'It affects everything': Mental health professionals in Racine County discuss stigmas, strategies on teen mental illness

 

RACINE COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- In Wisconsin, one in 10 teenagers attempted suicide over the last three years and 16% of children ages 12 to 18 are depressed.

That's according to an annual report from the state's Office of Children's Mental Health.

On Sunday, Feb. 4, dozens gathered inside of the North Pointe United Methodist Church in Racine County for a 90-minute presentation discussing children and teenager's mental health and the stigmas surrounding it.

"When you're dealing with mental illness, the more people who know what they're doing that you have on your team, the better," said Sheri Hess, the outreach coordinator for the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Racine County (NAMI). 

NAMI organizers who helped lead the presentation said suicide is the second-leading cause of death for kids in middle or high school.

“Getting in there and really tackling that issue when they’re young and throughout their education is so important because mental health and your mental well-being affects everything in your life," Hess said.

And she's speaking from her own experience, after getting diagnosed with Bipolar II disorder. 

“Had I known earlier in life that I had that, I could recognize these symptoms, I would’ve gotten help earlier and I could’ve been where I am now, earlier," Hess said.

Warning signs to look for include sleep disturbances like too much or too little and failure to perform at school or work.

“People tend to believe that if you live with a mental illness that you are not capable of living a successful life," said NAMI Advocacy Coordinator Carlos Frick. “Just because you live with a mental illness doesn’t mean that you cannot be mentally healthy,"

He added that he hopes those in need will know they "don't have to be alone."

"Seek help if you need it. There’s always somebody with an open hand willing to help you," Frick said. 

For therapist Kristine Jacobs, the number one thing she hears from teenage patients is "they just want somebody to talk to."

“To be able nowadays to have things going on in one’s experience, to have psychological processes happen and to be able to talk about it? That alone is just reassuring," Jacobs said. “Each time we can just gain more knowledge and information about something then we are going to respond a little differently when we have that foundational knowledge.”

If someone you know is showing warning signs, experts said you need to take action immediately. 

That can include reaching out to trusted doctors or mental health professionals. In emergency cases, always call 911.

You can also dial 988, the country's 24/7 free and confidential suicide and crisis hotline. 

For more information on NAMI Racine County's future presentations and events, click here.