Pat's Answer

How do I ask a parent for help?

Your Question

how do I ask a parent for help? I’ve been struggling alot mentally and I think I should see a therapist.

Answer

Hello, you are very welcome to Ask Pat.  

Thank you for sharing what has been going on for you. It can be very difficult to do this, but we know how great it is for young people to talk about their problems.   

You have asked how you can ask a parent for help as you have been struggling a lot mentally and think you need to see a therapist. You have said that the last two times you have asked your parent, she said she believed you but keeps forgetting and you are unsure how to make her listen. It sounds like you have a lot going on for you at the minute. Your mental health is so important, and you have the right to receive support and access advice that will help you.  

You say you feel nervous/uncomfortable talking about how you feel because you never talk about those things and are unsure what to say. It is important to remember that you have a right to be heard and your feelings matter. Parents could provide you with emotional support and/or accompany you to your local GP or help you get in touch with an organisation that specialises in assisting young people going through a tough time. However, we understand that it can be difficult to speak to those closest to us about how we are feeling and that it can be uncomfortable if we have done so already but have little to show for it. Perhaps it may help if you write your parent a letter. In it, you could let her know how you feel and that you would like some support for your mental health. You could mention that you have asked before and would appreciate it if there could be a discussion about how to proceed with this request. If you do not feel ready to reach out to her again, either in person or through a letter, is there another trusted adult like a coach, teacher, grandparent or aunt/uncle that you can talk to about how you are feeling?  

If you feel that you cannot talk to anyone around you just yet, maybe you would like to talk with us here at Childline? The Childline Team would really love to listen to you. You are welcome to talk to us by phone on 1800 66 66 66, by text to 50101, or through our web chat on www.childline.ie. Childline is here for you anytime; we are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The services are free and confidential. We are non-judgmental, and we will not tell you what to do. We can help you explore what options may be available to you.  

There are also some articles about how to ask for help, why it’s a good idea to do so and how to boost your mood on the Childline website that you may find helpful:  https://www.childline.ie/not-sure-how-to-ask-for-help-heres-what-to-do/; https://www.childline.ie/3-ways-talking-can-improve-your-mental-wellbeing/; https://www.childline.ie/8-ways-to-instantly-improve-your-mood/  

Thank you for reaching out to us. We are here to listen, and we are here for you whenever you would like to chat. Please get in touch with us soon.  

Take care of yourself,     

Pat 

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