When I pick up the phone during my shift at Samaritans, my heart drops into the pit of my stomach if I hear a young voice.
Part of me fervently wishes it’s a prank.
Sometimes it is, and sometimes it’s not.
Today’s article on BBC about student #suicide breaks my heart because mental health among university students aren’t talked about very much at the moment.
During this pandemic, there is an unspoken assumption that they may be the more resilient demographic.
We forget that they are like birds that have left the safety of the family nest.
Quite a few will have had helicopter parents who have mollycoddled them, told them they are special and that they can do anything they want to.
Many will get a shock when they get to university and find that their expectations do not match reality, and it can be a hard pill to swallow.
Those who struggle may feel the need to hide their difficulties from their parents, fearing disappointment and shame at their failure to thrive.
They call #Samaritans because there is no one else to turn to, and I find it very sad. They look grown up but they aren’t quite there yet.
Keep your channels of communication open with your grown up child.
Don’t judge them, for they are trying their best.
Be kind.
They need it. 🌹