Participants: Stephen Campbell
Series Code: WM
Program Code: WM000378
|
00:36 Hello, and welcome to "Wonderfully Made"
00:39 Our topic today is 00:41 "Crisis Intervention for Teens and Young Adults" 00:45 My name is Dr. Stephen Campbell 00:48 and I will be your host for this program today 00:51 This program is very important for parents, teachers, 00:57 and those who work with young adults 01:00 We know that our world is in a state of crisis 01:03 and our children and young adults are also experiencing 01:07 a lot of stress that is forcing them to look at 01:11 many different alternatives for coping. 01:15 You would recall that 3% of 01:20 children between the ages of 14 to 24 have tried suicide 01:29 at some point in their lives. 01:32 It is one of the highest suicide rates in the country 01:36 As a matter of fact, it is the 3rd leading cause of 01:40 death for adolescents. 01:43 Over 700,000 students or children, attempt suicide 01:49 and unfortunately, about 5,000 end up losing their lives 01:55 in the United States alone. 01:58 Most parents are not aware of the emotional hurdles that 02:05 their children go through. 02:07 Most parents are more concerned with being parents 02:11 which, in and of itself, is a very difficult role to take 02:15 and may not understand the changes that 02:18 the adolescent goes through 02:20 As the result of that, many of them miss very subtle clues 02:24 that their children may be experiencing emotional stress 02:30 Children, at present, in our society... 02:34 they are bombarded with so much material from the media, 02:37 from their friends, and also from their communities 02:44 And since adolescence is one of the most difficult 02:46 periods in life, these children are exposed to 02:50 an awful lot of stress 02:53 That period of adolescence which is known as the period of 02:56 "stress and storm" is one in which the child 03:00 goes through many psychological changes 03:04 They are confused at times 03:06 They feel overwhelmed with the stress to achieve 03:10 Sometimes these pressures come from parents, 03:13 and other environmental factors, 03:16 and many times, they end up getting depressed because of 03:20 the inability to cope 03:23 When that happens, the child may feel that suicide may be a 03:27 solution to their problem... 03:30 And this is why this topic is very important for parents, 03:32 teachers, and also those who are caretakers 03:37 If you think about the role and responsibility of parents, 03:42 it is very easy to take care of the colds and the fevers, 03:47 and also the different aches and pains that the children 03:51 experience every day... 03:53 and most parents feel comfortable in that role 03:57 However, when the child starts to experience emotional crisis, 04:02 most parents are not ready and able to handle those 04:07 It behooves them, however, to make sure that they get 04:12 professional help when they feel that it is out of their control 04:18 Depression is a major issue with adolescents 04:21 and many times, those symptoms are ruled out as being 04:28 unimportant because most adolescents have a lot of 04:32 mood swings... 04:33 They tend to have more conflicts with their parents 04:36 and so parents can ignore subtle signs that they may be 04:41 struggling with an emotional crisis 04:45 It is crucial that those of you who are viewing 04:50 keep in mind the many children who may be at risk 04:57 in your communities, and also in your countries 05:02 For example, American Indians and Alaskan natives 05:11 have the highest suicide rate between the ages of 15-24 05:17 in the United States. 05:23 Taken into consideration the fact that boys are 4 times more 05:27 likely to commit suicide than girls, 05:29 it behooves us that we should pay strict attention 05:34 to many of these teens and young adults 05:38 with the hope that we can prevent them from 05:40 taking their lives. 05:43 There are many risk factors associated with suicide, 05:48 and I would like to spend a few minutes talking to you 05:51 about these risk factors... 06:48 As you can see, these factors are very important 06:54 for parents to be aware of... 07:00 especially when it comes to loneliness. 07:03 A lot of teens depend on their friends for emotional support 07:11 And when they're ostracized from their friends, 07:15 in school, in their neighborhoods, 07:18 or even among family members, 07:20 it does cause them to feel depressed at times. 