POINT. TONIGHT ON CHRONICLE. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. IMAGINE HAVING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. A BROKEN BONE, DEEP CUT OR A HEART ATTACK BUT WHEN YOU GO TO THE HOSPITAL, YOU ARE TOLD YOU WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR CARE FOR A DAY, A WEEK OR EVEN A MONTH. IT WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE BUT THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN DESPERATE NEED OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE. EITHER THEY END UP IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM OR ARE LOOKING FOR A THERAPIST, THEY ARE FACING A SHORTAGE OF ACCEPTABLE AND AFFORDABLE CARE. THAT IS IMPACTING ALL OF US, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. WE A NEW TONIGHT SHOW DEALS WITH ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, SUICIDAL IDEATION AND OTHER ISSUES THAT MAY BE DIFFICULT FOR SOME VIEWERS. >> I WAS ALSO HAVING SOME SEVERE ANXIETY. I WAS HAVING PANIC ATTACKS LIKE 10 TIMES A DAY. NOT ABLE TO BREATHE. I WOULD OFTEN BE IN CLASSROOMS AND I WOULD BE TRYING TO SILENTLY HAVE THE PANIC ATTACK AND LEAVE THE CLASSROOM SO I DID NOT DRAW ATTENTION TO MYSELF. IT WAS DEFINITELY BECOMING UNMANAGEABLE. >> UNMANAGEABLE, INTOLERABLE, UNRELENTING. SOPHIE WAS A HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR WHEN SHE HAD HER FIRST STRUGGLES WITH MENTAL HEALTH. A SITUATION THAT ESCALATED QUICKLY. >> THE DEPRESSION KEPT GETTING WORSE AND WORSE. THE PANIC DISORDER KEPT GETTING WORSE. IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I WAS SEVERELY SUICIDAL AND I DID NOT KNOW HOW TO LIVE ANYMORE. >> SOPHIE IS NOT ALONE IN HER STRUGGLE. AMERICA IS IN THE GRIPS OF A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND OUR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS ARE ESPECIALLY HARD-HIT. >> THE MAIN AREAS WHERE WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ARE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THE RATES OF DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, EATING DISORDERS AND THINGS LIKE SUICIDAL IDEATION. KIDS AND TEENS TRY TO HARM THEMSELVES. >> NATIONALLY, 20% OF CHILDREN AGES THREE TO 17 WILL EXPERIENCE A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION EACH YEAR. FROM 2007 TO 2018 BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, THE SUICIDE RATE AMONG 10 TO 24-YEAR-OLDS ROSE 60% IN AMERICA. MASSACHUSETTS IS HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. IN CHILDHOOD RIGHTS OF ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, ALCOHOL USE AND ILLICIT DRUG USE. THE PANDEMIC, SCHOOL SHOOTINGS, POLITICAL AND SOCIAL UNREST, CLIMATE CHANGE, WAR. THE WORLD OFTEN SEEMS LIKE A DANGEROUS AND UNSETTLING PLACE. DR. ERICA LEE IS A PSYCHOLOGIST AT BOSTON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL. >> KIDS ARE OUT IN THE WORLD RECOGNIZING THERE IS A LOT LESS SAFETY AND THEY ARE NOT SURE, WHERE IS THE WORLD GOING, WHO ARE LOOK TO TO BE SAFE, CAN I BE SAFE IN EVERYDAY PLACES LIKE SCHOOL OR AT HOME WITH MY FRIENDS? ALL OF THIS ADDS TO A SENSE I AM NOT QUITE SURE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD AND I’M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT. >> GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN ARE ESPECIALLY HARD-HIT. BY THE TIME THEY REACH 13 YEARS, THEY ARE TWICE AS LIKELY AS THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS