by Dr. Fred Harvey   

Each day in America, 2,805 children are arrested, and eight are killed with guns. More than 1.2 million public school children are homeless, and every 47 seconds, a child suffers neglect or abuse, according to the Children's Defense Fund (2017). Those statistics are likely even worse now in this post-pandemic era. Community building and nurturing programs offered by non-government organizations are a critical part of the solution. 

Adolescent mental illness is a serious problem. A significant proportion of kids, ages 3 to 17, are diagnosed with a mental disorder. 8.7% of this population is diagnosed with ADHD, 7.8% with anxiety, 7% with a behavioral disorder, and 3.4% with depression, according to the CDC. Teen suicide is the leading cause of death for youth, ages 10 to 24. In fact, 8% of high school students report trying to take their own lives in the past 12 months.  

Four out of five (80%) teens who attempt suicide have given clear warning signs. All of these conditions can stem from both genetic predisposition and environmental factors. It has been said that malnutrition and hostile parenting or neglect are the main causes for many of these mental health issues to present. 

Since these conditions hare often the result of nutritional changes and behavioral conditioning, both are also effective in helping to reduce symptoms and improve function. Evidence suggests that ADHD responds well to correcting nutritional imbalances. Nurture-based interventions can also result in significant improvements. Suicide prevention includes nurture-based intervention and community building.  

“Motivating the Teen Spirit” is one such organization that fosters nurture-based intervention and community building. Lisa Nichols began this ministry 28 years ago because she had an amazing vision of a world where every teen could access and choose personal empowerment. Through her programs, teens can experience self-love, communicate more effectively and make integrity-based decisions. 

Lisa Nicols’ son, Jelani Nichols, has taken this to the next level, facilitating in-person retreats for youth who want to experience a transformation. Jelani was a recent guest on my radio show, “The Healthy Steps Show,” during which we talked about these retreats and the adolescent mental health crisis at large.  

Experience the results that functional medicine can provide for your health and quality of life. Call Dr. Harvey’s office, Functional Medicine Florida (formerly known as The Harvey Center), at 941-929-9355 or visit FunctionalMedicineFlorida.com. To listen to the interview with Jelani Nicols, visit HealthyStepsShow.com. Dr. Fred Harvey is the Medical Director of Functional Medicine Florida. He is quadruple board-certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine, Functional Medicine, and Holistic-Integrative Medicine, specializing in chronic illness recovery and prevention, and defiant aging.