The Importance of Prioritizing Children’s Mental Health in Today’s World

With new reports released, including the position of the 21st Surgeon General of the United States, Vivek Murthy, on the harm social media causes to children and adolescents, as well as the latest findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicating that adolescent girls experience record levels of grief and risk of suicide, a record Increase in suicide attempts among black children It seems that our children are not doing well when it comes to their mental health, according to Essence. In addition to ensuring they succeed in school and eating healthily, it’s more important than ever for parents to prioritize their own and their children’s mental health.
“Before the Corona epidemic, one in 5 children was suffering from a mental health disorder, which indicates that there was a crisis at that time. Since the outbreak of the epidemic, we have witnessed an increase in levels of sadness and anxiety, especially for adolescents.” It’s the teens who have suffered the most during the pandemic, says Janine Domingues, PhD, who holds a PhD at the Child Mind Institute. “The pandemic led to social isolation during their development, and we know that social isolation can lead to depression,” she explains. “We know that adolescent girls’ mental health is more affected by social media and online comparison and identification with the ideal body image,” she adds. “Young people, especially teenagers, need our help,” she says. “The good news is that we know that mental health disorders are real, common and treatable.”

“It’s important to remove the stigma around talking about mental health. If we don’t do that, people will continue to suffer in silence and remain afraid to seek help when needed.” She says, “The fear of being vulnerable prevents us from being able to deepen our bonds with others, which leads to more isolation,” noting that “vulnerability is necessary, makes us more comfortable, and shows us that we can communicate with others. We can even communicate on deeper level through shared experiences. She advises parents to “keep the dialogue open, listen well, and be able to validate their feelings and emotions.”
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