It is widely said that adults will have a greater risk of experiencing depression. This makes more sense because they have more problems in their lives, starting from relationship problems, household problems, work problems, and many more that they face.
Even so, childhood and adolescence also have the same risk of experiencing mental disorders. The pressures felt by children and adolescents are the same. If adults feel that they are in trouble because of the environment and people’s judgments, so do children and adolescents.
They can feel this because their age is indeed in a period of searching for identity and a lot of people are looking for recognition from those closest to them or people they are proud of.
Mental Health Issue in Children
Mental health issues that affect children and young people include depression, anxiety, and behavioral disorders, which are often a direct response to what is happening in their lives. Mental health care for adolescents is very important but often neglected by society.
While more and more people are paying attention to the destructive power of untreated or delayed mental illness, there is still a long way to go in addressing mental health issues for adolescents as a whole.
As we know mental health has inherent and interrelated with physical health. You can’t have one without the other because they are both attractive and related. Adolescents’ physical health is usually focused on at school and home because it is easier to identify physical than mental problems.
However, many mental problems that are ignored and undetected will in turn have a devastating impact on adolescents, especially those who have been fragile for a long time.
Good Mental Health
Mental health is about a description of social and also emotional well-being. Children and young people need good mental health to develop healthily, build strong social relationships, adapt to change, and face life’s challenges. Adolescents with good mental health often have the following characteristics:
- Feel much happier and become more positive people and able to enjoy life
- Bounce back from annoyance and disappointment
- Have healthier relationships with family and friends
- Have physical activity and keep eating healthy food
- Get involved in activities
- Have a sense of accomplishment
- Can relax and sleep well
- Feel comfortable in their community.
Human mental health is recognized to be heavily influenced by physical health. Encourage your child to do things like be active, have more energy, feel confident, eat properly, and get enough regular sleep to keep them emotionally and physically well.
In addition to physical health, you also have to help children with their mental health by talking heart-to-heart with children about their condition and mental health. You need to take that first step to be sure. Say that even adults have problems they can’t solve on their own. Show that it’s easier to get help when you have the support of others.
Tell your kids that it is normal for teenagers to be anxious, upset, or depressed. Also, let them aware that sharing personal ideas and feelings might be frightening. Tell your kids that talking about a problem can help put things into perspective and clarify feelings. Someone with more or different experience, such as an adult, may be able to propose alternatives they haven’t considered yet.
Suggest some other people the child can talk to if they don’t want to talk to you, for example, an aunt or uncle, a close family friend, a sports coach or trusted religious leader, an older person, or a general practitioner. Let your child know that talking to a GP or other health professional is confidential. These professionals cannot tell anyone else unless they are concerned about the safety of the child or the safety of others.
Emphasize that your child is not alone. You need to be there whenever your kids are ready to talk. If you raise a concern with your child, they may refuse any help or say that nothing is wrong. So many young kids do not need to ask for help on their own. So you may need to say that you are concerned about them and will try to get professional advice. Better encourage children to come along.
Attention and Recognition
Children and adults alike need attention and recognition from those closest to them. However, the existing standards are different. If adults want approval from their families and co-workers, then a child or youth only wants recognition and support from their parents. Therefore, in maintaining children’s mental health, the role of parents is very important and cannot be separated.
When it comes to children’s mental health, the main focus is their parents. How should parents behave towards various kinds of child behavior that may not be under agreed norms? However, parents’ reactions to children’s mistakes will greatly determine the mental formation of children.
Lots of children feel unappreciated when their parents overreact to their child’s mistakes. Children may imitate and be responsive or even tend to be aggressive. Children will fight with their parents a lot and don’t want to listen to advice and in the end; it will affect their mental health.
Be a wise parent and can add your patience in dealing with your child’s treatment. Imagine the effect of your overly reactive attitude on the child’s attitude. Be a good listener and use a softer tone of voice and be a good friend to your child and take care of their mental health.
