MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Alabama is in the midst of a mental health crisis. Young people today are more anxious, more lonely and more depressed than any generation before them.
"The youth mental health crisis, honestly, is just out of control," said Kim Boswell, Commissioner of Alabama's mental health department.
Boswell says many of the mental health challenges we face are a result of the way we live our lives. She points to a shift in our behavior, from the previous norm of engaging with others to a new trend of isolation. Children in the past played outside with friends. Now kids spend more time alone, often with their smart devices. One study says children spend an average of nine hours a day in front of a screen.
"We know in our field that connectedness is one of the most important things when it comes to mental health," Boswell says. "And yet, we know that we have an epidemic of loneliness in our nation."
And loneliness can sometimes lead to tragedy. Students who struggle with their mental health sometimes act out violently, harming themselves or others.
Since 2004, around the time smartphones became widely available, the number of girls treated in emergency rooms for self-harm has increased by 188%. The number of boys treated is up 48%. Doctors report a significant rise in the number anxiety and depression cases as well.
Boswell offered this advice:
"The main thing I say to patients is, 'put the phones down.' That's for kids and parents. Go outside and do things with your kids. Make connections in your community. Be engaged with your community."
To complicate matters, mental health diagnoses among children sometimes come with coexisting conditions, which can make treatment more difficult. For example, Boswell says children who suffer from mental illness may also have autism or an intellectual disability.
"And trying to assist a person who has all of those things going on is a struggle," she said.
But Alabama is making strides in streamlining its mental healthcare system. In recent years, the state legislature and mental health department have made revolutionary improvements.
In the past, patients who called 911 while in a mental health crisis were taken to a hospital emergency room or to jail. Neither location offered the kind of treatment they needed. Now patients have access to one of six mental health crisis centers around the state, located in Birmingham, Dothan, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa.
The mental health department also has community centers around the state, which offer non-emergency treatments. All centers are available to patients whether or not they have health insurance.
"The commitment from the governor and the legislature to fund these services really is unprecedented around the nation," Boswell said.
For more information about how to navigate the system, patients can dial 988. The three-digit phone number provides callers with access to all sorts of resources. Operators can assist with almost any request, from a desperate plea for emergency help to a simple question about community resources.
"With 988, they can get access to our crisis system of care," Boswell explained. "Or if they just need that outpatient appointment, or they just need to know where their local AA or Al-Anon meeting is."
Other recent changes in Alabama impact mental healthcare in our schools. To better address the needs of students, most school systems in the state now employ mental health service coordinators. And at some schools, students now have access to professional therapists, in addition to traditional guidance counselors.
"That really began because of a school shooting," Boswell said.
There are even mental health consultants now for Alabama's pre-kindergarten program. They can be called into a classroom to determine whether a child's misbehavior is a sign of a more serious problem.
While much has been accomplished in the state's mental health care system, there are still areas that need improvement. Increasing the number of school resource officers in Alabama and expanding mental health care options in rural areas are two of the challenges of the future.
We will examine those challenges and others as we embark on a new reporting series at WSFA 12 News. 'Under Pressure: Stressed Out in Alabama' will provide insight and advice about a variety of topics, from suicide and psychosis to substance abuse and job stress. We'll be posting our stories in the coming weeks in this special section of our website.
And don't forget, if you or someone you know is ever in need of mental health advice or treatment, simply dial 988.