Depression and anxiety are not uncommon: nearly 8 percent of teens have an anxiety disorder, and 11 percent of adolescents develop a depressive disorder by age 18, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Unlike a guidance counselor, the school adjustment counselors Deb Guterman and Courtney Balacco work with students with mental health issues, rather than on schedules and college planning.
“I think a lot of people don’t know we exist,” Guterman said. “I do a lot of counseling with students. Some come regularly for a weekly counseling session; others might come just as needed, if there’s something going on in their life that they’re having difficulty with.”
Students are encouraged to reach out for help if they are dealing with any mental health issues, no matter how large or small.
“If you don’t talk about it and you can’t share, it gets bigger and bigger in your head because there’s no place for it to go, and you can get very stuck,” Guterman said.
Both Guterman and Balacco agree that meeting with students is nearly always a good experience for both the adjustment counselors and the students.
“Once someone gets in here, it can be a relief, to start talking about what’s going on,” Guterman said. “Kids might refer their friend and their friend might be scared to talk, even a little angry with [the person that referred them] for bringing them in, but it usually turns out to be a very positive experience.”
According to Balacco, reaching out can have a profound effect.
“I think a lot of times when [someone is] stuck, [they] might sometimes have feelings like ‘it’s not going to get better,’ [and they] don’t know what to do,” Balacco said. “There is support available to [students] and they can get help. There are things that they can do to begin to feel better and not be so alone.”
Friends of anyone dealing with mental health issues are encouraged to talk to a trusted adult, teacher, or guidance counselor if they have concerns for their friend. According to Guterman, it can be difficult for friends to know what to do.
“If a friend is really depressed or even suicidal, they might say, ‘Don’t tell anybody, promise you won’t tell anybody,’” Guterman said.“That’s a promise you should never keep.”
Guterman and Balacco assure that mental health is not an abnormal issue.
“Most people will struggle with some form of mental illness at some point in their life, or know someone that has, whether it’s depression or anxiety,” Balacco said. “I always compare it to having a broken bone or strep throat. You wouldn’t not seek out help for something like that.”
Guterman and Balacco recommend the IM Hear_ online instant messaging program, run by Samaritans suicide prevention services, to anyone looking for outside support.
“They provide support for people struggling with suicidal thoughts and depression,” Balacco said. “It’s only open certain hours of the day, so it’s not meant to be for a crisis or anything like that, but it’s really meant to be for teens to talk to other teens who are struggling with depression, or feeling alone, or stress.”
Guterman cautions against web searching mental health services, since many websites are not always reliable.
For non-emergency situations, they recommend two hotlines: Samariteen (1-800-252-TEEN) and Psychiatric Emergency Services (1-508-872-3333).
In an emergency, Guterman and Balacco recommend calling the local police.
Anyone looking to speak with a counselor should contact guidance.