Beating Stigma -What Actually is Mental Health in Kids?
Feb 08, 2024
We often think of mental health as a labelled condition, but it’s not.
Your child’s mental wellbeing will change from time to time. There are moments, like during bereavement or divorce, where you expect changes in your child’s well-being. However, there might be times when it catches you off guard. It’s crucial to recognize that there’s no shame in mental health struggles. We all experience off days and challenging phases, including your child.
Since the global pandemic, many children are experiencing anxiety and mental health issues. And at an earlier age than ever before.
Not surprisingly, children’s therapy and mental health help, is one of the highest-ranking internet searches today. Social anxiety is the third largest mental health issue in the world, after alcohol and depression. And without early intervention, this is just going to snowball. But mental health doesn’t have to be an ongoing illness for your child.
So what is mental health?
Mental health is being able to enjoy life, feeling content, resilient, and able to deal with challenges. It's probably summed up as happiness. Yet your child can still be happy and have mental health issues, and unhappy and not have mental health issues. We often think happiness is something we either have or don’t have, but you can actually learn it. Unfortunately, happiness isn’t a subject on the school curriculum. But if your child is generally happy and content, can deal with the trials of day-to-day life and bounce back from challenges, then the chances are good that they are mentally healthy and well.
If not, and you’ve noticed unexpected changes in your child’s behaviour, regression, persistent sadness, anxiety, fearfulness, sleep disturbances, or overall unhappiness, then chances are, there are issues affecting their wellbeing.
Albert Einstein once said, “The most important decision we make is whether we believe we live in a friendly or hostile universe.”
And it’s those early messages our children receive that will determine whether they grow up in a friendly or hostile world.
It’s not always big, dramatic pandemics or major life changes that can challenge your child’s wellbeing, though. It can be the subtle messages they receive from their environment and the surrounding people that also play a part. Your child’s brain is constantly looking out into the world for threats and reassurance.
When your child receives warmth from others, such as a smile from their teacher greeting them in the morning, they have a sense of connection that makes them feel safe. That one smile can help lower their defences and help them relax.
But how can you, as a mum, help your child feel good?
Your warmth and understanding as a mum helps communicate to your child that you love them and everything’s okay. It’s fostering this contentment that ‘all is well in their world’ that gives them a sense of calm.
This is not always easy to do, when your reality may be far from 'all is well'. There’s a current cost-of-living crisis and disarray in the world right now. And all of us have our own personal problems to deal with. This can be even harder for you if you or your child have any chronic illnesses or disabilities.
But mindset is vital. The thoughts you think affect your mental health, for better or for worse. Okay, you can’t always overcome certain illnesses or solve the wars going on in the world or stop a pandemic.
And while external conditions and others may be beyond your control, you still have the power to shape your mind. Hypnotherapy can help, so if you would like to find out more about this email me [email protected]
Reframing situations, altering perspectives, and incorporating daily mindfulness and meditation practices, along with engaging in absorbing activities that promote a state of flow, can facilitate a positive shift in thinking for both you and your child. We will look at how to do this in next weeks blog.
Until then, Stay present,
Much love, Em x
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