Children’s Mental Health: Overcoming Stigma and Empowering Change

By: Leslie Wells

As adults, it’s common to downplay, dismiss, or invalidate the many obstacles faced by children and teenagers. Despite our best intentions, it’s been a while since we’ve worn their shoes, and witnessed the world from a young person’s point of view. Sometimes, adults may minimize the issues our children are facing because our “adult” perspective can make our “adult” problems seem so much greater by comparison. It’s important to remember, however, that the way a child or teenager experiences challenges is directly proportional to their age, health, coping skills, and support systems. Unfortunately, even the most basic needs of many children go unmet every day, and in recognition of Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re shining a light on the stigma of mental health, and how breaking it can make all of the difference for our future generations. 

According to Convoy of Hope, “in 2021, more than 9 million children in the United States lived in food-insecure households – homes where access to adequate food is limited by a lack of money and other resources.” Child hunger not only impacts our children on a day-to-day basis, but in the long-term, “children facing hunger are more likely to repeat a grade, have lower math scores, and not graduate from high school.”

Furthermore, the prevalence of child hunger is among many challenges that have been exacerbated as a result of the recent COVID-19 health crisis. 

According to the American Psychological Association, “across the United States, more than 200,000 children lost a parent or primary caregiver to COVID-19. In the face of those losses, families had to curtail mourning rituals and goodbye traditions because of social distancing requirements and other public health measures. Many children are still grieving, sometimes while facing added challenges such as moving to a different home or transferring to a new school with unfamiliar peers.”

“The CDC also reports that during the pandemic, 29% of U.S. high school students had a parent or caregiver who lost their job, 55% were emotionally abused by a parent or caregiver, and 11% were physically abused.” Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey—United States, January–June 2021, CDC)

While there is a distinct correlation between these statistics and the recent COVID-19 crisis, the issues affecting our youngster’s mental health don’t start or end there. The World Health Organization reports, “one in six school-aged children experiences cyberbullying.” 

Many adults can likely recall a time that we experienced and/or witnessed bullying on the playground or in a classroom, however, it’s reasonable to assume that the anonymity and unsupervised spaces offered by social media make these situations substantially more dangerous.

The aforementioned handful of hardships our children are expected to handle are highly concerning, and yet, they barely scratch the surface. So, in addition to increasing our awareness, what can adults do to help safe-guard the mental health of children and teens? 

According to Seattle Children’s Hospital, “your child is likely to pick up on your healthy and unhealthy habits, so try to start adding more healthy habits to your family’s daily routine. These include getting enough sleep and exercise, choosing healthy foods and drinks, and reducing and managing stress. These habits are important for physical and mental health.”

In addition to demonstrating and making healthy habits available to children, it’s important to open up lines of communication, especially about difficult or “taboo” topics. Some topics may be uncomfortable to discuss with a child, however, becoming a safe person with whom they share thoughts and experiences can be one of the most preventative mental-health measures of all. In many of these instances, the adult may not do much of the talking, and listening (with the intention to understand, and not necessarily approve or agree) can be just as, if not more important. 

Some other measures you may take to help your child maintain their mental health include:

-limiting screen time

-communicating with teachers/coaches/other adults with whom your child spends time

-meeting and becoming familiar with your child’s friends 

-encouraging/engaging in the activities your child enjoys

-remembering to praise and acknowledge your child often for how much they’re doing well

-reminding your child that they are loved and supported, especially in times of conflict or dispute

-scheduling quality time with your child during which your attention is undivided 

-asking open ended questions that get your child sharing more details about their everyday experiences

…and last but not least…

-making a trip to visit your local therapist, counselor, or mental health provider can empower your child to overcome the stigma of mental health from a young age, and gain access to the specific support they need and deserve. 

For more information about therapy for children/teens in Southern, MD, visit:

https://www.hopehealingtherapy.com 

Sources:

https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/27-03-2024-one-in-six-school-aged-children-experiences-cyberbullying--finds-new-who-europe-study

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/01/trends-improving-youth-mental-health

https://www.seattlechildrens.org/health-safety/keeping-kids-healthy/development/mental-health-and-your-child-or-teen-what-to-watch-for-and-how-to-help/