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Families in Crisis - Mental Distress

National Suicide Hot Line: 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)

If you are considering suicide -- or are worried about someone else -- go here now.

If you're struggling with mental health, social and/or family issues, consider whether counseling can help. Many times, emotional and/or behavioral difficulties stem from unresolved childhood and adolescent conflicts -- and they can be resolved with some careful and objective handling by a professional. Don't wait until you're at a crisis situation. Get help now.

A child or adult who are showing one or more of the following signs might be stressed or depressed: difficulty falling or staying asleep; poor grades or poor performance at work; fights with friends or relatives; excessive moodiness; withdrawal from social or favorite activities; clinginess or excessive neediness; anxiety or signs of insecurity; inability to handle frustration; quick or excessive anger; inability to handle reasonable tasks; unexplained headaches or stomachaches; bullying other children; reluctance to go to school or work; perennial lateness; reluctance to make decisions; consistent expressions of low self-esteem; low levels of enthusiasm for the future; consistent expression of worry.

We urge caution when choosing a "boot camp" or "youth ranch" for a troubled teen. Standards for these places vary wildly, and some of them are dangerous. Teen-agers have died in poorly run facilities. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report in 2007 on these camps: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-10-10-boot-camps_N.htm Speak to police, social services, and the Better Business Bureau before sending your teen to a particular facility. For help with your teen, check with your local Department of Health or Department of Health and Welfare for suggestions and ideas.

Additionally, in April 2004, a British analysis of available data indicated that four popular antidepressants used to treat American children for depression might actually be unsafe and/or ineffective in treating that disorder. The four are Paxil, Zoloft, Effexor and Celexa. The findings of the analysis, published in The Lancet, found an increased incidence of suicide among children taking these drugs. The analysis also indicated that the drugs are not as effective for depression as previously suggested by others. In 2003, Britain banned use of Paxil for depression in children, and the FDA also issued a recommendation against using it for that purpose.

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For More Information:

	Safer Child's page on Grieving
	Safer Child page on coping with traumatic stress (such as terrorist attacks)
	Self-Assessment Test - Do you need to make a change?
	Safer Child page on Communication - learn how to communicate more effectively with family members
	What Were You Taught as a Child? - did you learn unhealthy lessons that interfere with your ability to parent and/or to be happy?
	Our Thoughts on What Children Need to Grow Up Happy and Confident
	Safer Child page on Medical Competency and Accountability
	ULifeLine - online links to college mental health centers for information, counseling and appointments
	TeenScreen - offers free screening for depression and suicide risk for teens
	Freedom From Fear - offering free screenings for depression and anxiety disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder - 1-888-442-2022
	Association for the Advancement of Behavioral Therapy
	National Institute of Mental Health - information on depression
	KidsHealth - information on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
	KidsHealth - "Understanding Depression"
	American Academy of Family Physicians - "Seasonal Affective Disorder"
	National Institutes of Health
	American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - warning signals that may precede a serious suicide attempt
	National Mental Health Association
	Anxiety Disorders Association of America
	Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
	depression-screening.org
	Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health
	Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
	National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression
	National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
	Metanoia - independent consumer guide to therapists and counselors who provide help over the Internet

State departments of Health & Welfare - can help provide financial and physical assistance with mental health disorders.

Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation

Center for Mental Health Services - a component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Leads federal efforts to treat mental illnesses

Girls and Boys Town - 1-800-448-3000 (crisis hot line) or 1-800-545-5771 - cares for troubled children—both boys and girls—and for families in crisis. Their hot line staff is trained to handle calls and questions about violence and suicide.

Mental Health Matters - Links and information on mental disorders affecting children and adolescents

Starlight Children's Foundation - works to brighten the lives of seriously ill children.

Safer Child Support for Parents page

Safer Child Families in Crisis page - for people facing a physical, emotional, mental or financial crisis

Safer Child Postpartum Depression page

Safer Child Eating Disorders page

Safer Child Dehydration page

Safer Child ADD/ADHD page

There are several books out that discuss out-of-control teen-agers. Just a few (inclusion on this page is done as a courtesy, and doesn't necessarily indicate a Safer Child recommendation):

	Hold Me Close, Let Me Go: A Mother, A Daughter and an Adolescence Survived (Broadway Books)
	The Stardust Lounge: Stories from a Boy's Adolescence by Deborah Digges (Doubleday)
	Augusta, Gone: A True Story - Martha Tod Dudman (Simon & Schuster)
	The Second Family (How Adolescent Power Is Challenging the American Family) (St. Martin's Press)
	The Myth of Maturity: What Teenagers Need from Parents to Become Adults, (W.W. Norton & Co.)
	A Relentless Hope: Surviving the Storm of Teen Depression - Gary E. Nelson

There are several books that discuss understanding and coping with difficult parent/child relationships. Just a few (inclusion on this page is done as a courtesy, and doesn't necessarily indicate a Safer Child recommendation):

	When You and Your Mother Can't Be Friends: Resolving the Most Complicated Relationship of Your Life (Victoria Secunda) - an excellent resource
	Motherless Daughters: The Legacy of Loss (Hope Edelman)
	Toxic Parents: Overcoming Their Hurtful Legacy and Reclaiming Your Life (Dr. Susan Forward)
	Running on Empty: Meditations for Indispensable Women (Ellen Sue Stern)

Childswork ChildsPlay - (commercial) -- sells resources, games and books "to address the social and emotional needs of children and adolescents"

In therapy-animal programs, animals are trained to bring comfort to ill, sad and lonely children in hospitals, nursing homes and schools. For information on such programs, try the Delta Society or Therapy Dogs Inc. (national organizations), Puppies Behind Bars, or Dog-Play (which lists several local programs).

Warning Signs of an Abusive Partner or Situation

Are You Wondering if Your Child Needs Outside Help?

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