Calgary-based child and adolescent psychiatrist discusses youth mental health crisis in Canada

During the corner’s inquest into the death of 16-year-old Lexi Daken, her father, Chris, assessed his daughter’s trip to the hospital back on Feb. 18. The hospital did not admit Dakin.

“At that point, she had probably kind of given up,” he said on Tuesday.

Dr. Andrew Dutcher, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, is dedicated to assisting young people so they can find ways to "never" give up.

“I don’t think it’s easy, and that’s why we have our doctors, nurses, counselors, and family doctors,” said Dutcher from his office in Calgary.

Determining what is manageable childhood teenage anxiety and what could be a dangerous mental health crisis is challenging.

However, the magnitude of the problem is clear.

Recent statistics show suicide is the cause of more than 20 per cent of all deaths for youth in Canada, ages 15 to 24.

Social media is one contributing factor to a growing mental health crisis for young people in our country.

“These are unique challenges that you have to face nowadays, compared to what we had to face growing up,” said Dutcher, who added removing the stigma around discussing mental health has proven to be a positive benefit in recent years. “We are able to talk about these things, versus in the past when people would struggle in silence with these things.”

Dutcher has written a book, “Big Hearted Parenting, Even When it Seems Impossible.”

“It’s a book that is for helping people with not yelling at the kids and creating more loving home environment,” said Dutcher.

Dutcher notes youth mental health is often connected to a family’s mental health.

“It’s really just about getting the word out there about our mental health, and how to take care of our mental health,” said Dutcher, who also said promoting access to health care resources is critical to help youth get through some very tough times.