SPOTTING DANGER SIGNS

THE Charity YoungMinds, which fights for young people’s mental health, advises parents, teachers and anyone concerned to look out for signs of depression and selfharm, including marks or scars, changes to eating or sleeping patterns, or simply becoming more withdrawn. If you notice any of these things, start a conversation about how they’re feeling, using these tips from the charity:

REMEMBER, self-harm is a coping mechanism. It is a symptom of an underlying problem and can be a way to manage overwhelming feelings or to regain control.

KEEP open communication — remember they may feel ashamed of their self-harm and find it very difficult to talk about.

IF YOU’RE a parent, keep an eye on your child but avoid ‘policing’ them.

REMEMBER, it is not your fault. You still need to keep firm boundaries and continue parenting your child as you normally do.

SEEK professional help. If you’re a parent, start by talking to your GP and explore whether your child can be referred to your local Child And Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) or counselling services.

DISCOVERING and responding to selfharm can be a traumatic experience — make sure you look after yourself and seek support if you need it. IF YOU’RE worried about the mental health of a young person aged up to 25, you can receive free advice from YoungMinds’ Parents Helpline on 0808 802 5544 (9.30am to 4pm) or look at the advice on the website at youngminds.org.uk/parents IF YOU’RE a young person in crisis, you can use the Crisis Messenger service by texting YM to 85258. For information about mental health, finding help and looking after yourself, visit youngminds.org.uk/find-help YOU can call the Samaritans on 116 123. Lines are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. FOR confidential suicide prevention advice aimed at young people, contact the Papyrus Hopeline on 0800 068 4141 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org.