N.'s 14.5-year-old daughter tried to take her own life five months ago. After the attempt to harm herself, she was admitted consensually to a psychiatric ward, but since then she has been hospitalized even though her treatment in the ward has already ended. The reason: a long waiting line for psychological treatment, including private treatment, which prevents N. from providing treatment to her daughter outside of hospitalization.
"For the past two months, she's been living in closed ward, which means she doesn't see sunlight, doesn't breathe air, doesn't see her family, except for her parents, because only we are allowed to come and visit. She doesn't see her siblings and friends, she's cut off from school. Her life is limited to the structure of the department," N. says.
Sheba Psychiatric Department at Tel Hashomer (illustrative), photo: Gideon Markowitz
"It's hard for us to see her like that, she's so successful, friendly and accepted everywhere. She lives with children from very difficult backgrounds - no family at all, or parents who received restraining orders from their children," N. added, "I thought she would be released much sooner, I had already contacted therapists, and from the inquiries I made, I realized that I had no other answer to give her that was not hospitalization. In our city, the wait is between six and eight months."
N. added: "I'm on waiting lists for private psychologists that reach a year. I can release her home, but I don't have care for her here at home."
"There are a lot of suicides"
Dr. Hila Hadas, Photo: Tal Raviv
Dr. Hila Hadas, CEO of Enosh: "We see from the field distress that is deepening. The waiting lines are getting longer. Aggravating situations. We hear a lot about suicide. People come to Enosh's family centers and describe difficult situations and long waits for treatment, while in the meantime the situation of the child or teenager at home worsens."
She added: "Some parents keep their child in hospital because there is no response outside. It's a snowball and a hole that is getting deeper. It is possible that when a teenager comes to us, we will make an initial assessment and reach the conclusion that he needs more intensive treatment and there is no one to give him. Our response to youth in the community exists thanks to authorities and donors, and today we see how effective it is."
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