CHI Health sees mental health crisis with kids and teens

Across the CHI Health system, there's an enormous surge in patients who are 18 and under asking for help.

HEALTH PROFESSIONALKIDS AND TEENS ARE IN AMENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.AND TODAY... C-H-I HEAHLTTOLD US THEY’RE SEEING A BIGSPIKE IN ANXIETY AMOUNG YOUNGERKIDS.BEHAVIORAL HEALTHAPPOINTMENTS AND CRISIS CALLLINES HAVE SIGNIFICANTLYINCREASED SO MUCH RECENTLY...THE HOSPITAL IS TRYING TO MAKEPARENTS AWARE OF TRIGGERS...SIGNS... AND WHAT HELP IS OUTTHERE.3 NEWS NOW REPORTERISABELLA BASCO SHOWS US "WHY"THAT IS... AND WHAT CAN BE DONABOUT IT."DURING THE PANDEMIC AOTF LFOLKS WERE QUARANTINED, THEREWAS A LOT OF REMOTE LEARNINGHAPPENING FOR STUDENTS, SOTELEHEALTH REALLY GAVE ACCESSSTUDENTS."THERE’S AN ENORMOUS SURGINEPATIENTS 18 AND UNDER ASKING FORHELP.

IN THE CHI HEALTHSYSTEM... BEHAVIORAL HEALTHAPPOINTMENTS FOR KIDS AND TEENSARE UP NEARLY 25 PERCENT... ANDCALLS INTO THEIR CRISIS LINE AREUP 70 PERCENT."IN ADDITION TO PART OF THATQUARANTINING AND REMEOTLEARNING, PERSONS WERE SOCIALLYISOLATED AND SOCIAL ISOLATIONCAN LEAD TO DEPRESSIONND AANXIETY."ISABELLA STANDUP: MENTAL HEALTHEXPERTS SAY INCREASED SCREENTIME AND SOCIAL MEDIA USE AREREASONS FOR THE SPIKE IN ANXIETYSEEN IN KIDS AND TEENS."THERE’S S’CIAL PRESSURES AROUND, ITTRYING TO FIT IN, BULLYING,THOSE TYPES OF THINGS AND YOUNGPEOPLE ARE TRYING TO LEARN HOWTO MANAGE IT.

AS ADULTS, WE HAVEMORE LIFE EXPERIENCE TO KNOWOW HTO SET BOUNDARIES."DR. ZACHARY KELLER - APSYCHIATRIST - SAYS PARENTS NEEDTO MAINTAIN CONSISTENTCOMMUNICATION WITH THEIR KIDS."IF YOU NOTICE YOUR KID ISOT NACTING LIKE THEMSELVES AND EVENIF YOU TRY TO PRY AND THEYRE ALIKE: OH IT’S FINE, THEN ITWOULD JUST CONTINUE TO TRY ANDPAINT THE NARRATIVE, YOU NEED TOCONTINUE TO TRY AND PRESS IT.

ORMAKE SURE THEY HAVE ENOUGHSUPPORT IN TERMS OF THERAPISTS,SCHOOL COUNSELORS, FRIENDS OROTHER ADULT RELATIONSHIPS THEYMIGHT BE MORE OPEN TO."ULTIMATELY - KELLER SAYS -FOCUSING OTHN E MISSION - ANDNOT THE GOAL - IS IMPORTANTOTMAINTAINING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH."WTHHEER IT COMES OMFRSELF-CARE, MEDICATIONS, THERAPY,MAINTAING ALHETHY BOUNDARIES,REMOVING TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS,ETC.

THAT’S REALLY ALL YOU CANDO."IN OMAHA... ISABELLA BASCO...3NEWS N.OWC-H-I HEALTH UNVEILED ADIGITAL VERSION OF THEIRMAGAZINE CALLED "BETTER YOU:HEALTHY MINDS."IT OFFERS ADVICE TO PARENTSAND EDUCATORS... WE HAVE A COPYOF IT ON OUR WEBSITE.SO WHY IS THIS A BIG DEAL?AND DOES IT IMPACT YOURFAMILY?LET’TAS KE A DEEPER LOOK.KIDS AND TEENS DEALING WITHPOOR MENTAL HEALTH MAY STRUGGLEWITH SCHOOL, DECISION MAKING,AND THEIR HEALTH.ACCORDING TO THE C-D-C...MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS OFTEN GOHAND-IN-HAND WITH OTHER HEALTHAND BEHAVIORAL RISKS LIKEINCREASED RISK OF DRUG USE,EXPERIENCING VIOLENCE, ANDHIGHER RISK SEXUAL BEHAVIO.RS***BECAUSE MANY HEALTH BEHAVIORSAND HABITS ARE ESTABLISHED INADOLESCENCE THAT CAN CARRY OVERINTO ADULT YEARS, IT IS RYVEIMPORTANT TO HELP YOUNGER PELEOPDEVELOP GOOD MENTAL HEALTH.THERE *IS* GOOD NEWSTHOU.GHESPECIALLY AFTER THE LASTYEAR... WE HAVE SEEN JUST WHORESILIENT TEENS ARE.FORTUNATELY, T SHEAMEPREVENTION STRATEGIES THATPROMOTE MEALNT HEALTH.... LIKEHELPING STUDENTS FEEL CONNECTEDTO SCHOOL OR FAMILY.... ALSOPREVENT A RANGE OF NEGATIVEEXPERIENCES, LIKE DRUG USEND AVIOLEN.CEIT’S IMPORTANT TO BUILDSTRONG BONDS AND RELATIONSHIPSWITH ADULTS AND FRIENDS ATSCHOOL, AT HOME AND TINHECOMMUNITY.*CONNECTEDNESS HELPS TEENS