Keep communication with kids open, parents urged

The importance of seeking help early for mental health has been thrust into the limelight this month, as Rockingham and Mandurah communities come to terms with the loss of three teenage boys who took their own lives in the space of a fortnight.

Peel Youth Medical Service’s Dr Rupert Backhouse said it was typical of outer metro areas to have poorer health outcomes, compiled with the fact that Mandurah has high youth employment, high fly-in, fly-out family dynamics and high domestic violence and the fallout from poverty.

He said Mandurah was well catered for the ageing population but not for adolescents, stating he sees at least two or three youth a day presenting with issues surrounding suicide.

“That is a huge amount — they may not be planning it but they are thinking about exit strategies,” Dr Backhouse said.

He said PYMS had almost reached capacity and believed other services in the region were in a similar situation and were pooling resources together to prevent another tragedy.

Dr Backhouse said the public health system was difficult to access quickly and for those who could afford to pay more for treatment, there were limited to no private child and adolescent psychiatrists in the region.

“If there was a full-time free adolescent psych here they would be fully booked within a week,” he said.

“Our presentations have increased in the past year, but accelerated in the past two weeks.

“It’s incredibly frustrating that for marginalised people such as youth, low-income earners and drug affected, it’s always a nightmare finding adequate treatment for them.”

Professionals working in mental health get burnt out, according to Dr Backhouse, who said they were frustrated that not enough care was made available for patients in need.

“When the client is down and out, they are harder to work with initially and they can become more marginalised and downtrodden.”

Dr Backhouse urged parents to look out for signs of changes in behaviour or thinking in their children and to keep the communication lines open to ensure they can be heard.

He explained the first point of help was typically with a GP, who would set up a mental health program of 10 appointments and work out what the person wanted to achieve and how, ensuring the needs of the child were met where possible.

“Medication without counselling or support is unhealthy,” he said.

“Anti-depressants are used to help the person feel better as quick as possible, to reduce the symptoms to get back to normal.”

Depending on the severity of the case, he said medication was not his first approach with adolescents.

“Improving diet and becoming healthy can have a dramatic impact,” Dr Backhouse said.

He said a teenager’s social networks and feeling connected and valued played a huge role in getting better.