An eight-year-old boy has had to seek professional help after being diagnosed with depression.
The boy’s mother Stacey Mills first noticed her son Chesney’s behaviour change about six months ago when he started becoming angry, withdrawn and struggled to sleep at night.
Stacey added that Chesney’s moods had become increasingly difficult and that he didn’t want to go to school, preferring to stay home.
Speaking to the Hull Daily Mail, Stacey said:
Even when he was at school he was not joining in with activities or expressing himself.
I thought I was a bad parent. I thought it was something I had done wrong but it was just the way Chesney was feeling.
He said he feels alone and doesn’t know why. He said he thinks about sad things all the time. He thinks about losing his pets and that something is going to happen to his mummy or daddy. It’s heartbreaking.
He said he doesn’t know why he is thinking sad things and that he is scared of being alone. One minute he’ll be fine and the next he’ll be in tears.
Stacey, who has bipolar disorder herself, eventually realised something was seriously wrong with her son and she took him to the GP who diagnosed the young boy with depression.
She was then referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) who gave Chesney one-to-one support and certificates for attendance which encourages him to come in.
He also attends a group called ‘Wishes and feelings’ which helps children express their emotions when they don’t know how to and encourages them to be open with people.
Chesney is still awaiting an official mental health diagnosis, and although Stacey is confident he’ll start to get better, she has encouraged parents to not be afraid to look for help if they notice similar symptoms in their own children.
If you or anyone you know is suffering from mental health issues, there is help available. Charities like CALM and The Samaritans are available 24 hours a day to help those in need.
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.