BOYS SILENT CRISIS

1. Lara Melrose and MaddieHeiser BOYS SILENT CRISIS

2. Someone, somewhere, commits suicide every 18 minutes.

3. Mental Health “is a state of wellbeing in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”

4. Statistics The statistics on teen depression are sobering • 1 in 5 children have some sort of mental, behavioral, or emotional problem • 1 in 10 may have a serious emotional problem. • 1 in 8 adolescents may suffer from depression. • 30% receive any sort of intervention or treatment. • 70% simply struggle through the pain of mental illness or emotional turmoil, doing their best to make it to adulthood. • 1 in 6 Australian men suffer from depression at any given time

5. Females vs Males • Four times more young men than young women commit suicide (ABS, 2000) • Men are more than twice as likely as women to have substance use disorders (11% compared with 4.5%) • Alcohol disorders being three times more common than drug use disorders. • Men are affected by schizophrenia • women tend to experience later onset • fewer periods of illness • better recovery

6. Teenage boys are less likely to seek help or recognize that they suffer from depression, probably due to different social expectations for boys and girls • girls are encouraged to express their feelings • The experience of male depression is complicated by the fact • men are more likely than women to shy away from medical treatment • Instead of discussing psychological problems, or seeking appropriate treatment • Men turn to alcohol or drugs • In the past 30 years, the suicide rate for males aged 15 to 24 years tripled.

7. Women experience depression at double the rate of men • Men are three times as likely to commit suicide than women • most common among men who are separated, widowed, divorced. • 1 in 7 men will develop depression • Unemployed • Retired • Men diagnosed with depression are at double the risk of cardiovascular problems in the next five years.

8. Signs and Symptoms • A persistent sadness, anxiousness or "empty" mood. • Changes in sleep patterns (sleeping too little or too much). • Changes in eating patterns (reduced appetite and weight loss or increased appetite and weight gain). • Loss of interest or pleasure in activities that you once enjoyed. • Restlessness or irritability. • Persistent physical symptoms (such as headaches, chronic pain, or digestive disorders) that don't respond to treatment. • Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions. • Fatigue or lack of energy. • Feelings of guilt, hopelessness or worthlessness. • Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.

9. I get frightened or panicked for no apparent reason. • I have crying spells, or feel like crying often. • I am restless and can't keep still. • I feel anxious. • I am agitated and keep moving around. • I feel fatigued. • I am more irritable than usual. • I have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. • I wake up early in the morning and cannot go back to sleep. • I have trouble sleeping through the night. • I don’t care about being attractive to women/men. • My mind is not as clear as it used to be. • I feel useless. • My life is empty and without meaning. • I feel that others would be better off if I were dead • My future seems hopeless. • It is difficult for me to concentrate on reading. • I feel sad, blue, and unhappy. • It takes great effort for me to do simple things. • I feel like a failure. • I feel lifeless -- more dead than alive. • I spend time thinking about dying. • I feel trapped or caught. • I have lost or gained weight without trying to diet. • The joy has gone out of my life. • I have difficulty making decisions. • I feel low in energy or slowed down. • I have difficulty concentrating and making decisions. • I often feel blue, even when good things happen to me. • I feel worthless and inadequate. • I have lost interest in aspects of life that used to be important to me. • I have thought about wanting to kill myself.

10. Suicide is not the answer! 
Suicide is a permanent solution for a temporary situation

11. The consequences of untreated depression can be increased incidence of depression in adulthood, involvement in the criminal justice system, or in some cases, suicide. • Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people ages 15 to 24 • Suicide is the sixth leading cause of death among children ages 5-14 • These struggling teens often receive no counseling, therapy, or medical intervention which can be effective • Many parents simply do not realise the symptoms of depression, even those with good communication

12. Adolescence is a stressful experience for all teens. It is a time of physical and social change with hormones producing rapid mood swings from sadness to elation. Lack of life experience may result in impulsive behavior or poor decisions. • Even an emotionally healthy youngster may have constant fears of "not being good enough"

13. Stories That level of Depression can show itself as sadness, an inability to participate, a “short fuse” to avoid becoming involved, a propensity to surround oneself in the cocoon of a bedroom surrounded by items of familiarity– but particularly for males, not the desire to tell others about how they are really feeling. Most of us at some point live with that and it becomes soon forgotten and overtaken by more immediate concerns – good and bad – but for many, it’s the beginning of their new life.

