, including Links YoungMinds is the national charity committed to improving the mental health of all children and young people. YoungMinds campaigns about the importance of children’s mental health; the importance of recognising when a child is troubled and provide adequate support for these children before their problems escalate out of control. They provide a range of advice and information to children, young people, parents/carers and professionals regarding a range of mental health issues. Mind is the leading mental health charity in England and Wales and offer confidential help and advice on a range of mental health issues. Visit their website or call 0845 766 0163 from anywhere in the The Mental Health Foundation is a leading UK charity that provides information and advice to the public regarding a range of mental health issues, carries out research, campaigns and works to improve services for anyone affected by mental health problems. Supportline offer confidential emotional support to children, young adults and adults by telephone, email and post. They work with callers to develop healthy, positive coping strategies, an inner feeling of strength and increased self esteem to encourage healing, recovery and moving forward with life. They also keep details of counsellors, agencies and support groups throughout the UK. The Royal College of Psychiatrists website has a great deal of information for parents and carers about a range of different forms of mental health issues including: depression, bereavement, anxiety and phobias, anorexia and bulimia, obsessive compulsive disorders and lots more. Rethink is a leading national mental health charity in the UK. Mind also provides a special legal service to the public, lawyers and mental health workers. UK which works to help everyone affected by severe mental illness recover a better quality of life. Rethink can provide parents and carers with a range of advice, information and support regarding mental health issues affecting children and young people.www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/depression2.shtml The BBC website offers a variety of information and advice to parents and carers regarding mental health issues which could affect children and young people. This website offers more detailed information about depression and how depression can affect children and young people. www.direct.gov.uk/parents/yourchildshealth The Direct gov website offers a range of advice and information to parents and carers regarding mental health issues. The Parents Centre also provides parents and carers with a range of information and advice regarding mental health concerns. Parents and carers could also contact leading children’s charities in the UK for further advice and information about children’s mental health issues, i.e. NSPCC, Barnardos. |
