Today I'm sharing the rest of the story. Except it's not my story to tell. It's my daughter's.
Norah spent three days in the pediatric psychiatric ward of a local hospital. She is now home, back at school, and doing well. I'm proud of her for recognizing that she needed help and asking for it. I'm grateful to the faculty and staff at her school for listening to her and calling us so that we could get her the help that she needed.
Before you get all over me for sharing something that is so private and personal to her, Norah willingly and bravely shared her story on this week's episode of our podcast, The Norah and Dad Show. It was 100 percent idea her idea to use our show as a forum to discuss her experience in an effort to reach others who might be in crisis and to spread awareness of teen mental health issues (which have increased 50 percent since the start of the pandemic).
In this episode, Norah and I discuss what led her to seek help, what her time in the hospital was like (therapy 👍 / food 👎), and what she and we learned from the experience.
Here's the favor I'm asking of you today. After you listen to this episode, share it with your network. Put it on your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn, text it to people you know, tell people about it when you speak to them, whatever you need to do to spread the word about our current mental health crisis.
Norah was so brave to share her story and it needs to be heard. Whether you realize it or not, you know someone who is struggling and will benefit from listening. That someone might even be you.
You'll find this week's episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Facebook (mobile app only), Google Podcasts, on the web, or wherever you get your podcasts.
If you or someone you know is in need of mental health resources, here are a few that can help:
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: suicidepreventionlifeline.org; 800-273-8255
- National Alliance on Mental Health: nami.org; info@nami.org; 800-950-NAMI; or in a crisis, text "NAMI" to 741741
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: samhsa.gov; 800-662-HELP (4357)
- Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services: mha.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/mha; Ohio CareLine: 800-720-9616