Youth Mental Health: How Parents Talk to Children

The Miserable warning Vivek H, US Surgeon General. Murthy talked this month about the mental health of young people shedding new light on such new issues. One in three high school students and half of the female students reported that grief and despair will continue in 2019, even before the pandemic exacerbates the crisis.

“We also know that young people are being attacked by self-esteem-damaging messages through the media and popular culture. They tell us that they are not good-looking, unpopular, clever, or wealthy. “.” Surgeon General Manager Public health recommendations state. “It feels too slow to develop legitimate and tragic issues such as climate change, income inequality, racial injustice, opioid epidemics, and gun violence.”

Whether parents and caretakers are afraid that their child is having a hard time, or just want to lay the groundwork for their child to feel comfortable bringing up difficult topics in the future, and how they can talk to their child. You may be wondering.

Here, the Advisory Board of the President of the Surgeon, the American Psychological Association, the Los Angeles Unified School District, David W. Bond, Director of Behavioral Health in Blue Shield, California, and Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital.

Conversations that parents can have with their children on a regular basis

Public health recommendations provide some advice related to conversations with children. The highlights are:

• Show them love and acceptance.
• Please praise them for doing well.
• Listen to them and be frank about their feelings.
• Encourage the children to ask for help.
• Connect them with other adults who can work as mentors.
• Talk to your child about their values.
• Tell them to be confident and comfortable in expressing their needs and boundaries.
• Talk to your children about the importance of mental health and show them positive ways to deal with stress.

How to talk to kids on difficult topics

When bad news happens American Psychological Association It’s a good idea to plan a conversation with your kids — even practicing it in your head in advance — so that you feel ready. It is also important to find quiet moments so that your child is the only focus of your attention.

Start by finding and listening to what your child already knows. You can also model your ability to express your feelings and move forward together. Reassure your child by telling the truth in a way that is easy for them to understand.

Children need to know that they are loved, that they can do everything they can to keep them safe, and that they can ask questions and continue conversations in the future.

What to do if you are worried about your child

According to Bond, parents may be reluctant to confront a child who appears to be suffering from mental health problems, but encouraged them to start a tough conversation.

“You are a parent,” he said. “I don’t like prying eyes to hear what your child is doing or how they feel.”

However, Brammer advises parents to recognize their emotions before talking to their children. It can be scary for parents to think their child is in trouble, so there may be an urge to minimize the child’s experience in order to reduce some of that fear.

Bond suggested relaxing this topic. “Sit down and say’let’s talk about mental health’may work for some families, but it may not. [comfortable] Conversational topics in some cultures. ”

According to Brammer, it is often more effective to start with unjudgmental observations. For example, “I recently noticed that I don’t have much appetite” or “I noticed that I haven’t spent much time with my best friend.”

Teens and young adults often feel lonely, and they have something wrong, Brammer said. Therefore, it is important to let them know that it is okay to feel sad, nervous, or anxious about the future.

“And parents can choose to ask what kind of support teens want, to help them empower and feel a sense of control over this,” Brammer suggests. did.

When trying to understand your child’s thinking, it’s best to ask free-form questions. That way, you’re truly open to what your child is experiencing. And if they don’t want to talk about it, try again later.

“One thing is to argue and get a little out of power play,” Brammer said. “If there is resistance, go back to verification or confirmation. [your concern] Comes from. ”

But if you are worried your child Self-harm also Thinking about suicide, It is important to be direct.

The Los Angeles Unified School District School Mental Health handout recommends making three inquiries:

• Please tell me what happened.
• How much do you feel like this?
• Have you ever thought about suicide?

Some things parents should keep in mind

Your child’s experience may not reflect your own experience. You used to be a teenager, but Bond tells his parents, you’re no longer a teenager. The experience your child is experiencing will probably be different from what you have experienced.

Do not minimize, reduce or reject your child’s stressors. “Be an active listener to test your teenage experience and humanity,” Bond said.

Let’s create a safe space. When having a fragile conversation, Bond is advised to sit next to the child rather than sitting across the table. This is a common place for disciplinary action to rebuke someone.

Talk to the kids at their level. To UNICEF A helpful guide to talking to your child about mental health, Under 5 years old, 6-10 years old, 11-13 years old, 14-18 years old.

Make sure your child understands that there is nothing wrong with them. According to Brammer, these labels are very vulnerable, as if the kids felt “crazy.” “When we want to help build compassion for them and increase their resilience, it’s very important that they have a safe space to explore their emotions,” she said. ..

Make your children feel like you are following their lead. Don’t come from the perspective of “you have to do this” or “you have to do this, because …”. “Helping them find and respect their voice is a very important part of being a teenager. You don’t want to dismiss it or shut it down.”

I will propose a treatment method. Educate your child about different types of mental health support. Emphasize that all ideas shared with the therapist remain private and normalize options for professional help.