How best to talk about mental health/illness with teens?

March 2, 2015 5:05 AM

Hi, I've been asked to talk to eight to twelve 16 yr+'s about this (I work in psych care). It is possible one or two of them may have mental illness but that won't be known, it's more awareness raising. I will talk for about an hour with an art therapist. I have some ideas but would love to know yours too on how best to engage them interactively with the subject. Thanks.
posted by tanktop to Work & Money (6 answers total)

I am not an expert on mental illness, but am raising a teen with treatment resistant depression. Both of us agree that this is an accurate explanation of depression presented in a very unique and appealing to teens manner: Hyperbole and a Half.

I think if you allowed them to read this (or made it into a presentation), it would spark a good discussion.
posted by maxg94 at 5:39 AM on March 2, 2015 [3 favorites]

I would tend to talk more about mental health than about serious mental illness. Teens tend to have ideas about serious mental illnesses related to novels they've read, or dramatic news stories, or people pleading insanity in court cases, and trying to address what schizophrenia is really all about (or PTSD, or suicide, or any other major topic that has been somewhat sensationalized) can't be done well in an hour.

Talking about how mental health issues affect everybody would be very helpful. The news we hear is about the big life-threatening diseases (whether physical or mental), but just like a healthy teen's life is still affected by colds and flu even if they don't have to deal with cancer, AIDS, and ebola, there are mental health issues like anxiety and mild depression that almost all teens face to some extent.
posted by aimedwander at 7:09 AM on March 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

Please be sure to talk about how depression =/= sadness. I think a lot of people (especially young people) suffer with depression for years and have no idea, because they're not sad. (One of the reasons I love that Hyperbole and a Half link shown above is that it's the most realistic depiction of anhedonia I've ever read). For boys, a lot of anger and aggression can be symptoms of depression or anxiety or other mental health issues. Not that teenaged boys don't have things to be angry about, but let the kids, especially the boys, know that if they feel mad all the time and like they can't control their feelings and constantly feel like they're about to scream or punch something or just go off, that may be something that other people can help with.
posted by decathecting at 7:35 AM on March 2, 2015

I'd want to help set them up for good self-care for the future, so maybe talk about how mental health is as important to stay on top of as physical health. Talk about how if they broke a leg they'd go to the doctor, and no one would expect them to just soldier through and treat it themselves, and that depression and other mental illnesses are the same. They're not a lack of willpower, or a defect in their personality; they're actual medical conditions that have treatments available. Maybe also talk a little bit about how they would go about seeking treatment if they wanted to. If they have to get their parents involved, and what age they can start going to doctors on their own even if they're on their parents insurance. And maybe a little bit about how they'd be able to get treatment through their university health services in a couple of years without their parents having to know.
posted by MsMolly at 8:07 AM on March 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

I'd also make sure that you give them places to go if they have personal issues or concerns with mental health/illness. This can be a few books their school library might have, a few websites aimed towards teens, a local phone number they could call if they wanted someone to talk to, a school counselor who will not be judgmental. Maybe look at some stories in the news that have concerned people with mental health issues and how this is an issues society deals with, as well as an issue that individuals deal with. I have a few family members with a variety of mental illnesses and I've found the support given by NAMI in the US to be the absolute best. They have a teen section which may give you some ideas.
posted by jessamyn at 8:35 AM on March 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

I think it depends on whether you want to focus on giving them tools for their own mental health, or teach them about mental illness.

If the first, I might give out a Wellness Wheel, maybe one with the info in it and a blank one. Have them read the filled-in one aloud, then spend a few minutes filling in activities they do on the blank copy for each area. Then ask people to share, if they want, which areas are easy for them, which are hard, why they think the various areas are important. You could tie it into the Recovery Model of treating mental illness, or just the idea that good self-care is important and helpful regardless of diagnoses.

If it's more awareness raising, then I might give quick definitions for mood disorders, thought disorders, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse, and talk about what they mean, common symptoms, common treatments (pharmaceutical and therapy), and who provides that sort of care (how GPs, psychiatrists, RNs, therapists, etc. work together but are different). And definitely where to go for help.
posted by jaguar at 10:37 AM on March 2, 2015 [2 favorites]