From advice to aspirations for pediatric mental health care
October 10 is World Mental Health Day – a time to raise awareness and mobilize efforts in support of mental health. We caught up with four of our experts at Virginia Treatment Center for Children and asked them some key questions about how kids can care for themselves today and what tomorrow’s treatment may look like. Here’s what Dr. Ekaterina Stepanova, chair of child and adolescent psychiatry, Dr. Sunny Kummar, psychiatry fellow, and Ashley and James Fisher, mental health nurse practitioners had to say.
What would you say to people on World Mental Health Day?
James: I would tell people that mental health is just as important as your physical health and you shouldn’t be ashamed to ask for help. If you’re going through something, you are not alone. You don’t have to face the struggle by yourself. Please reach out for help.
What would you tell a child or teen who might be struggling with their mental health?
Dr. Kummar: Just because you’re struggling with something now, it doesn’t have to define you. Talk to someone you trust – a parent, teacher, counselor or friend. If it ever gets to the point where you’re unsafe or feel like a threat to yourself or someone else, reach out to an adult. If it’s a crisis situation, bring yourself to the ER if you can or call 9-1-1. There is also the suicide hotline at 9-8-8, which can be called or texted.
How can a child or teen support a friend who is struggling?
Ashley: I would tell them to let a trusted adult know. Yes, kids can help other kids just by listening but you also want to make sure they’re in a safe space and can get the help they need. A lot of teens use 9-8-8 because it’s easy and you can text, which is helpful.
James: Listen. A lot of kids we talk to feel like they have nobody who listens to them. If you are a friend of somebody who’s going through something, be that friend who listens and doesn’t pass judgement. Be the friend they can lean on and provide support so your friend knows they’re not going through this alone.
If you could recommend one thing for people to do today to improve their mental health, what would it be?
Ashley: Talk. Let someone know what you’re going through and understand that it’s okay to not be okay. With everything that’s going on in the world, it’s really important not to hold everything inside. Everyone is going through something and you never know their story. It’s also helpful to realize that your parents have gone through things. Open up and communicate with them because you’ll be amazed at how much they understand and can really help you.
Dr. Stepanova: If I had to pick one thing I’d recommend exercise. It’s an easy way to feel better quickly, especially for someone who has low energy or is a little bit anxious. Just having that boost of endorphins we get when we exercise is helpful. Other than that, having a schedule is really important. We all need structure, and good nutrition and exercise should absolutely be part of that. It can take a few days to weeks to get into a routine. Doing just a few minutes of something that’s helpful for your mind and body every day is so much better than not.
Why did you choose a career in mental health care?
Dr. Stepanova: I saw a lot of people struggle with mental health way before we really talked about it. When I was in medical school seeing patients with medical problems, their mental health needs were not addressed or sometimes just frankly ignored. I saw that if we’re able to address some of those mental health needs, the patients feel better. Even if their medical illnesses don’t change, their quality of life does and that’s really important.
Part of what I wanted to do was bring more awareness to mental health and teach the community that it matters. While it’s not my accomplishment alone, we’ve come a long way in the last several decades. Even using terms like mental health proves that we’re focusing on wellbeing as a whole.
What is your hope for the future of mental health care for kids and teens?
Dr. Kummar: Empowerment. I hope that as time goes on kids feel more and more comfortable reaching out for help. I hope we can make mental health care more universal and easily accessible to people of all ages.
Dr. Stepanova: The way we view and treat mental health has changed tremendously – for the better. We have made great strides at VTCC towards being a one-stop shop for mental health care – whether a child needs the structure of an inpatient hospital stay or a quick consultation to address the onset of an urgent mental health issue. We are committed to our community and will continue expanding in ways that bring care to kids and families when and where they need it.
Find out how our team at Virginia Treatment Center for Children is transforming mental health care.