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Mental health concerns relevant to the youth population
Kids Help Phone serves.

Everybody has their ups and downs in life. But a person is described as experiencing mental health problems when, “downs” heavily outweighing the “ups”, it becomes very difficult to carry on everyday life. Young people can experience all sorts of pressures and difficulties, and will respond in different ways. Three types of mental health concerns are particularly relevant to the youth population Kids Help Phone serves, based on the large number of related calls and posts we receive: depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. 

What are some of the concrete actions that can be taken to start building that foundation of safety, and to respond appropriately and helpfully if a young person trusts enough to share their fears? Here are some tips for parents and educators, and tips for the young people who  may be struggling right now.

Depression
Described as “one of the most overlooked and undertreated psychological disorders”, depression in children and adolescents may present itself as an irritable or angry mood, rather than sadness.  Depression affects thoughts and feelings, energy levels, appetite, sleep patterns, and the ability to cope with and enjoy life. 

  • Among adolescents, up to 25% will experience depression at some point in their teenage years 
  • Only 40% of children and adolescents with depression receive any form of treatment
  • Approximately 50% of completed suicides and medically serious suicide attempts in adolescents and young adults are linked to depressive disorders

Anxiety
Anxiety and stress are normal and appropriate responses in many situations.  Anxiety disorders, on the other hand, are characterized by “intense, prolonged feelings of fright and distress for no obvious reason”.  There are many different types of anxiety disorders, including separation anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, specific phobia, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

  • The median age of onset for anxiety disorders is 11 years old  
  • At least one child in every class of 30 children has an anxiety disorder
  • Approximately 14-17% of people will have an anxiety disorder at some point during their life  

Eating disorders
“Eating Disorders” is an umbrella term for a number of specific disorders including Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, as well as Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified, which is a diagnostic category that groups together those eating disorders that do not fully meet all of the criteria defining a diagnosis of anorexia or bulimia. Although a culture of thinness is often implicated in the cause of eating disorders, they are much more about feeling “not good enough”, feeling out of control, feeling guilty, feeling scared to grow up and/or coping with strong feelings such as anger, shame and depression.  Eating disorders will often work to provide relief from these difficult feelings.

  • Onset of eating disorders typically occurs between 13-18 years of age
  • Upwards of 90% of people with an eating disorder are female
  • Eating disorders are the third most common chronic illness in adolescent girls. In a recent study, 27% of Ontario girls 12-18 years old were reported to be engaged in severely problematic food and weight behaviour.

* if you would like to find out where we sourced the statistics listed in this article, please send an email to newsletter@kidshelpphone.ca

