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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
As told to Denis Campbell

‘Young people having a mental health crisis are just dismissed’

Boy in silhouette
‘I just hope that we never have to go through a crisis like that again.’ Photograph: Alamy

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.

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