TO EXPERIENCE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. SOPHIE STRUGGLES — SOPHIE’S STRUGGLES EVENTUALLY LED HER TO A HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM CROWDED WITH PEOPLE JUST LIKE HER. >> I HAD A ONE ON ONE WATCHDOG TYPE OF PERSON. SOMEONE WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO MAKE SURE I DID NOT HURT MYSELF. AND I NOTICED THAT ALMOST THE ENTIRE PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY ROOM WAS PSYCH PATIENTS. WE ALL HAD TO WEAR GREEN SCRUBS. SO YOU CAN DIFFERENTIATE US. WE ALL WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE ONE-ON-ONE PEOPLE BUT THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH SO SOMETIMES THERE WAS ONE FOR TWO PATIENTS. IT JUST WAS VERY CLEAR THE EMERGENCY ROOM WAS COMPLETELY OVERLOADED. >> IT WAS 16 HOURS BEFORE SHE SAW A SOCIAL WORKER. FOUR DAYS BEFORE SHE WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET A BED AT MCLEAN PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL. ANYWAY WEEKS OR EVEN MONTHS. KEPT IN EMERGENCY ROOMS ILL-EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH SEVERE MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. IT IS A PROCESS KNOWN AS BOARDING. >> IF I HAD DIABETES OR ANY OTHER ILLNESS, THEY WOULD NOT BE LEAVING ME IN BED UNTREATED BECAUSE THEN I COULD GET WORSE OR AT LEAST STAY THE SAME AND THAT IS THE SAME WITH MENTAL HEALTH. I WAS FEELING WORSE OR AT THE VERY LEAST STAYING THE SAME BECAUSE I WAS NOT GETTING HELP. I DO NOT BLAME THE HEALTH CARE WORKERS WHO WERE DOING THEIR BEST DIE BLAME A BROKEN SYSTEM. WE DEFINITELY NEED MORE BEDS IN UNTIL HEALTH HOSPITALS. WE NEED MORE OF EVERYTHING. >> THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NOT ENOUGH PROGRAMS WHERE WE CAN SEND THE KIDS TO KEEP THEM SAFE. IF THERE IS IN X NUMBER OF THERAPIST OR PSYCHIATRIST IN THE COUNTRY THE NUMBER WHO ARE SPECIALIZED TO TREAT CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS GOES DOWN. THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH OF US TO MEET THE NEED. IT REALLY IS TREMENDOUSLY HEARTBREAKING FOR EVERYONE. >> SOPHIE SPENT THREE WEEKS AT MCLEAN. THEN MORE TIME IN OUTPATIENT TREATMENT. EVENTUALLY DIAGNOSED WITH BIPOLAR DEPRESSION, MEDICATION AND THERAPY HAVE HELPED HER TREMENDOUSLY. NOW A SOPHOMORE AT SIMMONS UNIVERSITY SHE IS INTERESTED IN JOURNALISM AND IS ALREADY BROADCASTING A MESSAGE TO HER PEERS. >>>> REACH OUT TO ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT WANT TO LIVE TODAY BUT YOU ARE GOING TO THANK YOURSELF TOMORROW OR IN 10 YEARS WHEN YOU DID KEEP GOING BECAUSE YOU HAVE LITERALLY NO IDEA WHAT YOUR LIFE IS GOING TO BRING YOU IF YOU KEEP FIGHTING AND KEEP LIVING IT. >> THE STATISTICS WE GAVE ON THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS ARE ALL PRE-PANDEMIC AND AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT, EARLY STUDIES INDICATE THE SITUATION HAS ONLY BEEN EXACERBATED BY THE PANDEMIC. WE DISCUSSED ACCESS IN THIS SEGMENT BUT THE OTHER BARRIER TO CARE IS AFFORDABILITY. MANY PROVIDERS DON’T EVEN TAKE INSURANCE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO PAY MORE OUT-OF-POCKET JUST TO GET CARE. THAT CAN LEAD TO ECONOMIC AND RACIAL INEQUITIES THAT ONLY MAKE THE SITUATION WORSE. STILL TO COME, A SHORTAGE OF PROVIDERS. >> THERE IS NO WAY THAT THE PATIENT IS GETTING THE SUPPORT THEY NEED WHEN THE CASELOAD IS MORE THAN TRIPLE WHAT IT SHOULD BE.