Brenda called Kid's Help Phone to vent about her parents. She said they were being unreasonable by not allowing her to meet a boy. The 15-year-old was considering sneaking out anyway. A few questions revealed that the boy was someone she'd "met" on the Internet – and that he'd first said he was 15, but was actually 29. The KHP counselor talked about Brenda's natural curiosity, but also about possible dangers. It didn't take long for Brenda to admit to having "funny feelings" about it. By the end of the call, she'd decided to try to find someone her own age, met the "old-fashioned" way. Mike told us he was traveling fast on the road to nowhere. He wanted to get off drugs and off the streets. The KHP counselor calmed Mike, assessed his needs, and found him a safe shelter. Years later, Mike called again. Now 20, he was back in school, with a steady job and a new life. He was calling to say thanks – not just for what KHP had done, but most of all for listening to him and believing in him. Mike says KHP helped him turn his life around. Today, he spends his spare time helping street youth. Ten-year-old Megan was being sexually and physically abused. Two nights earlier, she'd been placed in a foster home, but didn't feel comfortable talking to her foster parents yet. With gentle prompting, Megan began to tell her story. Her feelings were agonizingly mixed. Despite everything, she missed her mom's bedtime stories and the familiarity of home. It meant a lot to be able to talk about her feelings with someone she could trust. Together, Megan and KHP looked at what Megan could do to make things easier, like getting bedtime stories on tape. She was grateful to be reminded that her foster home would become more familiar each day, and that KHP would be there whenever she needed it in the days ahead. Brenda called Kid's Help Phone to vent about her parents. She said they were being unreasonable by not allowing her to meet a boy. The 15-year-old was considering sneaking out anyway. A few questions revealed that the boy was someone she'd "met" on the Internet – and that he'd first said he was 15, but was actually 29. The KHP counselor talked about Brenda's natural curiosity, but also about possible dangers. It didn't take long for Brenda to admit to having "funny feelings" about it. By the end of the call, she'd decided to try to find someone her own age, met the "old-fashioned" way. Mike told us he was traveling fast on the road to nowhere. He wanted to get off drugs and off the streets. The KHP counselor calmed Mike, assessed his needs, and found him a safe shelter. Years later, Mike called again. Now 20, he was back in school, with a steady job and a new life. He was calling to say thanks – not just for what KHP had done, but most of all for listening to him and believing in him. Mike says KHP helped him turn his life around. Today, he spends his spare time helping street youth. Ten-year-old Megan was being sexually and physically abused. Two nights earlier, she'd been placed in a foster home, but didn't feel comfortable talking to her foster parents yet. With gentle prompting, Megan began to tell her story. Her feelings were agonizingly mixed. Despite everything, she missed her mom's bedtime stories and the familiarity of home. It meant a lot to be able to talk about her feelings with someone she could trust. Together, Megan and KHP looked at what Megan could do to make things easier, like getting bedtime stories on tape. She was grateful to be reminded that her foster home would become more familiar each day, and that KHP would be there whenever she needed it in the days ahead. Brenda called Kid's Help Phone to vent about her parents. She said they were being unreasonable by not allowing her to meet a boy. The 15-year-old was considering sneaking out anyway. A few questions revealed that the boy was someone she'd "met" on the Internet – and that he'd first said he was 15, but was actually 29. The KHP counselor talked about Brenda's natural curiosity, but also about possible dangers. It didn't take long for Brenda to admit to having "funny feelings" about it. By the end of the call, she'd decided to try to find someone her own age, met the "old-fashioned" way. Mike told us he was traveling fast on the road to nowhere. He wanted to get off drugs and off the streets. The KHP counselor calmed Mike, assessed his needs, and found him a safe shelter. Years later, Mike called again. Now 20, he was back in school, with a steady job and a new life. He was calling to say thanks – not just for what KHP had done, but most of all for listening to him and believing in him. Mike says KHP helped him turn his life around. Today, he spends his spare time helping street youth. Ten-year-old Megan was being sexually and physically abused. Two nights earlier, she'd been placed in a foster home, but didn't feel comfortable talking to her foster parents yet. With gentle prompting, Megan began to tell her story. Her feelings were agonizingly mixed. Despite everything, she missed her mom's bedtime stories and the familiarity of home. It meant a lot to be able to talk about her feelings with someone she could trust. Together, Megan and KHP looked at what Megan could do to make things easier, like getting bedtime stories on tape. She was grateful to be reminded that her foster home would become more familiar each day, and that KHP would be there whenever she needed it in the days ahead. Brenda called Kid's Help Phone to vent about her parents. She said they were being unreasonable by not allowing her to meet a boy. The 15-year-old was considering sneaking out anyway. A few questions revealed that the boy was someone she'd "met" on the Internet – and that he'd first said he was 15, but was actually 29. The KHP counselor talked about Brenda's natural curiosity, but also about possible dangers. It didn't take long for Brenda to admit to having "funny feelings" about it. By the end of the call, she'd decided to try to find someone her own age, met the "old-fashioned" way. Mike told us he was traveling fast on the road to nowhere. He wanted to get off drugs and off the streets. The KHP counselor calmed Mike, assessed his needs, and found him a safe shelter. Years later, Mike called again. Now 20, he was back in school, with a steady job and a new life. He was calling to say thanks – not just for what KHP had done, but most of all for listening to him and believing in him. Mike says KHP helped him turn his life around. Today, he spends his spare time helping street youth. Ten-year-old Megan was being sexually and physically abused. Two nights earlier, she'd been placed in a foster home, but didn't feel comfortable talking to her foster parents yet. With gentle prompting, Megan began to tell her story. Her feelings were agonizingly mixed. Despite everything, she missed her mom's bedtime stories and the familiarity of home. It meant a lot to be able to talk about her feelings with someone she could trust. Together, Megan and KHP looked at what Megan could do to make things easier, like getting bedtime stories on tape. She was grateful to be reminded that her foster home would become more familiar each day, and that KHP would be there whenever she needed it in the days