A Mental Health Hotline Students Can Turn To
Quick Answer
If you’re a student struggling with your mental health — or worried about a friend — the Mental Health Hotline can listen and help connect you with support and local resources. Call 866-903-3787 anytime. If you’re in immediate danger or having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that mental health issues among young people have been increasing in recent years. In fact, one in six young people reported making a plan to attempt suicide in 2019. This jarring statistic demonstrates the dire need for better and more plentiful mental health resources that are accessible to teenagers and children.
Understanding the Breadth of Mental Health Issues in Young People
Some people fail to recognize how serious an issue mental health is. Some adults, both parents and teachers, may scoff at the need for expanded mental health services for young people. An essential first step in addressing mental health among young people is acknowledging that a severe problem exists.
Types of Mental Health Issues
Numerous mental health issues exist. However, according to the CDC, the most common mental health issues in children are:
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Anxiety
- Behavior problems
- Depression
Keep in mind that many young people experience more than one condition.
Causes of Mental Health Issues
Mental health issues are more than the result of a simple chemical imbalance in the brain. While brain chemistry can play a role, other causes exist as well.
For example, 4.1% of youths 12 to 17 were reported as having a substance use disorder in 2019. Substance use can lead to mental health issues, and some young people turn to alcohol or drugs as a way to cope, further damaging their mental health.
Mental health issues can also result from stress. Some children are pushed into too many activities when they are young. Some college students are enrolled in too many classes while also working to afford high tuition. In other cases, young people are victims of domestic abuse or violence, or grow up in negligent homes. Understanding the serious circumstances that can lead to mental health issues in young people underscores the need for support.
Effects of Mental Health Issues
Struggling with mental health can have grave consequences for children and teenagers. In 2019, 8.9% of young people between the ages of 12 and 17 reported a suicide attempt. Other effects of mental health issues can involve problems with relationships, school or social situations.
Recognizing the Need for a Mental Health Hotline
One powerful way to address the struggles that teenagers and children face with mental health is through a hotline. Providing a phone number that young people can call has a number of benefits.
The Ability to Speak Without Judgment
Some young people are afraid to talk to the adults in their lives about mental health because of judgment they’ve faced in the past. Some have had their mental health issues diminished or dismissed by parents and teachers. Adults also sometimes speak about mental health in a negative way, even when those comments aren’t aimed at their children. Parents might suggest that mental health issues indicate emotional weakness. Children can internalize these attitudes and then fear talking about their own struggles. The Mental Health Hotline gives young people a way to express their thoughts without judgment.
When You Need Help Right Away
The Mental Health Hotline can help young people who want to start talking about their problems and need direction on where to turn for community resources. If a young person is in crisis, the Mental Health Hotline can help connect them to the right support.
⚠ If you need help right now
If you’re thinking about suicide or are in immediate danger, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or call 911. These services are available 24/7 and are staffed by people trained to help in a crisis.
Resource Direction
In other situations, young people call because they want to start talking to a therapist or get involved with mentally healthy activities in their communities. Knowing where to start can be overwhelming. The Mental Health Hotline can connect young people with local resources.
The Ability to Talk
Many people are simply craving the ability to talk to another person about their struggles. Talking about difficulties can be powerful. Conversations can help students identify sources of stress, and keeping negative emotions bottled up can be harmful. Simply sharing these struggles helps students feel as though they are not alone.
Understanding Student Struggles
Calling a mental health hotline connects young people with support from people who understand what they are going through. Students have specific struggles that can contribute to mental health issues. School alone can be stressful, particularly when young people are navigating a new learning environment such as college. There are also other issues young people may be facing, such as pressure from friends to try alcohol or drugs, or how to navigate dating. In short, students have specific situations in their lives that older adults may not understand.
Encouraging the Use of Support Groups
Not all mental health issues are the same. The Mental Health Hotline can put students in touch with support groups, so they can join communities of people who are going through similar situations. For example, young people who are dealing with depression can be connected with other youths who are also navigating depression.
Helping With Substance Use Issues
Calling a mental health hotline for students is also a way to start dealing with substance use issues. In 2019, more than 139 million Americans 12 and older drank alcohol in the previous month. From 2013 to 2015, the average age when 12-to-20-year-olds in the United States took their first alcoholic drink was reported to be 14.64 years. While not everyone develops a substance use problem, young people sometimes engage in dangerous behaviors with these substances, and may feel pressured by peers to drink, take illegal drugs or take other risks. The Mental Health Hotline can talk with young people about the types of treatment available.
Connecting With Other People
The Mental Health Hotline is a confidential resource, so information about other callers is never shared. Even so, you can still form powerful connections with other people as a result of making this call — for example, by participating in a group the Mental Health Hotline recommends. You may also be pointed toward resources, such as blogs, where you can read about and potentially interact with other young people going through similar experiences.
Medically Supervised Withdrawal
In some situations, recovery from addiction may begin with medically supervised withdrawal. When the body becomes dependent on a substance, symptoms of withdrawal, some of them serious, can occur. Medically supervised withdrawal helps manage side effects such as vomiting, high blood pressure and hallucinations, and provides physical assistance and emotional support during the process.
Inpatient Treatment Programs
Inpatient programs designed specifically for young people exist. Living away from home during treatment for a drug or alcohol addiction can feel overwhelming, but the time and space away from regular settings is often powerful in recovery. Some young people enroll in programs suited to their interests — for example, art and music therapy can help with substance use treatment.
Outpatient Treatment Programs
Inpatient treatment isn’t necessary or possible for everyone. Students can also get connected with outpatient treatment programs in their community. By calling, young people can also learn about ways to protect their privacy when attending outpatient programs, and what information must be shared with parents or guardians.
Helping Other People
Many people who call a mental health hotline for students are young people looking for support. But you can also be a powerful source of support for someone else. You might be a parent concerned about your child, or have a friend you’re worried about. You can call to talk through these concerns and learn how you can help.
How to Get Started
By calling the Mental Health Hotline at 866-903-3787, you can get the help you need, or take the first steps toward helping a person you care about.
Know You Can Speak
You might worry about what to say when you call. But you don’t need to plan out precisely what you’re going to say, and it’s okay if you don’t know. All you have to do is call and say that you need help. Whoever answers will know what to ask from there.
Know That Help Is Real
If you’ve been told or made to feel by parents or teachers that your mental health problems don’t matter, know that the people answering the line care. They can also help you see that there are reliable and caring adults in your life. Opening up about mental health issues can be a first step in building those stronger bonds.
Aim to Find a Quiet Time to Call
In the midst of chaos, finding a quiet time to call can be difficult. If you can’t, that’s okay. If you can, try to call when you have time to speak and will be free from interruptions. Remember that your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Just as you would book an appointment to see a physician, give the same space to your mental health.
Seek to Be Open
When you call, you might eventually be encouraged to speak with a counselor at your school, schedule an appointment with a therapist, or talk to your parents about a treatment program. These suggestions can seem scary at first. Consider how much better you might feel when you make real changes in addressing your mental health. The suggestions come from experience and have helped other young people like you.
Try Again
If you dial the number and hang up, or can’t get up the courage to dial, try again. Nervousness is normal. Keep trying until you stay on the phone and connect.
A Resource That Can Help
The Mental Health Hotline is a resource that can help, whether you’re a young person struggling with your mental health or you want to help a loved one. We can listen and connect you with an array of resources tailored to your needs.
The first step is to make the call. Reach the Mental Health Hotline anytime.