14. PROFESSIONAL OPINION Dr Peta StapletonClinical Psychologist

16. The Story of Nicholas Marshall 18th October 1991 – 24th February 2010

17. He had everything going for him… • 18 years old • Popular • Strong and supportive family • Large friendship group • Loving girlfriend • Stable Apprenticeship in Carpentry • Dreams to be a builder • Brilliant at Art

18. Interview with Laird 4th October 2011 • www.preventyouthsuicide.com.au in conjunction with Griffith University Multimedia IT students • $20,000 website • Strategic Document 18months of work • Appear Current • Target audience 16-21 males and females (at risk) middle class

19. Services beyondblue not relating • This market were not relating to services minor-large issues • Communication hub over time work with extensive organisations – redbull • Research measuring the difference it does or doesn’t make to the target audience • Half money will go to research they are the most credential • Affinity towards certain people • Website is first step so people can see the progress

20. Real person linkage • Bring in personality • Build apps etc • Money well spent • People Can be anonymous or use their name

21. Research

22. Over 2000 suicides a year in Australia, potentially many more with some deaths being marked as ‘inconclusive’. • This is significantly exceeds Road Toll • Why does the government put millions of dollars into car accidents and minimal into prevention of suicide. • When people are in car crashes etc it is an accident suicide is the polar opposite as at that moment that person knows exactly what they are doing • If we can somehow collate, combine and create a road map for the plethora of services and advice, into a central focus point that can really impact on those who may be, or know someone at risk, then isn’t that the ideal solution for those looking for answers? Right here and right now? Ten minutes later can be too late.

23. 90% of us think suicide as illogical whilst the other 10% have considered it • The RIP Nick Marshall site has now 800 members – so far they have helped 3 peers battle with the belief of life being no longer worth living • The website shows how effective social media and having people to relate to can make a difference • Research indicates that this is a growing problem

24. Laird MarshallFather of Nick Marshall

25. Georgie MarshallMother of Nick Marshall

26. Preventing Youth Suicide The role of educators – • Always maintain a safe and supportive classroom • Be aware of any behaviour changes • Lack of interest in school or activities thayyour studentsmay regularly participate in • Changes in mood • Freefalling grades • Understand the lives of students outside of school • For example – the loss of a loved one or pet

27. PROFESSIONAL OPINION

28. Lyn WoolleyHigh School Teacher

29. QCT Standards • Standard Four – Design and implement learning experiences that value diversity Teachers value, acknowledge and build on student and community diversity, know the diverse characteristics of the students they teacher, and plan and implement learning experiences that are inclusive.

30. Standard Six – Support personal development and participation in society Teachers plan and implement learning experiences that support students personal development and active engagement in the world, including the world beyond school

31. Standard Seven – Create and maintain safe and supportive learning environments Teachers understand individual and group motivation and behaviour, and create safe, supportive and stimulation learning environments that promote positive social interaction and active engagement in learning

32. Standard Eight – Foster positive and productive relationships with families and the community Teachers build professional relationships with families, caregivers and other community members to support student learning, enhance student wellbeing and strengthen and enrich teaching and learning programs

33. Standard Ten – commit to reflective practice and ongoing professional renewal Teachers are reflective practitioners who establish professional learning goals, actively peruse learning opportunities for individual and collegial professional renewal and meet the legal and ethical obligations of the profession

34. “If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”
Chinese Proverb