Local parents and grandparents who want to support their children’s mental health can learn more at a program hosted by Atkinson Congregational Church.
Area mental health professionals will lead a discussion after guests watch the film, “What I Wish My Parents Knew.” It shows the individual struggles of 10 young people dealing with anxiety and depression.
“We’re living at a time when anxiety, depression, and suicide seem to be rising at an alarming rate in young people,” said Pastor Jim Thomas. According to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide rates for Americans ages 10 to 24 increased by 62% between 2007 and 2021, the latest date for which full statistics are available. “This event is meant to help parents and grandparents become more educated on sensitive mental health issues, while being able to ask questions and find resources in a safe environment,” Thomas said.
The program, run in cooperation with Southern Rockingham Coalition for Healthy Youth, is on Tuesday, May 14, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Atkinson Congregational Church, 101 Main St., Atkinson, N.H. Doors will open at 6 p.m., and light refreshments will be served before the program begins.