For Mental Health Awareness Month, NBC4 is proud to again partner with Nationwide Children’s Hospital for the “On Our Sleeves” campaign — which fights the stigma of mental illness.

Every Monday in May, their experts will talk live on NBC4i.com and the NBC4 News app at 6 p.m. — answering your questions about how to help your kids improve their mental health. If you have a question, email it to us now at wcmhmentalhealth@wcmh.com.

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Prevalence of mental illness among youth:

  • 1 in 5 teens in the U.S. has had a mental health disorder that caused severe impairment in their ability to function.
  • Suicide is the second leading cause of death in youth ages 10 – 19 years.
  • The rate of youth suicide has increased by 58 percent in the past decade.
  • Mental health disorders are the leading cause of disability in adolescents.

Signs my child may be struggling with mental health and need therapy:

If you are in an emergency, life-threatening situation, call 9-1-1 or go to an emergency department.
  • Anger outbursts, crying more easily
  • School performance, like a sudden drop in grades, or trouble concentrating
  • Thinking negatively about themselves
  • Withdrawing from friends
  • Losing interest in things they used to love
  • More obvious signs:
    • Use of drugs and alcohol
    • Talk of suicide

What should parents do?

  • Talk with your child about mental health. If we are open about it, they will generally follow. 
  • Stay informed. The On Our Sleeves website has a lot of information for caregivers on various mental health topics. 
  • The more you know as a parent or caregiver, the better support you can offer your child.

Resources:

If someone you care about is in an emergency, life-threatening situation, call 9-1-1 or go to an emergency department. For crisis situations that are not life-threatening, please call your county’s psychiatric crisis line number. In Franklin County, call (614) 722-1800 for youth and adolescents 17 and under. Ages 18 and older should call (614) 276-2273. If someone you care about is having thoughts of suicide or needs to talk, encourage them to contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. If you prefer to text, you can text “START” to 741-741 where a live, trained specialist will respond back to you.

CLICK HERE for more on the signs your child might need therapy.

This content, in partnership with NBC4, is sponsored by Nationwide Children’s Hospital