LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Wednesday is "World Teen Mental Wellness Day" and local healthcare workers are shedding more light on the mental health tolls young people experience.
A therapist with the University of Louisville Health System is sharing what you can do to step in and help those who may be struggling.
President Biden described it as a National Mental Health Crisis in his State of the Union address. After years of the pandemic, mental health issues are now catching up with people, especially younger populations.
"Let somebody in on it, you know, there's nothing lonelier than battling something and feeling like you don't have anyone to talk to," said Brandon Kays, a mental health therapist at Peace Hospital.
"And let's get all Americans the mental health services they need," said President Biden.
President Biden made it clear in his State of the Union Address that he wants to make it easier for people to be able to turn for the help they need.
Brandon Kays, a mental health therapist with U of L Health, says these are some of the most uncertain years for young people.
"In their teenage years, a kid is going through a lot of change, a kid is learning a lot of new things and starting the process of separating themselves from their family. So there's already a ton going on internally," said Kays.
Saying social media can play a large role in stress and anxiety but also in a kid's communication skills, limiting them from being able to fully express themselves.
"We have kids come into the program here into the hospital, and they don't really know how to communicate with an adult, they don't know how to verbalize what they're feeling," said Kays.
And for parents, well, he says it's important to talk to your children and let them open up to you.
"In time, our body can only bury it for so long, there is a breaking point for everyone," said Kays.
Saying now is a crucial time for their services as his team has seen that people tend to seek for help around a year or two after the onset of something like a pandemic or traumatic event.
"If you asked about how long they've been going on, and when they started, there's a direct relationship to COVID You know, it was a curveball, and they weren't expecting that they were gonna have to completely change their lives," said Kays.
For more on the Biden Administrations' plans for the mental health crisis, click here.
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