KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mental health for many has been a struggle during the pandemic, and it's no different for teens and children.
“The issue is really real. There are people who are struggling so much that they feel the need to take their own life,” said Anna Hamilton, a teen council member with Zero Reasons Why.
Hamilton said that mental health is a real, and serious issue among children and teens across the country and even here in the local community.
“After the pandemic hit and coming back to school and seeing how much everyone is really affected by it, and the overall decline in mental health that was surrounding me,” Hamilton said.
The high school senior is not the only one seeing the recent trend firsthand.
The American Academy of Pediatrics put out a declaration stating the mental health of children and teens in America is a national emergency.
According to the President of the Missouri chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics Dr. Kristin Sohl, the numbers that led to the recent declaration showed that the pandemic was a key component.
“We know that there has been a 51% increase in children seeking mental health support since the pandemic started. That’s an increase over where we were already in 2019,” Sohl said.
Sohl said specifically that death during the pandemic, along with anxiety and isolation, is a huge factor.
“We are seeing a record number of caregivers dying, so we’ve had 140,000 children in our country lose a primary or secondary parent or grandparent or someone in those types of roles,” Sohl said. “Children are being admitted in record numbers for suicidal thoughts, for self-harm, for things that we don't want to see.”
However, it’s something that Hamilton has seen and is working to combat with the teen-led organization Zero Reasons Why in Johnson County and other parts of the Kansas City area.
“I was really seeing the most that people were just exhausted. It was like the effects of the pandemic were enough for them to handle and then having the stress from school on them just made everyone really tired, a lot of cases of depression and suicidal ideation," Hamilton said.“With the pandemic, there was a lot of depression, people felt so isolated sitting in their rooms by themselves all day doing school, and then there is a lot of increased anxiety."
That increased anxiety in children is taking a toll on teachers in the classroom.
“Teachers are seeing a lot of acting out in our younger grades. We have students who are not able to regulate their emotions and they get excited in the classroom, sometimes to the point where they leave the classroom,” Angie Salava, director for Social Emotional Learning and Mental Health Services for Olathe Public Schools, said. “With our older kids we are seeing more withdrawals, kids who were not withdrawn before are doing that now. They may not be as active in school as they used to be and attendance can be a problem,” Salava said.
Salava and her colleagues are also working to combat the issue with programs geared to reducing the stigma behind mental health.
“We do comprehensive mental health programs that support all students... support for some students who just have a few additional needs, and then intense support for those students who have those," Salava said. "We also have mental health support for students, whether that’s in groups or in an individual capacity, and then we have therapeutic services through our contract therapy for those students who need intensive care."
While many are working to combat the mental health problems in children and teens, Hamilton offers words of comfort from one teen to the next.
“Just because you’re a teenage or you’re younger doesn’t mean your feelings are any less valid,” Hamilton said.
The Missouri chapter for the American Academy of Pediatrics provided some resourcesfor families dealing with mental health issues.
Johnson County also has a mental health crisis line, which people can call for further information or assistance. The 24/7 Crisis Line can be reached at 913-268-0156, and the Customer Care Center can be reached at 913-826-4200
