Community thanks for series on teenage mental illness

The Post-Dispatch is to be congratulated for "Mysteries of the teen brain" (Dec. 11-14), a comprehensive series of articles about teen suicide. Valid concerns exist about whether mental health services are available to care for people who are identified from screening as having a mental illness.

The articles rightfully stated that most of the resistance to screening is a result of societal stigma about mental illness. The same stigma also limits the willingness of society to afford resources needed for good mental health care. Clearly, education is the means to battle stigma. A little-known fact is that the culture of medicine itself is stigmatized, such that untreated depression results in higher rates of suicide in physicians than in the general public and in other professionals. Female physicians are four times more likely to die by suicide than their peers in the general public.

It is no coincidence that a recent review, in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that the No. 1 intervention for suicide prevention is the education of physicians about suicide. Changing the culture of medicine in ways that enable effective education of physicians about suicide, in themselves and in their patients, will have ripple effects across society for reducing the stigma and creating a climate of more receptivity in affording mental health care.

Dr. Alvin M. Janski

Chesterfield

Other options

After reading "What's normal behavior and what's mental illness?" (Dec. 11) about TeenScreen, I began to think about different ways that the mental health issue of suicide could be approached.

1. It's possible to have student groups and interested teacher/advisors offer help to teens who may feel sad or angry.

2. A course could be developed and offered that would deal with abnormal feelings of loneliness or alienation.

Both would give humans a voice and validate their importance in personal matters.We continue to think there is a way to "save" everyone if only we give the right test, pass the right law, use the right medicine. Throughout the ages human nature has not changed.

I am very concerned about the way the U.S. government and doctors continue to invade our private lives.

The money spent on TeenScreen might be better spent to help people without health insurance.

M.D. Locke

North St. Louis County

Dark side of the moon

Thanks for the excellent articles on teenage mental illness. Stigma can be the greatest obstacle to getting help for a young family member who is showing signs that something is going terribly wrong in his or her life.

Mental illness, as those of us who live with an ill relative can testify, has more in common with other "acceptable illnesses" than most people realize. Early diagnosis and treatment of many things, from tooth decay to diabetes, heart problems to cancer, often determines how successful treatment can be. The same is true with mental illness.

Mental illness is still the dark side of the moon for many people; it's unknown and frightening. Refusing to even consider the possibility that a child might have a treatable illness is one of those times when doing nothing is doing something.

Most teenage problems do go away with time. They may leave scars, but that is part of growing up. If the problems don't improve or seem to get worse, you have lost valuable time.

Ann Sheehan

St. Louis

Help is hard to find

The articles on teen brains are frustrating because they seem to be just noise. When push comes to shove, the help is hard to find. Sure, some school officials and politicians want to screen teenagers. Great. Then what?

I'm earning a master's degree in education. A few months ago, my 15-year-old brother committed suicide. Growing up, there was always a little bit of background noise about suicide. I'd always assumed that there would be ample help for those who needed it, what with all the hotline numbers I'd seen. Now I'm feeling that it isn't so.

When my family looked for help for my brother, we had a terrible time finding it. We desperately wanted to save him from himself. No one wanted to assume even a little responsibility. Worse, his school seemed more anxious to be rid of him than to help him. If resources aren't going to be available after screening, no wonder some parents don't want their kid screened. It's not unthinkable that the schools may be worse than unsupportive, primarily urging parents to move their children.

Yesterday, I tried to help my brother's best friend find help. After going through six or seven hotline numbers, I still wonder how anyone can ever find help for teenagers. I found a place that offers a general support group for teens and a referral to free counseling, but it's about a half-hour drive from where the 15-year-old lives.

It is unbelievable that help is difficult to find when this is such a serious problem.

Amanda Mount

University City

Kudos

Kudos to the Post-Dispatch for the series "Mysteries of the teen brain" (Dec. 11-14). Such research will help expose any potential mental illnesses that may be manifested in teenagers or perhaps serve as a harbinger of future problems.

Many adults afflicted with mental disabilities could have benefited from such a study had it been available when they were young.

Medical science continues to evolve and to become more exact all the time, which can only have a salutary effect on our ever-increasing population.

I suggest we start defining brain development at a much earlier age, since by the time people reach their teens, the die has been cast.

Gene Carton

Olivette

Hampering research

Heartfelt thanks to the Post-Dispatch for navigating the miasma of adolescent mental health in an up-front and factual manner in the series "Mysteries of the teen brain" (Dec. 11-14). The last headline in the series says it all: "Treating and illness, fighting a stigma" (Dec. 14).

Stigma has hampered research and treatment for years and has added to a sense of shame for patients and families. Stigma has hampered funding for the Department of Mental Health and fundraising for community-based agencies. It takes a series such as the Post-Dispatch delivered, the staying power of the Pattonville School District and those of us with mental health issues in our families and friends to meet the stigma head-on and to advocate for awareness, education, research and treatment for those suffering from mental health illness.

Mary L. Boeger

Frontenac

An important call

I enjoyed reading the series about youth and mental illness "Mysteries of the teen brain" (Dec. 11-14). The last installment, "Treating an illness, fighting a stigma" (Dec. 14) was very well done and accurate and the personal stories had an impact. The facts and figures were very informative and helped point teens and parents in the right direction. Thank you.

I would like to add another referral for education and support. Please refer folks to National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. I was surprised this group wasn't mentioned, especially since St. Louis has a very active and vital affiliate. NAMI has all kinds of information, activities, support groups for teens and parents and a resource library.

I was the Children's Services and HELPline Coordinator for NAMI of Missouri for seven years. The work the group does is phenomenal. The first, and probably most helpful, thing they do is let people, both family members and the person with the disorder, know that it is not anyone's fault. The second is to tell them that no one has to be alone. NAMI of Missouri can be reached by phone at 800-374-2138 or by e-mail at mocami@aol.com.

Thanks for spreading the word and helping to break the stigma.

Rhonda Flynn

Jefferson City

Project Associate, Missouri Recovery Network