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May is Mental Health Awareness Month-Part One

May is Mental Health Awareness! Today we have a guest, the East TN Regional Coordinator from Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network, Sarah Walsh. We asked Sarah a few questions and she has given us some great information. This is part one of this blog, so be sure to look out for part two!

So it’s mental health awareness month, does TSPN have any resources for parents of teenagers?

1. TSPN has a lot of free resources available on our website at TSPN.org. You can check out the brochures that share specific information surrounding suicide and suicide prevention for various demographics. We have one tailored for “Teens and Young Adults”, “Social Media”, “Suicide Proofing Your Home”, and tons more! I recommend going there for more information!
2. We also always recommend parents having numbers to various resources on-hand whenever necessary. Those numbers include:

            -National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

            -TN Crisis Line at 855-CRISIS-1 (855-274-7471)

            -Crisis Text Line. Text TN to 741-741

As we are all currently dealing with a global pandemic, and it can be a really difficult time for everyone, do you have any tips or tricks for teens in relation to their mental health?

1. So what I recommend is that you stay connected to friends and family members through phone calls, video chat, social media, or maybe even playing online games together.  Because practicing social distancing doesn’t mean you have to cut yourself off from the world.
2. Also know what resources you have available if needed. If you have a therapist, reach out to see if they are offering telecounseling – which many are. If you don’t have a counselor or therapist, now can be a good time to start seeing someone, as many are offering telecounseling due to the current situation, so access may be easier for you right now.
3. Or simply set goals or habits that encourage a strong mental health. That could include meditation, exercise, being outdoors, reading/writing, limited screen time, etc
4. Even if these are habits you have already established in your life, share those with your loved ones when you’re checking in on them. It’s always a good reminder to take care of ourselves and the ones we love.