Prioritizing Mental Health, Children’s Hospital Therapist Explains How

“I have to focus on my mental health,” US Olympian Simone Biles said Tuesday, leaving the women’s gymnastics team final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She also did not show up for the individual all-around on Wednesday.

“I just think that mental health is more important in sports right now. We have to protect our minds and our bodies, and not just go out and do what the world wants us to do. “

Biles put the conversation about mental health at the center, many times little attended and other times stigmatized.

Regarding this topic, Up to date interviewed therapist Esmirna Corona, Children’s Health mental health coordinator.

Gymnast Simone Biles withdrew from the world competition in Tokyo 2020 putting her mental health first, what could you say about it, how to take this message?

As a therapist I can say that Simone Biles put her mental health first and is setting an excellent example of courage. No matter who you are or how successful you are, the main thing is your mental health needs. Your case is also an example of what expectations can generate: stress, nerves, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem. There are a variety of problems with those expectations that are sometimes not real.

How to differentiate anguish or stress with a mental illness?

Anyone, no matter who they are, is going to feel stress or anguish many times, and stress is not always bad. Stress is sometimes good because it helps us motivate ourselves or complete our goals. But when it is constant and always present it can affect the way we carry our day to day, we stop doing the tasks or things that previously interested us now no longer. If we see changes in friendships, the person is very irritable, very sad or changes a lot, reacts differently to a concern, that’s when we start to see that impact and we have to address the problem.

There are people who consider that going to a psychiatrist generates dependency for life on drugs, how would you explain them?

The psychiatrist has a lot of stigma and the way I explain to my families is that if a person is physically ill from something, they would never hesitate to give them service and take a medicine. The only difference is that we cannot see mental health. Medications are often temporary so that some brain chemicals can be balanced, other times long-term treatment is needed. But just because you start the drug does not mean that it is forever. It is as if I have an allergy: just because I take my medicine for a few days does not mean that I will take it for life.

What are the conditions that you most frequently attend to in the hospital?

I work with students in the North Texas community and the conditions I see the most are depression, stress, low self-esteem, fear, and behavior changes.

And how often are they referred to psychiatry?

If they get to therapy services on time, medication is often not necessary. Varies depending on the child’s need. If your depression is at a point where your anxiety is so great that you can’t handle your day-to-day life, medication is important.

We must be ready to listen to our children, we must ask them if we see any changes, by doing so we show them that we are interested in knowing how they are.

We live in a culture of constant competition, whose is better than the other, especially when it comes to sports: how can we talk to children, adolescents and young people so that stress does not beat the fun?

I can think of several things, but Simone Biles in an interview said something important: that she always had to feel that sport generated fun for her, if that did not happen for her it was a sign that something was happening. It is a good message for families. Sometimes as parents we have expectations with our children, like that he arrives at an academy and can be a great tennis or soccer player. But the support and love of a parent cannot be conditioned. We must show our children that praise and love will always be above all else.

Avoid comparing, especially when in social networks we see that such a person is doing this or that. You have to try to set those limits to stay focused on what we like and what makes us happy. There are parents who often scold their children because they lost and came in second place, they must support them regardless if they did not win first place.

Let the child show his emotions. If you feel like you have failed and are sad or frustrated, let the child show that. If we see that this is invading day by day, we must attend to it.

Mental health has affected people much more during the pandemic, where can they turn? Where can they receive guidance?

At any time it is advisable to go to the family doctor. Many pediatricians and many doctors are doing depression and anxiety questionnaires to see not only the health of the body but also of the mind.

We have a program at Children’s that serves North Texas schools. We are in schools in many districts like Dallas, Plano, Richardson, Frisco, in some rural communities, and we give virtual sessions. In the case of children, any family can ask about these programs. If they notice these changes they should speak with the counselor and ask how to connect with these services.

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