07:25 Psychopathology in terms of mental illness that a 07:30 person may have is also a risk factor... 07:33 However, suffering with a mental depression, 07:38 or having a mood disorder, is much more significant for teens 07:45 ...since most of the time teens will experience 07:48 feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, worthlessness, 07:52 and these can also lead them to become more 07:57 at risk for committing suicide. 08:00 Let us look at some more factors... 08:20 These are also crucial in terms of presenting 08:25 as risk factors for teenagers. 08:32 Substance abuse is a significant factor because 08:36 this is the age where most teens tend to experiment 08:41 with drugs and alcohol. 08:43 Once the teen tries any of these, their judgment 08:48 becomes impaired. 08:51 They may become more impulsive, 08:53 and as a result, may make bad decisions 08:56 which puts them at risk. 08:58 Physical and sexual abuse is also another crucial factor 09:04 Most individuals who have been physically or sexually abused, 09:09 end up feeling somewhat worthless about themselves... 09:13 And feelings of worthlessness is definitely a risk factor. 09:17 Also, bullying and harassment must be taken seriously 09:24 when we start looking at risk factors for teens. 09:30 Many times teenagers are afraid to go to school because of the 09:36 pain and suffering they experience from having 09:38 to deal with bullies in their classes. 09:42 Let us look at some of the other factors at this point... 10:20 These are crucial risk factors because if the child is unable 10:26 to deal with these, they're certainly going to be at 10:29 additional risk. 10:32 Having to be in an environment where they are unable 10:37 to feel a sense of family... with parents and other siblings 10:43 is certainly a major risk factor. 10:46 Many times, teens who find themselves in these situations 10:52 feel rejected and abandoned and usually turn to others 10:58 for some sort of comfort. 11:01 This is a crucial point in terms of getting involved 11:06 with gang activities, and other types of 11:09 self-destructive behavior. 11:12 I want you to keep in mind that all of these risk factors 11:17 do not necessarily mean that teens and young adults 11:22 who have these will commit suicide. 11:25 It all depends on how the child deals with these factors 11:31 will determine if they're at risk. 11:35 There are also a number of protective factors 11:38 that have been shown to prevent teens and young adults 11:43 from committing suicide, and I would like us to spend 11:47 a few minutes looking at some of these protective factors 11:50 that have been substantiated with literature, 11:53 and the field in general... 12:21 Let us spend a few minutes talking about these first 12:23 protective factors. 12:26 It is so important for children to feel as though they're 12:31 part of the family, and there's a certain amount of 12:33 connection between siblings, between parents, 12:36 and a sense of connectedness. 12:40 Also, if the child feels as though they are experiencing 12:48 a certain amount of warmth, and caring from their loved ones 12:52 and that there's enough culture and religious beliefs 12:56 built into their life... 12:58 These are the types of things that will prevent them 13:01 from looking at suicide as an alternative. 13:05 Let us spend some more time looking at the next set of 13:09 factors that are considered protective as we continue 13:12 to talk about this topic... 13:39 Let us spend some time clarifying this particular issue 13:42 The ability to resolve conflicts in a positive way 13:47 is very crucial as a protective factor. 13:51 The child who is able to see a problem... 13:55 look at it objectively, look at the alternatives, 13:59 and come with a positive result, 14:01 will always be able to look at life in a meaningful way 14:05 and make good decisions. 14:07 The child who also has social skills, and feels as though 14:11 they can interact with people in a reasonable way 14:14 and that they can be communicative with others 14:17 also will be able to handle stress a lot better. 14:22 There are some additional protective factors that 14:25 we'd like to talk about at this time... 14:50 As you can see, being responsible for others 14:54 or pets, would give the person's life additional meaning 15:00 and as a result of that, they would put others 15:04 in front of themselves at times, 15:06 and that becomes a protective factor. 15:09 It is also important to be able to seek help when 15:14 one is in trouble. 