• 9 year old Elizabeth’s parents are going through an acrimonious divorce. Although they both have tried to reassure her, she feels afraid and abandoned.
• John is 11 years old and having academic and social problems in school. It seems as though, with each passing year, he falls further and further behind his classmates and becomes increasingly isolated.
• Janet is 16 years old and pregnant. She has no idea of how she will manage. The baby’s father is no longer in the picture so she faces this crisis situation alone.
• Lester is a handsome 17 year old boy. He has begun to “hang out” until the late hours. His parents found medication missing from their medicine cabinet and are worried that he is using drugs and alcohol.
• Maryellen is a new mother. She is unexpectedly having feelings of severe depression and often avoids contact with her new son.

At North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, we work with many young people who are going through tough times. In fact, 1 in 5 kids nationwide have problems like depression, anxiety and worry. Some kids are so desperate they think about hurting themselves.

If you are experiencing a number of warning signs over a period of time, don’t be ashamed to ask your parents or school counselors about getting help.

Here are the warning signs to look for:

• Grades are dropping
• Mood swings that don’t fit the situation
• Frequent loss of temper
• Feelings of intense sadness
• Thoughts about hurting yourself or someone else
• Losing interest in activities
• Sudden change in friends or avoidance of positive friendships
• Deliberately trying not to fit in with peers
• Becoming secretive
• Failing to go along with rules and limits
• Feeling the need to avoid consequences for misbehavior
• Turning to lying
• Experimenting with alcohol and drugs
• More surly and defiant than ever
• Spending too much time alone or sleeping

With the proper help things can get easier. Using mental health counseling is a sign of strength and maturity as opposed to weakness or failure. And, when you come to the right place for help, you will feel better and your life will improve. We can be that place for you or for someone you care about who needs help.