To advance knowledge, create awareness, and inspire activities that promote and preserve everyone’s mental health as a universal human right, communities and individuals can come together in support of the topic “Mental health is a universal human right” on World Mental Health Day 2023.
Every year on October 10, World Mental Health Day is commemorated with the overarching goals of increasing awareness of mental health concerns worldwide and organising support for mental health.
Everyone has the fundamental right to know the importance of mental health. Everyone has a right to the best possible level of mental health, no matter who they are or where they live. This encompasses the right to be safeguarded against threats to one’s mental health, the right to readily available, palatable, and high-quality care, as well as the right to liberty, independence, and inclusion in society.
A kid or adolescent with a mental health issue typically struggles to control their emotions, thoughts, or behaviour. The entire family may be impacted by this.
Children with mental health issues may exhibit disruptive, irate, or hyperactive behaviour (very active behaviour, such that the child is:
- Fidgety
- Has trouble staying seated
- Excessive running or climbing in improper circumstances
- Has trouble playing softly
- Talks a lot and is always moving
Withdrawal, anxiety, and emotional reactions are some ways that mental health issues might manifest themselves. Your child’s capacity for interaction with others, learning, and communication may be impacted by these changes.
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10 Tips to Ensure Sound Mental Health for your child
The first step is to acknowledge that your child has a mental health issue and to seek expert assistance. Early assistance from medical professionals can be beneficial.
1. keeping a behaviour log for your child
The more details you can provide about your child’s problems, the better understanding of those problems the healthcare expert will have. If you can, keep a diary for a week or two detailing your child’s behaviour and when and where it occurs before you speak with your healthcare provider. Your journal could contain details on:
What about the behavioural shift concerns you?
- A pattern in the behaviour, if any
- Frequency of the behaviour
- The length of time the behaviour usually lasts before it quits
- The time of day when it happens
- What was occurring Before the behaviour
- What took place following the behaviour.
What you believe your child is feeling when they display the behaviour is another piece of information that could be useful.
2. Getting help for children with mental illness from a professional
Your doctor is an excellent person to teach your children and yourself the importance of mental health. If you have kept track of the behaviours that worry you, let your doctor know so they can offer advice or refer you to other medical experts. You may call a general practice and ask to speak to a doctor who is experienced in mental health and knows the importance of mental health if you don’t have a regular doctor. Or you can use telehealth or EHealth to speak with a healthcare professional online.
3. Take advice from child psychologist
To get advice on how you and your family can deal with behavioural problems and how your reaction to the behaviour may help your child, you could also schedule a consultation with a child psychologist. World Mental Health Day 2023 is perfect to get your child get a checkup done.
You can be referred to a child and adolescent psychiatrist for more severe mental conditions. Psychiatrists are specialised medical professionals who can examine your child for any illnesses, administer drugs, and, if necessary, admit your child to the hospital.
4. Making your child’s environment encouraging
Depending on you, what your child is going through, and the counsel of your mental health expert, you will decide specifically how to help your child. The importance of mental health in a child’s life is crucial.
5. spending time with your children
You may foster a supportive environment for your child in addition to providing them with treatments and therapies by spending healthy time with your child. Spending time is very important.
6. Engaging in pleasurable activities
Teenagers and young adults are becoming more and more affected by mental health issues. Engaging in activities that involve their brain and body at the same time will be very helpful.
7. Attempting to keep as many routines as possible, such as lunch and bedtimes.
Never should a person’s mental health condition serve as justification for denying them their human rights or for keeping them out of discussions about their own health. Therefore, it’s very important to keep routines.
8. Discuss your child’s feelings
Ask your child frequently how they are acknowledging and honouring their feelings and hearing their worries. Communication is the key. People with mental health issues continue to be subjected to a variety of human rights violations on a global scale.
9. Paying attention to your child’s worries
Pay attention to their activities as well as their worries. Stories around them. What are they noticing, all these minute details about your child will teach you a lot about your child?
10. Promoting your child’s strengths by speaking with their school or daycare facility.
Talk to your child’s Teachers to understand your child’s mental health. Ask the faculty to observe your kids’ activities in school. These basic practices will not only make you aware of their health but also improve your bond with your child.
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Taking care of yourself while your child suffers from a mental condition
It might be demanding to raise a child with a mental disorder. To give your family the greatest care possible, it is crucial that you take care of yourself.
Consider the following ideas:
- Taking time for yourself – think about getting a break from your partner or a reliable friend
- Working through any guilt feelings – counselling can be very helpful
- Getting professional support – counselling or parenting skills classes trying to manage anxiety and stress – such as through relaxation and meditation.
- Counselling is crucial for parents of children with mental health issues because it can reduce stress and improve family dynamics. You don’t have to handle the difficulties by yourself.
Our physical and mental wellbeing are interdependent. However, one in eight people worldwide suffer from mental health disorders, which can have an adverse effect on their physical health, general wellbeing, interpersonal relationships, and ability to earn a living.
Many people experience exclusions from communal life and discrimination, and many more are either unable to receive the necessary mental health care or can only access care that violates human rights.
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Conclusion
Children receive a very supportive environment at EuroSchool and spend time engaging in enjoyable activities, which prevents them from developing any mental illnesses.
For everyone to exercise their human rights and get the necessary high-quality mental health care and get to understand the importance of mental health, WHO and its partners continue to work to ensure that mental health is recognized, promoted, and safeguarded. Participate in the World Mental Health Day 2023 campaign to learn more about your fundamental right to mental health and how to defend the rights of others.