15:16 Not everyone may have access to treatment, 15:19 or can afford to pay for these kinds of 15:22 mental health services. 15:24 However, if services are available, and the parents 15:30 and the child can reach out and get these services, 15:33 it certainly will protect them from taking the drastic 15:37 means as far as having suicide ideation... 15:41 which would be seen as a negative way of coping. 15:44 There are also a number of warning signs and symptoms 15:49 that parents and others must take seriously. 15:53 Let's look at some of these signs and symptoms at this time 16:21 Let us talk about these for a few minutes... 16:26 Once the child starts to withdraw from family, friends, 16:31 and activities that are pleasurable, 16:34 it is obvious that something is going on 16:38 that is causing them to withdraw from life 16:40 because life may not be meaningful at that time. 16:44 This certainly can result in their eating habits changing, 16:49 and their sleeping habits changing... 16:51 It may also result in the child being neglectful 16:55 as far as their appearance is concerned. 16:58 As you know, most teenagers are really obsessed with beauty 17:01 and when they start coming to you disheveled, and unkempt, 17:06 that certainly is a warning sign that things are not 17:09 going very well. 17:11 Let's continue to look at that list of warning signs... 17:37 There are some additional ones that we can see at this time 17:41 that are also important that we should take into consideration.. 18:01 Let's talk about these for a while... 18:05 Once the child starts to give you clues that life 18:11 is no longer exciting... 18:14 that friends are no longer exciting... 18:17 and they start feeling as though life is not worth it... 18:23 these are true signals that the child is having 18:27 some suicide ideation. 18:30 As we look at the next set of risk factors, and warning signs, 18:35 what you're going to see is an increment in terms of 18:39 danger signals that I think we all need to be aware of 18:43 once they are presented... 18:44 Let's look at some of these... 19:25 Let's elaborate on this for a minute... 19:29 When a child starts giving away important belongings, 19:34 and cleaning their rooms, and making sure everything is 19:38 placed in order, it is obvious 19:42 that they're planning something serious... 19:45 And once these types of signs are presented, 19:49 parents and adults who work with teens, 19:53 need to take these very seriously. 19:56 As a matter of fact, it is as though they're making 19:59 preparation for their last events. 20:03 Let's look at some more warning signs... 20:26 Let's talk about these for a moment... 20:31 When a child starts to talk about going away, 20:40 saying goodbye, it is obvious 20:45 that they're not planning to be around... 20:49 And this is definitely a clue for parents to intervene... 20:55 also getting professional help if needed. 21:01 Now once a child starts making these types of remarks, 21:05 we should always take them seriously. 21:09 There is a tendency to believe that children will act out 21:13 to get attention. 21:15 But these signs and symptoms that we just discussed are truly 21:20 the kind of symptoms that we must pay attention to 21:23 if we are going to saves lives. 21:25 Now you may be wondering how can I help a child who 21:28 is experiencing this crisis, especially if you're not 21:32 a professional. 21:33 Well the first thing you have to do... 21:36 is to find a quiet place where there is no distraction 21:41 and that you can sit and talk with that child 21:44 to find out exactly what they're experiencing as far as their 21:48 thoughts and feelings are concerned. 21:50 If they should express to you that they are depressed 21:55 and they're thinking of suicide, 21:56 then you need to make sure you listen carefully 22:02 try and not to panic, 22:04 listen to what they have to say 22:07 and not to be judgmental. 22:10 Sometimes people feel that they have to tell children 22:16 that they should not feel that way... 22:18 They may even use guilt trips by saying... 22:22 "How can you do such a terrible thing like this to your parents" 22:26 We have to avoid making statements like that. 22:30 We HAVE to make sure that we give the signals to the child 22:34 that we really care about them 22:37 and that we want them to get through this crisis 22:40 in a positive way. 22:43 You should AVOID trying to minimize or maximize 22:48 the child's problem. 