The implications of the pandemic on mental health have been dire. According to the World Health Organization, in the first year of the pandemic, it was reported that anxiety and depression increased by 25%. This same study done by WHO showed that those affected most were women and young people. It’s easy to understand why the pandemic has had such an impact on our mental health — between concerns over the virus, isolation, remote learning, and general fear, it’s no surprise this all took its toll. But the silver lining is that it forced a national conversation about the de-stigmatization of mental health.
The pandemic encouraged parents, caretakers, and family members to have open conversations with youth about mental health. Speaking openly and incorporating therapy and mental health support as part of an overall wellness routine has been shown to positively impact families. In fact, according to recent data from LifeStance Health, about 84% of parents who sought mental health help said their family now openly talks about their therapy sessions, and 37% believe that therapy has helped them feel closer to their family than ever before.
Stress has had a huge impact on children during this period, and children process stress in a different way than we do as adults.
“Stress can overwhelm a child’s ability to cope with their emotions, and they may become easily irritated or frustrated in response to a stressful situation or environment,”
says Dr. Anisha Patel-Dunn, D.O., psychiatrist, and chief medical officer at LifeStance Health. “If a child is acting out, it could be because they feel stressed or anxious about something in their life. Children are also very perceptive and may respond in kind if their parents are feeling stressed.”
In turn, the stress that our children feel, we feel as parents. After all, no parent wants to see their child in difficulty, so we then directly feel it ourselves. A child’s stress affects the whole family. Recent data showed that 77% of parents feel stressed in response to their children's mental challenges.
It’s also important to note that parents too are under a great deal of stress brought on by the pandemic. The leading challenges for parents include work (45%), school (41%) and making new friends (36%). My mental health has suffered greatly during the pandemic and I’m very open about that.
It's so important to speak to children about mental health struggles and keep the lines of communication open.
Of course, how we do that is essential since it can be such a sensitive topic. Patel-Dunn says that making mental health a topic of conversation from a young age can help encourage children to make their mental health a priority throughout their life and not feel shy or embarrassed about seeking help, should they need it.
“One way to articulate the benefits of mental health care is to equate it to physical health care, because it’s something that most children can relate to immediately — like when their pediatrician helps them feel better when they have an illness or injury,” says Patel-Dunn. She also recommends staying engaged with their interests and activities, and especially their online life if they are on social media. Being in tune with how they spend their time can help you keep a pulse on their overall mental health.
Children have a lot of emotions and sometimes for parents, it can seem hard to get them to remain under control.
Due to the pandemic, children have faced so many ups and downs that have had a huge impact on their everyday lives, so sometimes, it can be hard for them to calm their feelings. Patel-Dunn recommends helping your kids create a self-care "toolkit.”
“Essentially, this is a menu of different things or activities that bring you joy when you need it and can calm overwhelming emotions,” says Patel-Dunn. This could be something as simple as listening to music or taking the dog for a walk around the block. While the actual list is personal for the individual, having a go-to list of rituals at the ready makes it easier to ensure you are consistently working these moments of joy into your daily life.
The most important thing at the end of the day is to be there for your child.
Letting them know that mental health is an everyday part of life is so important. Mental health is not just the “bad” stuff, but the good stuff, too. It’s feeling happy, sad, overwhelmed, angry, tired, eager, excited, etc. It’s all related to your brain and emotions.
Let your child know that these feelings are completely normal and more than anything, let them know that you are there to listen and help in any way.
*Disclaimer: The advice on CafeMom.com is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.
