By Anna Donohue, LCSW, MGH Charlestown Counseling and Behavioral Services Unit
The following article contains themes of mental health. If you or a loved one are experiencing a crisis, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Hotline anytime at 988 for support. This resource is available 24/7.
Are you concerned about the well-being of a young person in your life? If so, you are not alone. The Health of Boston Mental Health Report released this year reveals that rates of youth experiencing persistent feelings of sadness increased from 26.7% in 2015 to a startling 43.9% by 2021. Latinx youth report the highest rates of sadness (41.5%) followed by Black youth (35.9%). Young people identifying as female were significantly more likely to experience sadness (47.3%) as compared to their peers identifying as male (27%). Youth who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community face the highest rates of sadness at nearly 67%.
What is causing this alarming increase in sadness? Of course, the COVID-19 Pandemic disrupted typical themes of child and adolescent development. But if you have spoken with a young person recently, there seems to be a theme of increasing pressures and isolation expanding beyond the recent pandemic.
The CDC recently released data from a qualitative nationwide survey of young people that revealed three major influences on youth mental health. First, youth report a lack of connection with peers, community, and school, with the highest rates of isolation being reported amongst Black and Latinx females. Second, youth who report a lack of caregiver supervision also tend to report higher rates of persistent sadness. The third major influence on reported sadness is unstable housing, which also has significant impacts on overall health.
What are the warning signs?
If you have concerns for a young person in your life experiencing any combination of the following symptoms, consider discussing with your young person’s pediatrician:
• Irritability
• Less interest in activities they used to enjoy
• Changes in appetite or eating behaviors
• Changes in sleep
• Fatigue, loss of energy
• Negative thoughts about themselves, other people, or the world
• Difficulty focusing or concentrating
• Persistent worries or fears
• Nightmares
• Avoidance
• Hypervigilance (always on alert)
How can I support a young person I am concerned about?
Listen, without judgment. Leading with curiosity and avoiding judgment is the first step to approaching an open and honest conversation that will help you understand what they might be experiencing.
Validate their feelings. When young people feel dismissed, this can often deepen feelings of sadness. Provide reassurance that all feelings are important (even the uncomfortable ones) and that feelings often give us important information about what we might need or what we care about the most.
Be present. In a world that is almost always rushed and busy, spending time with young people, one on one when possible, can make all the difference. For younger youth, receiving your undivided attention and following their lead in play helps build confidence and cultivate a sense of self. For older youth, sharing interests and time together can help them feel seen and build a strong self-esteem.
Make time for you. A recent study published by Harvard reveals that if you are a caregiver of a young person, making time for you is one of the most meaningful ways you can support a young person. Showing compassion to yourself and practicing self-care can have positive impacts on youth. Caregiver well being is one of the strongest influences on the well-being of a young person. Modeling self-care can be impactful.
Big Picture: How can we support mental health for youth in the Charlestown community?
This is a question we all need to consider in our roles as parents, clinicians, service providers, or community members. As the age old saying goes, it takes a village. So how can we create the community that we want for our young people? When we look at protective factors, connections to the community and connections to a trusted adult are strong indicators of future emotional well-being. How can we foster those connections? Can we work together to create more social opportunities for young people? What are you noticing about the community that you would like to be different for this next generation?
Local and National Resources
• Charlestown Coalition Trauma Response Team
Phenice Zawatsky, LICSW, Director of the Charlestown Coalition
Contact number: 617-726-0058 9:00am to 5:00pm
After Hours Trauma Hotline: 617-643-0449
Charlestowncoalition.org
• Boston Trauma Response Team
Support Line (24 hours / 365 days): 617-431-0125
• If you or a loved one are experiencing a crisis, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Hotline anytime at 988 for support. This resource is available 24/7.
• Walk-in behavioral health evaluations are available through the local Community Behavioral Health Center North Suffolk Community Services located at 14 Porter St in East Boston. They are open 8am-8pm Monday-Friday and 9am-5pm Saturday & Sunday. Please bring your health insurance information when you attend, as this will be requested up front.
• The Mobile Crisis Team is a team of clinicians who are available 24/7 and can provide urgent behavioral health evaluations at home, at school, or in the community. The local Mobile Crisis Team is operated out of the Community Behavioral Health Center North Suffolk Community Services in East Boston. They can be contacted at 888-309-1989.
• The Behavioral Health Help Line is a statewide program that you can contact today for assistance with connecting to behavioral health supports. They are available 24/7. You can contact them at 833-773-2445 and request to speak with a resource specialist.
• The Trevor Project offers crisis support to anyone identifying as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. They are available 24/7 and can be called at 1-866-488-7386 or you can text them at 678-678.
• The Child Mind Institute offers resources for caregivers, educators, and youth. On their website, under the “Education” tab, you can find resources for checking symptoms, guides for caregivers, and articles about youth mental health. You can visit their website at childmind.org.
• If you are a caregiver of a young person and are experiencing stress related to caregiving, you can contact the Parental Stress Line at 1-800-632-8188. This is staffed by volunteer clinicians who are available 24/7.
Sources used to write this article:
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
Boston Public Health Commission, Health of Boston 2024: The Mental Health Report (Boston, Massachusetts 2024
CDC. (2024, July 8). 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS). https://www.cdc.gov/yrbs/results/2021-yrbs-results.html
Harvard Graduate School of Education. (2023, August 2). The Critical Link Between Parent and Teen Mental Health. https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/23/08/understanding-relationship-between-parent-and-teen-mental-health
Lieneman, C. C., Brabson, L. A., Highlander, A., Wallace, N. M., & McNeil, C. B. (2017). Parent-Child Interaction Therapy: current perspectives. Psychology research and behavior management, 10, 239–256. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S91200
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2021). Youth Mental Health. (2021). https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/youth-mental-health/index.html.