The word “crisis” comes up a lot whenever children and young people’s mental health is mentioned. Whether it’s youngsters in desperate need of acute care being sent hundreds of miles away for treatment due to local bed shortages, failure to receive help even after their GP has referred them for specialist care, or enduring problems with NHS child and adolescent mental health services (Camhs), patients under 18 find it increasingly difficult to access the support they need.

Young people’s mental health is a ‘worsening crisis’. Action is needed | Mary O’Hara Read more

Today, for the first time, the Office for National Statistics is publishing figures on children and young people’s views and experiences of loneliness and how to overcome it. Separately, NHS Digital figures published last week found that as of the end of August, 213,702 children were referred to or being seen by children and young people’s mental health services. In all, one in eight young people between five and 18 in England has a mental health disorder. While the government has repeatedly said that youth mental health is a priority and has pledged to do more, especially around early intervention, the reality is that for many of those seeking help, long waits and inadequate services are the norm.

“Growing numbers of young people are seeking mental health support, meaning that an already over-stretched system is a long way from meeting demand,” says Emma Thomas, the chief executive of the charity Young Minds. “This can have devastating consequences. Every child who reaches out for support should be able to get the help they need.” We talked to young adults about their experiences of seeking help and accessing mental health services while under 18 and asked them what they feel needs to change.

Katie Scott, 21

I was about 16 when I started to restrict my eating. The GP referred me to Camhs. So, it was literally six sessions of CBT [cognitive behavioural therapy]. That was all they could offer. It was just kind of generic and I didn’t really benefit from it at all. The referral wasn’t quick – I think it took about four or five months [to get my appointment].

Initially I was diagnosed with an eating disorder. Then they monitored me for six months while my weight got lower and lower. And then as soon as I hit a BMI below 17.5 they diagnosed me with anorexia. So it was kind of like they were just waiting for me to hit the criteria.

I felt like it was a lot worse than it would have been if I’d got the treatment earlier. I ended up in inpatient treatment. I was in an adolescent unit for seven months. And then I transferred to an adult unit for eight more months. They decided that I needed more secure and more specific treatment. I wanted to be referred to another adolescent unit but they said there wouldn’t be sufficient time for me to recover properly before I turned 18 and would have to be moved again. The adult service was much further away. It was about four hours from my home. I was 17. The next youngest person was 27. There were no people my age. It was quite stressful and quite isolating, I suppose. I think it did set me back a few months.

I think there should be a more flexible approach. Because they are just like, ‘oh you’re 18, you’re an adult now’.

Oli Bredski, 18

When I started struggling I was 16. I told my parents and initially I went to see someone private. I was diagnosed with moderate depression and anxiety. After six months I felt comfortable to be discharged. Then, a few months later, I felt really low again, got really bad mentally – and in November 2017 I attempted to take my own life. And that’s when I started to use mental health services rather than go private.

My experience with services was really poor, to be honest. Other than the home referral team coming round, it was a really difficult thing. The main problem I had was that I was 17. So, I was too old for child services but too young for adult services, which start at 18. So I kind of fell between the cracks and there wasn’t really enough being offered.

There needs to be a clear interim stage. You can’t turn around to someone who has literally been so close to ending their own life and tell them you’re just going to have to wait a month, maybe even more, before we can try and sort you out. You just can’t do that. So there needs to be an interim service where somebody is constantly checking up. Even if it’s to arrange something with the GP where you have a weekly appointment.

Karla Threfall, 21

When I look back now to when I was 16 and 17, you notice loads of little warning signs. But for some reason I just couldn’t go in to college any more. It was really sort of strange, out of the blue. I think my mum knew at the time when the first panic attack happened, what it was. I went to the doctor, I was dead lucky. You hear these horror stories, but my doctor was really understanding and it was her who referred me to Camhs.

However, I was placed on a waiting list and then we got told there weren’t any appointments. There basically wasn’t a spot for any treatment. A year later I couldn’t go into college at all. The doctor referred me to adult services. I got CBT and was given anti-anxiety medication.

I think there is still a bit of a stigma around mental health but I think there have been more people taking it seriously rather than just going, ‘oh no, you’re fine, pull yourself together’, that kind of thing.

Tom Rebair, 23

I was about 12, doing things in certain rituals, certain ways. I wasn’t diagnosed then, but that’s when my obsessive compulsive disorder started. Then when I was about 15 or 16, that’s when the anorexia started. I had a lot of family troubles and stuff and I was going through a death, a close death. It kind of led to me going to the gym. It began as a social, healthy activity, but then I started going nearly every day. Definitely part of my OCD as well.

We went to my local GP and I was, like everyone else, put on a long waiting list [for Camhs]. It was probably two or three months if not longer. At the time we didn’t really know what I was dealing with: I hadn’t been diagnosed. But eventually I did get seen. I met up with this therapist, had one appointment. At the end of it she said ‘I’m going on holiday for six weeks’. We were all in shock. Why had they put me on to someone who was going on holiday for six weeks when I’m just starting?

After a couple of weeks my physical health started to really deteriorate. I had an emergency appointment and I went in. I was in a general hospital. There was no mental health support. After that, I was able to get hold of a local service that really helped me.

Anyone can get a mental illness. It doesn’t matter who you are. I don’t want other people to suffer in silence like I have.

• Mary O’Hara is the author of Austerity Bites and Los Angeles Press Club International Columnist of the Year

• In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international suicide helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.