ahead. Brenda called Kid's Help Phone to vent about her parents. She said they were being unreasonable by not allowing her to meet a boy. The 15-year-old was considering sneaking out anyway. A few questions revealed that the boy was someone she'd "met" on the Internet – and that he'd first said he was 15, but was actually 29. The KHP counselor talked about Brenda's natural curiosity, but also about possible dangers. It didn't take long for Brenda to admit to having "funny feelings" about it. By the end of the call, she'd decided to try to find someone her own age, met the "old-fashioned" way. Mike told us he was traveling fast on the road to nowhere. He wanted to get off drugs and off the streets. The KHP counselor calmed Mike, assessed his needs, and found him a safe shelter. Years later, Mike called again. Now 20, he was back in school, with a steady job and a new life. He was calling to say thanks – not just for what KHP had done, but most of all for listening to him and believing in him. Mike says KHP helped him turn his life around. Today, he spends his spare time helping street youth. Ten-year-old Megan was being sexually and physically abused. Two nights earlier, she'd been placed in a foster home, but didn't feel comfortable talking to her foster parents yet. With gentle prompting, Megan began to tell her story. Her feelings were agonizingly mixed. Despite everything, she missed her mom's bedtime stories and the familiarity of home. It meant a lot to be able to talk about her feelings with someone she could trust. Together, Megan and KHP looked at what Megan could do to make things easier, like getting bedtime stories on tape. She was grateful to be reminded that her foster home would become more familiar each day, and that KHP would be there whenever she needed it in the days ahead. Brenda called Kid's Help Phone to vent about her parents. She said they were being unreasonable by not allowing her to meet a boy. The 15-year-old was considering sneaking out anyway. A few questions revealed that the boy was someone she'd "met" on the Internet – and that he'd first said he was 15, but was actually 29. The KHP counselor talked about Brenda's natural curiosity, but also about possible dangers. It didn't take long for Brenda to admit to having "funny feelings" about it. By the end of the call, she'd decided to try to find someone her own age, met the "old-fashioned" way. Mike told us he was traveling fast on the road to nowhere. He wanted to get off drugs and off the streets. The KHP counselor calmed Mike, assessed his needs, and found him a safe shelter. Years later, Mike called again. Now 20, he was back in school, with a steady job and a new life. He was calling to say thanks – not just for what KHP had done, but most of all for listening to him and believing in him. Mike says KHP helped him turn his life around. Today, he spends his spare time helping street youth. Ten-year-old Megan was being sexually and physically abused. Two nights earlier, she'd been placed in a foster home, but didn't feel comfortable talking to her foster parents yet. With gentle prompting, Megan began to tell her story. Her feelings were agonizingly mixed. Despite everything, she missed her mom's bedtime stories and the familiarity of home. It meant a lot to be able to talk about her feelings with someone she could trust. Together, Megan and KHP looked at what Megan could do to make things easier, like getting bedtime stories on tape. She was grateful to be reminded that her foster home would become more familiar each day, and that KHP would be there whenever she needed it in the days ahead. Brenda called Kid's Help Phone to vent about her parents. She said they were being unreasonable by not allowing her to meet a boy. The 15-year-old was considering sneaking out anyway. A few questions revealed that the boy was someone she'd "met" on the Internet – and that he'd first said he was 15, but was actually 29. The KHP counselor talked about Brenda's natural curiosity, but also about possible dangers. It didn't take long for Brenda to admit to having "funny feelings" about it. By the end of the call, she'd decided to try to find someone her own age, met the "old-fashioned" way. Mike told us he was traveling fast on the road to nowhere. He wanted to get off drugs and off the streets. The KHP counselor calmed Mike, assessed his needs, and found him a safe shelter. Years later, Mike called again. Now 20, he was back in school, with a steady job and a new life. He was calling to say thanks – not just for what KHP had done, but most of all for listening to him and believing in him. Mike says KHP helped him turn his life around. Today, he spends his spare time helping street youth. Ten-year-old Megan was being sexually and physically abused. Two nights earlier, she'd been placed in a foster home, but didn't feel comfortable talking to her foster parents yet. With gentle prompting, Megan began to tell her story. Her feelings were agonizingly mixed. Despite everything, she missed her mom's bedtime stories and the familiarity of home. It meant a lot to be able to talk about her feelings with someone she could trust. Together, Megan and KHP looked at what Megan could do to make things easier, like getting bedtime stories on tape. She was grateful to be reminded that her foster home would become more familiar each day, and that KHP would be there whenever she needed it in the days ahead. Brenda called Kid's Help Phone to vent about her parents. She said they were being unreasonable by not allowing her to meet a boy. The 15-year-old was considering sneaking out anyway. A few questions revealed that the boy was someone she'd "met" on the Internet – and that he'd first said he was 15, but was actually 29. The KHP counselor talked about Brenda's natural curiosity, but also about possible dangers. It didn't take long for Brenda to admit to having "funny feelings" about it. By the end of the call, she'd decided to try to find someone her own age, met the "old-fashioned" way. Mike told us he was traveling fast on the road to nowhere. He wanted to get off drugs and off the streets. The KHP counselor calmed Mike, assessed his needs, and found him a safe shelter. Years later, Mike called again. Now 20, he was back in school, with a steady job and a new life. He was calling to say thanks – not just for what KHP had done, but most of all for listening to him and believing in him. Mike says KHP helped him turn his life around. Today, he spends his spare time helping street youth. Ten-year-old Megan was being sexually and physically abused. Two nights earlier, she'd been placed in a foster home, but didn't feel comfortable talking to her foster parents yet. With gentle prompting, Megan began to tell her story. Her feelings were agonizingly mixed. Despite everything, she missed her mom's bedtime stories and the familiarity of home. It meant a lot to be able to talk about her feelings with someone she could trust. Together, Megan and KHP looked at what Megan could do to make things easier, like getting bedtime stories on tape. She was grateful to be reminded that her foster home would become more familiar each day, and that KHP would be there whenever she needed it in the days ahead.