22:51 You want to avoid trying to make promises 22:55 that you cannot upheld. 22:59 You'll want to make sure that you let the child know 23:04 that you are going to do the best you can, 23:06 but that you cannot do things that are out of your powers. 23:15 Try and be in control... 23:17 The more control that you have, 23:20 the more secure the child would feel in talking about 23:24 their feelings. 23:26 Encourage the child to talk about their feelings because 23:28 it is CRUCIAL that you know exactly what they are thinking 23:34 and what action they may take because of the 23:37 feelings that they have. 23:40 It is very important that you spend some time 23:44 assessing lethality... 23:47 Sometimes the child may have a plan, and it's not imminent... 23:52 And at other times, when the plan is imminent, 23:55 an action must be taken immediately. 23:59 Do not try to tell a child how to feel... 24:03 Feelings are private. 24:05 We should also try and avoid telling the child that he or she 24:12 would be okay not knowing exactly 24:15 what they are going through. 24:18 If, when talking to the child, you realize that things are 24:21 out of control, you want to make sure that the child is safe 24:26 You may have to get help professionally, 24:30 or you may have to make sure that steps are taken 24:34 to prevent a child from hurting his or herself. 24:38 As you can see, most of the things that we have discussed 24:41 so far, are things that mostly a person is not aware of... 24:49 The warning signs that we see in teenagers are very subtle 24:53 at times, and most will miss them 24:57 But the ones that are more serious, are quite obvious 25:02 and attention should be paid to make sure 25:04 that we heed these warnings. 25:07 In summary, I'd like to re-cap what we talked about today 25:10 because this is a very, very important topic. 25:13 As I mentioned, parents should be aware of these things 25:16 as well as caretakers. 25:19 Always take statements about suicide seriously. 25:25 Do not assume that a child is doing or saying things 25:29 for attention. 25:31 You have to be able to differentiate the difference 25:34 between the period of stress and storm that 25:37 most adolescents go through 25:39 where there are moments of depression, conflicts, anxiety, 25:44 and fights between parents and children 25:48 and what we consider a serious emotional lapse where 25:54 the person starts to think about suicide. 25:58 If parents and loved ones are unable to differentiate 26:01 a difference between those 2, 26:03 they certainly should seek professional help. 26:07 Keep in mind that parents are not always able to see 26:12 the warning signs that their teens may present. 26:15 So loved ones and friends need to make sure that they 26:20 keep close tabs on the young ones to make sure that 26:24 someone is watching what's taking place. 26:28 It is also important to remember that the 26:31 positive factors are there to prevent children from 26:35 hurting themselves... 26:37 Making sure that there is warmth and connectedness 26:39 in the family... 26:41 Making sure that they are spiritually and culturally 26:44 enriched. 26:46 Making sure that they have good friends that they can 26:49 spend time with, and feel a sense of togetherness 26:53 and prevent them from feeling isolated, and being left out. 26:58 Loneliness is a big factor for children as well. 27:02 We are all social beings, and need to be able to enjoy 27:05 each other's company... 27:07 so that if a child is totally withdrawn, 27:10 keeps making statements about not having friends, 27:13 we should do whatever we can to make sure 27:17 we help these children get the social enrichment 27:20 that they need. 27:22 In closing, I want parents and loved ones to pay 27:26 strict attention to their teens because the period of 27:30 stress and storm which is adolescence, is something 27:35 that most of us seems to miss in terms of 27:39 human growth and development. 27:42 We all love our children. 27:43 We want to see them do well... 27:45 And we have to make sure that we keep a very close eye 27:49 on what they do, how they do it, 27:52 and when they do it. 27:54 I encourage you to work with your teens, 27:58 work with your loved ones, 28:00 keep in touch with their friends... 28:02 Make sure that too much pressure is spent on them 28:06 that they can achieve their goals without too much pain 28:10 and suffering... 28:12 And I thank you for listening. God bless you! |
Revised 2014-12-17