Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Mental Health

Hello,

First time posting on the forums so be easy! I am really looking to get into Mental Health. The ideal career is working with mainly teenagers with mental health issues to help them cope with whatever they are going through while they are young. I am also interested in working with people with Substance abuse. I have found a lot of adults with substance abuse started when they were young.

I looked into Mental Health Nursing but also want to know if there is any other routes I can take that isnt nursing that anyone knows of?

I am just so fascinated by the way our brains work and all the different mental health issues that there is. I really dont think anyone should go through life thinking they are alone and they have no one to help them, or no one cares. I currently volunteer with a charity that supports addicts getting clean and their families and have recently applied to the Samaritans.

I look forward to your replies!

Thanks

Reply 1

Cheesychips1

Doctor - there's also medicine to become a Psychiatrist, you can specialise in children and young adults mental health, known as CAMHS, or in substance abuse.
Peer support - working within a charity such as Mind, but that normally requires a personal experience of mental health problems or substance abuse problems (depending on what the group is).
Counselling - self explanatory, and seems to fit what you're saying? Quite a competitive career I believe
Clinical psychologist - different to medicine, often requires a PHD, can deliver CBT and things, often present on the wards in Psychiatric units, and are out-patient based too
Social worker - can work mainly in children's and families
Carer - helping deliver the practical aspects of day to day life for someone living with mental health problems
TBH there's loads of supportive roles within the mental health system - such as working at houses that allow people to step down from a Psychiatric inpatient unit, advocating for people with mental health problems (advocacy worker), being a youth worker, being an appropriate adult, a care co-ordinator, etc

Maybe volunteer with some mental health specific charities like Mind, and see what sort of job roles people have. You could also try and get work experience shadowing a Psychiatrist or mental health nurse, but this might be very difficult to arrange.

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