Young people's mental health

Birdie learned about a residential treatment program for eating disorders and was hopeful when they were admitted after time on a wait list. A week into the program, COVID-19 hit and everyone was sent home. Zoom sessions weren’t the same, and living at home, away from care providers, only allowed their symptoms to thrive. But why were bars and nail salons allowed to open while people with eating disorders couldn’t access medical care? Find out what happened when Birdie realized that they needed to advocate for their care.

Wondering when toilet paper will be in stock again, trying to access mental health services that have reduced capacity or even closed, fighting to keep a normal routine despite changes like work and school from home—like many families, Lori experiences a lot more anxiety these days. But despite the challenges, her family is finding its way, adapting to the new challenges, finding resilience, and reconnecting with each other.

Jim’s son Joe was always hyperactive and needed extra support. The stress ended Jim’s marriage and Joe went to live with his mother. When Joe was eight, Jim received a call from the Ministry of Children and Family Development: he could take Joe full-time or allow Joe to go into care. Jim had to be there for his son no matter what. A Child and Youth Mental Health team helped, but it wasn’t always consistent—Jim often had to quit work to take care of Joe because he couldn’t afford specialized support. Joe is now an adult and has aged out of some supports, but Jim is still fighting to find the right help.

Bailee lives in Smithers, in northwest BC, and is in Grade 9. In high school, she started to get into drugs. A lot of families can’t afford activities like dance or sports, so drugs and alcohol are a way to have fun. Bailee has been in and out of foster care since she was four, and her worker at the Ministry of Children and Family Development is a great support no matter what’s going on. Now Bailee is ready to learn how to deal with everything she’s experienced and find balance.

Navjot grew up in the Okanagan in a multigenerational Punjabi home with strong ties to India. She felt like she didn’t belong in either world. With little support from others, she started to drink alcohol and attempted suicide a year later. That created a constant tug-of-war between traditional healing and Western health systems, and even more pressure to hide her experiences from others. Navjot felt like she had to stay silent, but she now works to break the stigma and find healing in the space between two cultures.