Utah mom begs parents to talk to teenagers about mental health

SALT LAKE CITY – It is no secret that the pandemic has affected our mental health. But how is this impact for children?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the number of children and adolescents seeking help for anxiety and depression is increasing across the country. The study found that visits to the emergency room related to mental health increased by 31% last year.

The Vega family said their 14-year-old daughter is now part of this suicide attempt statistic two weeks ago.

Family in crisis

“If someone you love tries to take their own life, you feel like a failure. And he questions everything he did. Like, ‘Did I do too much? Haven’t I done enough? ‘ And it’s scary to be open about it, “said mother Brandy Vega.

The family said that when they noticed a change in their daughter’s personality, they attributed it to “becoming a teenager”.

“She was so fun and outgoing and just cute and creative. You know, in the past two years, she has become more introverted,” said Vega.

Two years ago, they realized that these changes in behavior were not just part of her growth when, at the age of 12, she attempted suicide for the first time.

“It was a total shock. I mean, she is 12 years old,” said Vega. “It was just a complete shock.”

The family got help and the daughter started therapy. Her older sister, Adia Vega, even took her on weekly dates with sisters.

“We just talked and she told me about the school and her friends and I thought it was getting better,” she said.

It seemed to be working. Then the pandemic broke out and the family said it affected the teen’s mental health.

“It was painful for her because she needs to be close to people. She doesn’t learn well online,” said Brandy Vega. “She’s like, ‘I need to go to school, I need to have this.'”

Vega said that being left behind at school was incredibly difficult for his daughter and, at the end of February, his 14-year-old son was in crisis again.

That night, they took her to the hospital. Their last battle is to get follow-up treatment, which they have learned to be difficult to get.

“The mental health crisis for teenagers and young people is on the rise. You cannot put them in a counselor. They are not accepting new patients. They are all overwhelmed. The treatment facilities are overwhelmed,” said Vega.

National image of adolescent mental health

The Vega family is not alone. The CDC found that children aged 5 to 11 who sought mental health care in ERs in 2020 increased by 24% compared to 2019. For children aged 12 to 17 years, these visits increased by 31%.

Utah saw a similar increase in the use of mental health resources. Fortunately, this did not translate into an increase in the number of suicides.

“During the pandemic, our teenager [suicide] the numbers have not increased, “said Michael Staley, coordinator of suicide research at the Utah Medical Examiner’s Office.

Last year’s figures are not complete, but during the first nine months of 2020, there were 28 suicides in Utahns aged 10 to 17 years. Staley said that number is probably on track to match what the state has seen in the past three years for this age group: 42 in 2017 and 40 in 2018 and 2019.

“Utahns seem quite resilient at least so far. We are still in the middle of the pandemic, but utahns have overcome this and our number of suicides has not increased,” he said.

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Don’t be afraid to have this conversation.

–Michael Staley, Suicide Research Coordinator, Utah Medical Examiner’s Office

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Calls to the Suicide Prevention CrisisLine in Utah increased over the first 10 months of 2020.

“It is difficult to know whether this increase was due to the pandemic or if it is part of the regular growth,” said Staley.

Regardless, Staley said that now is the time to talk to our teenagers about suicide, although it may seem like a difficult conversation.

“Don’t be afraid to have this conversation. You can always ask the question, ‘Are you thinking about suicide? Do you think you might want to end your own life? Are you going to kill yourself?’ Asking the question doesn’t plant an idea, you won’t present something they don’t know, “he said.

Have the courage to have difficult conversations

Having these difficult conversations is what the Vega family is pressing others to do after their own experience.

“Sometimes children want us to ask them difficult questions. They don’t want to come and tell us, but they are willing to be honest if we ask, ”said Vega.

They hope that as they share their story, others will realize that they are not alone and that there are steps you can take now to help your children.

“It is our job as parents to protect our children. And this is one of the biggest threats they face, ”said Vega. “If you are not willing to have this conversation, you may not have an opportunity.”

Vega’s daughter is currently in an inpatient unit receiving care.

If you or a loved one is struggling, help is available. The Utah Department of Health points to three mental health resources:

• The Suicide Prevention CrisisLine: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
• The free Safe UT app
• www.liveonutah.org, where parents can find step-by-step instructions on how to start the conversation with their children

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