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Asking for help can be hard for anyone, but reaching out to someone you trust can make a huge difference in your life. Sixteen-year-old Chloe found this out over the past year.

Like so many other kids, Chloe was having a difficult time dealing with the stressors of high school and the effects the pandemic had on her daily life. Trying to get through her sophomore year of high school became mentally challenging. She wasn’t able to spend as much time with her friends just relaxing and having fun. Most social activities as well as many athletic events were cancelled. All of these factors piled up and began taking a toll on Chloe.

She started feeling very anxious every morning after waking and would be physically ill either at home or at school. She started to have bouts of insomnia at night and many episodes of extreme sadness. She struggled with the thought of even getting out of bed. In a few weeks time she had lost 10% of her body weight and stopped attending school.

When Chloe first recognized she was experiencing depression and anxiety she tried to handle it herself. She did some research online and tried some of tips she found, but eventually, she realized that she needed outside help.

“When you feel like you’ve hit rock bottom, and the next day your rock bottom is even lower, it’s hard to keep going,” Chloe says. “You start to lose hope that it will ever end”.

Chloe’s next step was talking to her parents, Gigi and Tim, about how she was feeling. Gigi says that they were both very worried about their daughter when she reached out. “When she came to us asking for help, we knew that Chloe was in a bad place and it was probably pretty serious. It takes a lot for a teenager to come to their parents for help with their mental health, especially with the stigma that has historically been attached to these issues.”

Gigi and Tim first called Chloe’s pediatrician, who referred them to the Mental Health Resource Connection at Dayton Children’s. They got a list of providers, but the earliest appointment available was several months away. At first, they thought that Chloe may have been able to wait for the appointment. But Chloe bravely spoke up and told her parents, “I need help now.”

At her lowest point, Chloe’s family nearly brought her to Dayton Children’s Price Family Behavioral Crisis Center for emergency care. Luckily, Chloe was able to receive outpatient care just in time. But for kids struggling through a mental health crisis, the Center offers a safe haven, and care tailored to the needs of pediatric patients. Trained behavioral health clinicians provide an assessment and connect children to the appropriate services, getting them help quicker.

Thanks to their persistent search, Chloe got an appointment with a psychologist to talk openly about her anxiety and begin to get the help she needed, as well as learn several coping techniques. Breathing exercises helped calm her mind before going to sleep. Going for walks in nature with her dog helped her feel grounded. Being around others reminded her that she wasn’t alone. One of the most helpful techniques that Chloe worked on with her therapist was setting goals for each week -get some school work done, go to the grocery store, call a friend. These may seem simple to others, but accomplishing one of these goals is a big win for kids in Chloe’s position.

Accessing therapy and medical care was a huge part of why Chloe is feeling much better today. Chloe has returned to school, is doing very well in her classes, and has made many new friends! While she occasionally has tough days, she turns to her coping techniques to get her through it. She focuses on the small things that can’t ever be taken away from her, like a hot cup of tea, a warm bath, and the newfound inner strength she discovered through this process.

Looking back at her experience, Chloe hopes that other kids can be given more resources so they know how and where to get help when they need it. She says, “We have had some education through school about mental health, especially wellness and self-care, which was useful, but even more is needed to teach kids that asking for help is hard but it’s the brave thing to do and so worth it.”

Dayton Children’s On Our Sleeves program is dedicated to providing critical mental health education and resources to kids and families in our community. 1 in 5 kids has a mental health concern, and they can’t wait to receive the care they need. Donors like you are making these mental health resources possible now. Says Chloe, “It’s great to feel support from our community, and that there are people out there who care about people they have never met.”

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Learn more about the On Our Sleeves movement and make a gift to support mental and behavioral health services at Dayton Children's.

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