By Fernando Heller | EuroEFE.EURACTIV.es
The #pandemic has seen the number of diagnoses reduced and #mentalhealthservices for #children and young people become increasingly overcrowded, EURACTIV’s partner EFE reported.
The number of #mental and #behavioraldisorders among #children has tripled during the #COVID-19 #pandemic, with 3% experiencing #suicidalthoughts in 2021, the Spanish branch of Save the #Children warned on Tuesday.
The #pandemic has seen the number of diagnoses reduced and #mentalhealthservices for #children and young people become increasingly overcrowded, EURACTIV’s partner EFE reported.
According to the Save the #Children report analysing #mentalhealth and #suicide among Spain’s #children and #adolescents, #children living in low-income households are four times more likely to suffer from #mental and/or #behavioraldisorders than those in high-income households.
According to the report, #mentaldisorders in Spain have increased from 1% to 4% among #children aged 4-14 and from 2.5% to 7% for conduct disorders compared to official data from 2017.
“The #pandemic has brought new worries, fears and unhappiness into the lives of #children and has highlighted the magnitude of #mentalhealthproblems in Spain”, said Save the #Children’s director-general in Spain, Andrés Conde.
“The situations that lead #children to #suicide are serious family conflicts and divorces, problems of #bullying by peers, humiliation and abuse, #loneliness, disappointment in love, the death of family members, #school failure and the pressure to avoid that failure, and discrimination based on #sexualorientation,” Conde explained.
In 2020, 61 #children committed #suicide in Spain, the NGO reported.
#James Donaldson notes:
Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.
Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.
Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle
Order your copy of James Donaldson’s latest book,
Celebrating Your Gift of Life:
From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy
“Today (In Spain) there are fewer #suicides than 30 years ago, the fall is very pronounced until 2008, but from that year onwards there was an upturn that lasted a decade”, Conde added.
The NGO found that Spain is one of the OECD countries with the lowest rates of #child #suicide, but its health system and #mentalhealthservices for #children and young people are not sufficiently equipped for the challenge ahead.
In some regions like Murcia in the southeast and Madrid, getting a clinical #psychology consultation can take more than two months. Only 60% of public hospitals have #psychological care, and the ratio of #psychiatrists per inhabitant is among the lowest in the EU.
“Waiting lists for #psychological or #psychiatric care become a bottleneck as the disorder often worsens or becomes chronic,” the NGO also said.
James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
JamesD@StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
1-800-745-3161 (voicemail & fax)
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
