photo by: Autumn Bishop/LMH Health

It’s hard to be a teenager. Questions and big decisions seem like they’re around every corner. Where are you going to go to college? What do you want to do with your life? It can take a toll — especially on a teen’s mental health.

Statistics from Mental Health America reveal that over 19% of youth (ages 12-17) in the United States live with major depression. When it comes to suicide, 13.4% of U.S. youth have had suicidal thoughts. That’s approximately 3.4 million kids in America who have thought about ending their lives. Half of those — 1.7 million — have actually made plans.

Lorelei Sunderland is working to make an impact on those numbers locally. As a nurse practitioner at LMH Health Primary Care — Tonganoxie, she knows that depression and anxiety are huge issues for middle and high school students. She sees the statistics manifest in her young patients.

“Adolescents are vulnerable and very split-second decision makers. Everything feels like it is the end of the world,” she said. “That’s why we see such a high self-harm rate. Their brains are only equipped to think about today and tomorrow. They aren’t able to process and make decisions thinking 3 to 5 years down the road until about age 25.”

As Sunderland worked to earn her doctor of nursing practice degree, she decided to focus her capstone project on screening students for depression and anxiety. She worked closely with counselors in Tonganoxie schools over the course of four years using standard assessment tools such as patient health and generalized anxiety disorder questionnaires.

“My goal was to notice trends and intervene before the students got into trouble,” she said. “The data I collected established a baseline and I monitored each student through repeated testing at regular intervals.”

Sunderland is one of many looking at mental health. Depression and anxiety are also issues concerning the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA). The organization has created “Mental Health Matters,” a five-part video series aimed at educating coaches, sponsors and school officials to support students who may be struggling with mental health challenges.

“KSHSAA recommends training coaches and teachers on signs and symptoms of mental health issues and when to reach out for help,” Sunderland said. “It’s also vital for parents to know what they should be looking for.”

Each August before the new school year begins, Sunderland speaks to parents of student-athletes about depression and anxiety and gives a separate presentation to coaches. She talks about their roles, but she makes a point not to lean heavily on statistics.

“I can provide numbers and tell you how many adolescents are affected by mental health issues, but that isn’t what saves lives,” she said. “Being proactive and learning what to look for does, and you need to know what signs may signal an impending issue.”

Sunderland tells parents and coaches that the number one thing to look for are abrupt changes from a student’s normal behavior, including:

• Drastic personality changes

• Sudden changes in grades

• Not caring about their sports or activities and a decline in effort

• Negative self-talk

• Substance abuse, including vaping, smoking, alcohol and pills

• Episodes of self-harm

“If you notice that something is off, ask them if they’re OK and be empathetic,” she said.

It’s also vital for adolescents to understand that if something isn’t right, it’s OK to ask for help. They need to know that they can reach out to a counselor, teacher or a coach to share that they’re struggling.

“I’ve also had their peers come up and say, ‘I’m kind of worried about so and so.’ I’ve had people grab me at a basketball game and tell me that they’re really concerned,” she said. “Some of the strongest athletes have ended up needing serious help, and it’s almost never who you expect. We can reach these kids before they get to that point.”

— Autumn Bishop is the marketing manager and content strategist at LMH Health.