According to 2025 data published by the World Mental Health Organization:
- One in seven adolescents (ages 10 – 19) lives with a mental disorder
- Depression, anxiety, and behavioral disorders are among the leading causes of illness and disability in teens
- Suicide is the third leading cause of death among people aged 15 – 29
(Data Source: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health)
When parents see these alarming youth mental health statistics, many believe that, while all of this is real and concerning, nothing like that could ever happen in their family.
They believe their kids are safe, and that’s because, “they have a roof over their heads, food on the table, and opportunities previous generations could only dream of; they’ll be fine. Sure, they’re teens, and conversations at this age aren’t always easy. But if something was wrong, I’d notice. I believed that too. Until it happened to my family.”
Then there’s another group of parents: those who know their child is struggling but have no idea how to help. Every attempt to connect ends in silence or frustration. They’re desperate to keep everything together while seeking mental health professionals and resources to help their child.
I used to be part of the first group of parents. I believed in a strong relationship, providing everything my kids needed, and spending quality time would protect them. I had four kids and a solid bond with each of them, including my youngest, Ryan — a bright, funny, warm-hearted boy who brought so much joy wherever he went.
I never imagined my life would become this mission. I never planned to spend my days on stages, in schools, or in front of cameras talking about youth mental health. Like most parents, I believed love, stability, and an open door were enough; that if something was wrong, my kids would feel safe coming to me.
Despite it all, in 2018, I lost my 14-year-old son, Ryan… and the world I knew shattered.
There are moments when the floor drops out, and everything you believed about parenting and connection no longer makes sense. For me, this moment raised questions that changed everything: How could a child who was loved, cared for, and supported, feel that his only choice was to end it all? How had I missed the signs if I knew him so well?
Those questions led me down a path I never planned to walk. This is the reason I create films, speak to families, and founded my nonprofit, Tell My Story. The silence that took my son is the same silence claiming so many kids every year — and parents often don’t know how to break it.
What I Learned After Losing My Son
In few months after Ryan’s passing, I met with teenagers, mental health professionals, and families across the country. They all said the same thing: kids are struggling quietly, and parents aren’t seeing the signs, or don’t know how to address them.
Today’s teenagers live inside a pressure system most adults have never faced the same way. They’re overwhelmed by comparison and digital noise, and unequipped to face this constant information overload. Many also lack the emotional and practical tools earlier generations developed through real-world experiences of trial and error.
But what struck me most was this: many teens don’t want to tell their parents about their struggles because they don’t want to be a burden. They believe their pain would worry or disappoint us — not because we don’t love them, but because we rarely show them that we struggle, too.
As parents, we often hide our hardships to appear strong, thinking we’re protecting our kids. But in doing so, our kids might feel like they’re the only ones struggling. When we appear invincible, they believe they have to be, too.
Key Insights From the ‘Tell My Story Documentary’
All of this became the foundation for Tell My Story, to shine a light on what we’re missing. Across a year of filming and listening, several truths stood out. Each one deserves its own column, but here’s what parents need to know:
- Kids are more digitally connected than ever — and more emotionally disconnected than ever. Social media gives the illusion of belonging while deepening isolation. A thousand followers can’t replace one real connection.
- We’re seeing a decline in resilience. Children protected from discomforts struggle to manage pain. They don’t need to be rescued and shielded: they need tools to navigate life.
- Parents often miss the signs. Depression doesn’t always look like sadness; it can show up as irritability, perfectionism, or exhaustion.
- Conversations save lives. Talking about suicide opens the door to safety, trust, and presence.
- Connecting is healing. Movement, community, and shared experiences have a big, positive impact on mental health.
My Mission Now — And the Purpose of This Column
I don’t want my son’s story to be in vain. His impact goes far beyond his life — and this is my mission and responsibility.
I talk to my parents because I now know what I didn’t know back then. Tell My Story exists to help parents, educators and communities learn to see what we miss so often, and better support our youth.
This isn’t about tragedy; it’s about connection, action, and hope. Every time a parent tells me they started a conversation because of something they saw in our films, I know I am still doing the work Ryan asked me to do.
What Now?
If you’re a parent reading this, know that you don’t need to be perfect – you just have to be present.
Put your phone and work aside and have conversations. Ask questions, check in, and listen — not to reply, but to understand.
One of the most powerful messages you can give your children is simple: I’m here, I won’t judge you. You can tell me anything.
We can’t undo the past and what we’ve lost, but we can have an impact on the future.. As long as I have a voice, I will keep using it: for Ryan, for your kids, and for every young person who deserves to grow up knowing they are valued, loved, supported, and never alone.
About the author:
Jason Reid is a storyteller, entrepreneur, and advocate for youth mental health. After losing his teenage son Ryan to suicide, he founded Tell My Story, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping parents and teens connect through honest conversations and powerful media. Through Mental Wellness Media, he produces impactful projects like Tell My Story and SHIFT: Do What Moves You, which celebrates young people discovering resilience and joy through creativity.
Jason also co-founded Uplift at Work, a workplace mental health training program that helps companies build thriving, high-performing teams through an evidence-based curriculum developed in partnership with the University of Oxford.
In business, Jason serves as Co-Founder and Co-CEO of National Services Group, the parent company of College Works Painting and EmpireWorks Reconstruction, employing more than 2,500 people nationwide. He is also a Partner at CEO Coaching International, where he coaches executives on growth and leadership strategies, and the Founder of Oak Hollow Studios, a creative hub producing documentary films and music videos featured on Amazon Prime and PBS.
An Ironman triathlete, black belt in Taekwondo, and author of eight books, Jason credits his success to surrounding himself with exceptional people who allow him to focus on his highest and best use—helping others grow, lead, and live with purpose.
