FEBRUARY 2023

FAMILY TIME
The Youth Mental Health Crisis: Today’s 800-Lb Gorilla
BY VALENE AYAR
In 1977, the medical community
abandoned the biomedical model
used in healthcare since its genesis
for a more comprehensive one
which better encapsulates the picture
of health—the biopsychosocial model.
Over the last half-century, countless
studies have proven that overall
health is dictated by more than just biology.
As the name “biopsychosocial”
suggests, our psychology and social
lives factor in just as much.
While we understand this on a theoretical
level, we seem to forget it on a
practical one. In our everyday lives, we
still seem to discount the importance of
mental health to our overall well-being.
There is a great deal of stigma surrounding
the topic of mental health
and because of that, it is often unaddressed.
This has had repercussions
on our collective well-being as mental
health issues only seem to be trending
upward at an astronomical rate. Especially
affected are the under-25 crowd.
What is mental health?
Before we can discuss how to promote
good mental health, we first need to
define it.
The Center for Disease Control
(CDC) defines mental health as “our
emotional, psychological and social
well-being.”
Mental health dictates every sphere
of our daily lives and seriously affects
our futures. From our ability to learn
new things, our school/work performance,
relationships, self-esteem,
physical health, personal hygiene, and
overall sense of well-being, there is not
a single aspect of our existence that is
not affected by our mental health.
Unfortunately, though, it is often
neglected and pushed to the bottom
of our list of priorities when, in fact, it
should be at the very top. This is particularly
true of our younger generation.
The Surgeon General’s advisory
In December 2021, the US Surgeon
General released an advisory entitled
Protecting Youth Mental Health. It is
worth noting that the Surgeon General
only releases these advisories in
the direst of circumstances and health
crises, ones that require immediate
awareness and intervention.
Mental health issues among today’s
youth have been described as the new
public health concern. In the last 30
years, we have moved from the dangers
of drunk driving, teen pregnancy, and
smoking to serious mental health issues.
Among those issues, self-harm and suicide
rates are extremely prevalent.
The CDC reports that suicide rates
are on the rise nationwide after almost
2 years of decline. Reports say there has
been a sharp increase in ER visits since
2019 for patients between 10 to 24 years
of age being treated for anxiety, mood
disorders, and self-harm. According to
those same sources, suicide rates have
risen by a staggering 60 percent since
2018 among that same age group.
While this information is not very
uplifting, it needs to be addressed
to drive home the severity of the epidemic
we are facing. And it only seems
to be getting worse. Because this is an
issue many do not like to discuss, it requires
some cold, hard truths to garner
the attention and gravitas it deserves.
It’s not all doom and gloom,
though. I come offering solutions to
combat this issue.
An ounce of prevention
It is universally understood that when
it comes to physical ailments, preventing
disease through good choices and
a healthy lifestyle is far better than
treating it after its onset.
It is no different with mental health.
While there are genetic components
connected to several mental illnesses,
there are far greater environmental
ones at play. Simply having a
predisposition to mental illness does
not automatically lead to a diagnosis.
Often, this “nature” component can remain
completely dormant in a person
throughout their entire life, provided
there is a good “nurture” component
to offset it. That’s where you come in.
Prepare U
There are many resources online
which give invaluable information
and guidance for parents looking to
promote good mental health practices.
One resource rises above others.
The Prepare U Mental Health Curriculum,
created by leading experts in
mental healthcare, technology, and
research, is a breakthrough in mental
health and SEL education. Strongly supported
by leaders of both the Canadian
Psychological Association and American
Psychological Association, Prepare
U began locally in Michigan, and
has been successfully implemented in
school districts across North America.
This nationally recognized program
is the first-ever evidence-supported
experiential mental health
course deployed in schools and delivered
by everyday educators. They are
saving lives and reducing the effects of
trauma, anxiety, and stress while igniting
sparks of personal growth, family
health, and community engagement.
Through its programs for schools,
communities, and families, Prepare
U’s multi-faceted approach to delivering
mental health education and
resources is unprecedented. They are
arming adolescents and their support
systems with the tools necessary to
combat everyday challenges including
addiction, the effects of social media,
and interpersonal relationships
through learning self-care, boundary
setting, and emotional growth.
One of the programs Prepare U offers,
“The Home Edition,” is designed
as a self-paced course to provide
structure and help facilitate difficult
conversations around mental health
between adolescents and their loved
ones. Packed with a library of resources
and a “self-care zone,” it has been
utilized by families and communities
who feel safer in the comfort of their
own home to make breakthroughs in
their life and relationships.
Empowering our youth
This latest epidemic is not what many of
us grew up with; that is to be expected.
Every generation has its own climate
and issues of the day. To ignore this fact
of life spells doom for our current families
and for future generations.
Ignoring these issues will not make
them go away. In fact, ignorance will
only exacerbate them. We need to
educate ourselves on these matters
because with great knowledge comes
great power. And in this unpredictable
world we are living in, we can use all
the power we can possibly get.
Valene Ayar is a freelance writer
and can be contacted at valene@
thewritingwarrior.com. More
information on Prepare U can be
accessed at prepareu.live. Editor’s
Note: Kevin’s Song, Michigan’s largest
conference on suicide prevention and
awareness, is celebrating its tenth year.
More information may be found at
kevinssong.org.
30 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2023