Destigmatizing the necessity for psychological well being assist

Native faculty scholar opens as much as Anthony Everett about her journey to hunt assist

Up to date: 8:30 PM EDT Apr 25, 2023

In case you are struggling together with your psychological well being, or have a cherished one who wants assist, you will get linked with sources by the Massachusetts Division of Psychological Well being’s 24/7 helpline. Name or textual content 833-773-2445 or entry their on-line chat right here.If you want to discuss suicide, you may name or textual content 988 from anyplace within the nation to be linked to the Suicide & Disaster Lifeline.The Massachusetts Division of Psychological Well being has launched a brand new method of responding to an elevated want for assist with psychological well being entry. The instruments embody a 24/7 telephone helpline and a community of neighborhood behavioral assist facilities. Commissioner Brooke Doyle described the neighborhood behavioral assist facilities as pressing look after psychological well being and substance use wants.The helpline could be accessed by a web-based chat or by calling or texting 833-773-2445. It’s free and out there 24 hours a day, seven days per week, year-round. Callers can be linked with a clinician who can information them to the assist they want.Lengthy-time suicide prevention group Samaritans is providing a devoted service to succeed in younger adults who’re battling their psychological well being. Hey Sam is a textual content service that connects teenagers and younger adults with peer volunteers to speak in regards to the powerful elements of life. Individuals can textual content 439-726 any time of the day to get assist. From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., teenage and younger grownup volunteers are on standby to assist their friends.Sophie, a scholar at Simmons College, shares her psychological well being struggles and works to destigmatize looking for assist.Boston Youngsters’s Hospital Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences works to assist youngsters and households create and obtain a wholesome improvement and way of life. This system has a mission of offering excellence and innovation in care, schooling, analysis, and advocacy for psychological well being inside households.Sophie Nystuen is the founding father of Breathe, a useful resource designed to assist folks heal and transfer on from traumatic and life-altering occasions. Customers can write their ideas in any type they like, whether or not it could be a poem, an essay, or perhaps a easy assertion. The location maintains customers’ anonymity and presents the selection of publishing tales with or with out a title connected.

NEEDHAM, Mass. —

In case you are struggling together with your psychological well being, or have a cherished one who wants assist, you will get linked with sources by the Massachusetts Division of Psychological Well being’s 24/7 helpline. Name or textual content 833-773-2445 or entry their on-line chat right here.

If you want to discuss suicide, you may name or textual content 988 from anyplace within the nation to be linked to the Suicide & Disaster Lifeline.

The Massachusetts Division of Psychological Well being has launched a brand new method of responding to an elevated want for assist with psychological well being entry. The instruments embody a 24/7 telephone helpline and a community of neighborhood behavioral assist facilities. Commissioner Brooke Doyle described the neighborhood behavioral assist facilities as pressing look after psychological well being and substance use wants.

The helpline could be accessed by a web-based chat or by calling or texting 833-773-2445. It’s free and out there 24 hours a day, seven days per week, year-round. Callers can be linked with a clinician who can information them to the assist they want.

Lengthy-time suicide prevention group Samaritans is providing a devoted service to succeed in younger adults who’re battling their psychological well being. Hey Sam is a textual content service that connects teenagers and younger adults with peer volunteers to speak in regards to the powerful elements of life. Individuals can textual content 439-726 any time of the day to get assist. From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., teenage and younger grownup volunteers are on standby to assist their friends.

Sophie, a scholar at Simmons College, shares her psychological well being struggles and works to destigmatize looking for assist.

Boston Youngsters’s Hospital Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences works to assist youngsters and households create and obtain a wholesome improvement and way of life. This system has a mission of offering excellence and innovation in care, schooling, analysis, and advocacy for psychological well being inside households.

Sophie Nystuen is the founding father of Breathe, a useful resource designed to assist folks heal and transfer on from traumatic and life-altering occasions. Customers can write their ideas in any type they like, whether or not it could be a poem, an essay, or perhaps a easy assertion. The location maintains customers’ anonymity and presents the selection of publishing tales with or with out a title connected.