Mind Moves: Perhaps the most frequent phone call I receive is from a parent of a young person who appears to be in some kind of crisis and only barely managing to cope.
Parents want their children to be happy, but the mind of a young person can be difficult to access. Parents want advice on how they are to read the situation, so that they don't over- or under-react.
Every day in Ireland, young people find themselves facing tough times. Too often, there doesn't seem to be anyone whom they can trust. Or anywhere they might reach out to and get some support that won't stigmatise them and make them feel even more "weird" than they already do.
They may resort to drink, drugs, social withdrawal or self-harm to ease their pain. Whatever relief these activities offer is very transient and superficial. Over time they only serve to make things a whole lot worse.
An unresolved crisis can become compounded over time by poor coping skills, gradual social alienation and the lack of someone who listens and helps them to figure out what is happening and suggest some solutions that they might consider.
Parents, siblings and close friends feel helpless as they watch their loved one fall deeper into a black hole. Usually it's the parents who take some initiative and start calling around looking for help. They read daily reports on the negative impact of bullying, drug abuse and the alarming high rates of self-harm and youth suicide. They don't want to over-react, but they don't want to miss something either.
Looking for help and guidance can be a frustrating ordeal. If the problem was that their car wouldn't start, they could probably get someone out to attend to it in two hours; but when it comes to getting help for a son or daughter who is in emotional meltdown, they are told it may take two years.
Over and over they run into brick walls as they are told apologetically that no one is available to engage with their son or daughter at a time when they critically need support. Even worse than this is the experience of no one responding to their calls, or being made to feel guilty for whatever is happening.
For many of you reading this, the above description is all too familiar. But it doesn't have to be this way. You don't need another article on the massive inadequacies in our care of our youth. What we all need is a belief that things can be different - that there is evidence that it is possible to make changes at every level of our society to provide young people with somewhere to turn to, someone to talk to.
I am currently in Australia on a learning tour of youth mental health centres of excellence. I want to see ways of working with young people around their mental health needs that have been proven to work and, most importantly, that meet the approval of young people themselves.
Most of the public schools have active mental health programmes that promote wellbeing and resilience. Young people seem better informed about their own mental health and can recognise when it might be important to reach out for support. This system is not perfect, but there is less stigma about seeking help for emotional difficulties, and there are more options available for young people and their families.
After my first week of meeting and speaking to different groups, I have been struck by one theme that recurs in all my conversations: their envy of Ireland and the unique opportunity that we have at this time in our history to make a real difference.
The successes in Australia have been hard won in a context where the political system and healthcare structures are often in conflict with one another. We face similar challenges in Ireland but, from their point of view, we have a less cumbersome health system that can be more easily integrated and made accessible.
The leaders and pioneers in youth mental health see that we have resources beyond what they had when they started out in their reforms 10 years ago. In addition, our current mental health policy - A Vision for Change - is aligned with the same values and principles that have shaped the reformations in this country.
The implementation of this policy has identified as a priority that child and adolescent services will be enhanced in the next five years.
Let's maximise this unique opportunity to bring a freshness to youth mental health, by embracing the best thinking around and creating services that young people themselves would happily recommend to a friend.
There is an urgency and a passion right across our community that something has to happen to improve access to mental health support for our youth. Substantial resources are available both publicly and privately.
In the coming weeks I will detail specific youth mental health innovations that we might want to consider piloting in Ireland to ensure that young people are heard, respected and supported as they journey into adulthood.
Tony Bates is chief executive of Headstrong - The National Centre for Youth Mental Health.
