A mother recounts how she took her son to hospital only to be told no bed was available in a specialist unit
- Warning: contains content that some may find distressing
- Children in England at clear risk ‘cannot get mental health bed’
My son was diagnosed with autism at the age of nine, had a tough time at school and with family issues, and at 13 began to isolate himself away and would go into periods of depression.
But that was nothing compared to what he was like when he turned 16. A relationship breakdown saw him become suicidal. He stopped wanting to interact with anyone, to the point that he would react badly if I even asked him about his day.
In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123, or email [email protected] or [email protected]. 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 helplines can be found at befriend.
