Mental health for youth April 2, 2019

by Hilary Harrison & Karen Douglas  trainers for SHS
https://www.samhealth.org/MentalHealthFirstAid 
we have a book that goes with it, I am happy to lend to others! 

Note–
May 23 mental health for Higher Ed at OSU via CAPs,
Can also contact them Hilary and Jim to do a workshop just for us!

• Labels are not always helpful.  They don’t define us. They don’t help w our identity == Use Person first language
• Don’t use the word TRIGGER but ACTIVATED. If we flip our lid, get activated, it will take 20 minutes to get regulated again, in order to have a real conversation. keep that in mind when working with others.
• Activity – arm in air, thumb across palm, fingers down, that’s our brain. Fingers up we are in fight and flight zone, flipping our lid. Use this sign to let coworkers, family, kids know your or their state of mind.
• Key ask w mental health —— Does it affect their ability to live, laugh, love, or learn?
• Ex: a break up, very upset in the moment but does it stick for days?Does if affect their work or school attendance, carry out daily activities, and engage I satisfying relationships
  • Mental Health Action Plan
    ALGEE
    Assess for risk of suicide or harm
    Listen non judgmentally
    Give reassurance and information (not advice!)
    Encourage appropriate professional help
    Encourage self help and other support strategies
• Giving info not advice:    Instead of “you should go see a counselor” — reframe to- “often when people are going through this seek counseling”
• For self help – suggest have you taken a walk or eating something today
• Signs vs symptoms, you always see signs but not often the symptoms; listening helps uncover
• So many behaviors are typical teens behavior but it they are excessive and continue for awhile they might be signs of something else

Typical signs vs warning signs page 17
W/draw from family = ok , but from everyone = real problem
Privacy is one thing but hiding and being paranoid = real problem
Medications can give side effects that seems like mental health issues
Suicide crisis moments can ebb and flow, they can be in crisis mode then not and then back to it again.

Hallucinations can be in all senses. Here is one that is auditory–
Activity- one person stands behind someone and rolls a tube to speak to that persons back of head, someone else stands in front and talks to them. The person behind reads quietly things like “why are you talking to them? You can’t trust them? They don’t want to talk to you? ” etc.

Protective Factors p 19
Ways to be more and be more resilient such as mindfulness, community group, a friend or family, a gratitude journal, exercise, sunshine, close to one adult = It’s all about belonging! Don’t tell them “they will get over ” the breakup, more fish in the sea… When they really need is empathy

Communicating with young people page 27-28, 49
non judge mental listening, don’t compare to you, give positive feedback, don’t ask them why they did something, be genuine, silence ok, don’t trivialize their feelings.
Don’t fix the problem! Be the guide on the side, be with them and let them fox themselves.

*facilities that do not mandatory report!!!
Health and wellness in Salem
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