A mental health crisis blighting the lives of young people in Scotland and crippling emergency services has been exposed in a new documentary series.
A shocking 80per cent of police callouts now involve no criminality with time increasingly taken up by public safety concerns and wellbeing checks.
And Reported Missing paints a shocking picture of the battle to respond to the rocketing number of youth mental health emergencies.
View 4 ImagesThe BBC programme follows officers in a race to trace 16-year-old Larissa(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Blast Films)
The BBC programme follows officers in a race to trace 16-year-old Larissa, who has bipolar disorder and left home wearing only her pyjamas after an argument.
After a frantic search teenager — who has been under the care of mental health services since the age of five — is discovered in hospital following an overdose.
Speaking after being discharged three days later, Larissa said: “I’m on my medicine, I’m still taking them and I’m much better.
“It felt like a movie. I was watching snippets of my life. I went out the gate, I crossed the bridge and woke up the next morning.
“I didn’t know what was happening. I did not know where I was. I decided to go to a shop and tried to take my own life. And it almost worked, but somebody found me.
“I believe that talking about mental illness is one of the best things to do. I’m not afraid of saying ‘yes, I am bipolar. I’m trying to do better.
“When you live your whole life feeling that way, and you finally have some peace, you don’t want to go back there. You just want to feel peace again. You don’t want to feel this madness.
“For young people who do have mental illness, coming from me — someone who has dealt with it their whole life — I would say this: when somebody asks for help, you don’t say ‘maybe later’. You’ve got to do it now.”
View 4 ImagesThe latest series of Reported Missing will be available on BBC iPlayer from Tuesday (Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Blast Films)
Police Scotland are inundated with almost 700 mental health-related incidents every day.
Official data shows 61,188 incidents were recorded between April and June — representing almost 18 per cent of all reports made to the force.
Larissa is reported missing to police by her mum Karen and the case quickly escalates into a major missing persons investigation.
View 4 ImagesMum Karen’s heartbreak is laid bare in emotional scenes as fears for her daughter’s safety intensify.(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Blast Films)
Karen’s heartbreak is laid bare in emotional scenes as fears for her daughter’s safety intensify.
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The documentary also follows Police Scotland’s missing persons unit in Edinburgh, where PC Andy Porteous receives a call from an anxious mother reporting that her 18-year-old son Bobby has failed to return home after being discharged from hospital the previous day.
Bobby’s mum reveals he has previously attempted to take his own life several times and fears his self-harming behaviour is escalating again.
Reported Missing will be available on BBC iPlayer from Tuesday when the first episode also airs on BBC Scotland.