网曝门事件

Chances are, someone you know is struggling with mental health problems, but they haven鈥檛 told you 鈥� or anyone else 鈥� about it.

Many people with clinical-level disorders aren鈥檛 getting the help they need, experts say, because they鈥檙e reluctant to confide in friends or family or seek professional help. As a result, they risk avoidable consequences, from a generally lower quality of life to declining work performance, that can cost them their jobs and lead to substance abuse, homelessness and suicide.

It doesn鈥檛 have to be that way: Learning to is a step toward ensuring that people don鈥檛 fall through the cracks of the mental healthcare system. It can enable you to not only support your children, other relatives and friends when they鈥檙e having problems, but also to take better care of yourself.

鈥�Early intervention can help reduce the severity of an illness and interruptions in quality of life,鈥� the American Psychiatric Association (APA) says. 鈥淚t may even be possible to delay or prevent a major mental illness altogether.鈥�

Often, warning signs appear early in life. Statistics show that 50 percent of people with mental illnesses develop symptoms by age 14, and 75 percent do so by the time they鈥檙e 24. According to the APA, mental illnesses such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder appear over time, with small changes that seem to gradually build up.

Growing Concerns Over Mental Health

Mental health concerns have surged in the U.S. and around the world since the COVID-19 pandemic, partly because of social distancing requirements that exacerbated what calls an 鈥渆pidemic of loneliness.鈥�

About 20 percent of U.S. adults had a mental illness before the pandemic, according to a , and about half of American women and a third of men said the crisis had affected their mental health.

Among teenagers, 44 percent of high schoolers said they felt sad or hopeless in the past year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the first year of the pandemic, the number of mental health-related emergency room visits for teens climbed 31 percent. And while poor mental health is a common problem for youth, it is reported far more often by LGBTQ+ youth, according to the In 2021, 69 percent of LGBTQ+ youth reported feeling persistently sad and hopeless. For heterosexual youth, that figure was 35%.

Red Flags in Mental Health

If you鈥檙e concerned about someone in your life, here are some signals identified by experts including the and the to pay attention to:

• Teens
  • Noticeable changes in sleep, weight or eating habits
  • Losing interest in activities they normally enjoy
  • Canceling plans with close friends without explanation
  • Worsening performance in school
  • Thoughts or worries they can鈥檛 overcome
  • Drug or alcohol abuse
  • Signs of self-harm such as cuts, burns or bruises
  • Making a new set of friends you haven鈥檛 met before
  • Sexual activity that seems new or more intense

• Adults
  • Sleep, appetite or mood changes
  • Withdrawing from friends or social groups
  • Difficulty performing familiar tasks at work
  • Difficulties with thinking, concentrating or logical reasoning
  • Increased sensitivity
  • Apathy
  • Nervousness

Starting a Conversation on Mental Health

Depending on the behaviors you observe, the next step may be talking with the person you鈥檙e worried about, which can feel awkward or intrusive 鈥� particularly with peers. You may worry you don鈥檛 have the skills you need to help. However, you don鈥檛 need special training for this 鈥� often, just letting an individual know you care and are there for them can be an important first step. Try these tips to broach the topic:

• Signal that you鈥檙e open to conversations about mental health. Think of it the way you do physical health and be willing to talk about your own mental health first. Talking about times you鈥檝e felt anxious, depressed or stressed out may be enough to get the conversation started.
• Trust your instincts. If you think someone is struggling with mental health concerns, talk with them privately. Start by letting the person know that you care and then follow up with something you鈥檝e noticed, such as, 鈥淵ou seem more stressed than normal, how are you doing?鈥�
• Pick a comfortable setting and a natural approach. You can suggest grabbing lunch, a pickup game of your favorite sport, or just send a text message asking 鈥渨hat鈥檚 up?"
• Pay attention to the person鈥檚 response. If they hesitate or express concern about burdening you with their problems, reassure them in your own words that you care, want to support them and are willing to listen. If you think they might be more comfortable talking with someone else, offer to help them connect.
• Sometimes, just being there is enough. Don鈥檛 worry if you don鈥檛 have the right words. Letting your friend or loved one know that you care is a big step, and it may make them feel more comfortable to turn to you in the future.