Should We Explain Mental Illness To Children?
Many people believe that they should avoid talking to children about their mental illness, to protect them from the stress which often accompanies it. However, research shows that when parents talk openly about their struggles it actually helps the child to cope better. It can help them make sense of the behavioural changes and to know that they’re not at fault.
Of course, whether you discuss mental illness with your own child is completely up to you and to help you make this decision it can be helpful to ask yourself:
Why am I hesitant about discussing it with my child?
What are the benefits of talking with them?
I personally believe that we should have professionals visiting schools to discuss mental health and mental illnesses to children of all ages. Education is key to ending stigma and improved understanding. And better understanding eventually leads to better treatment.
So here are 4 reasons why I think we need to talk to children about mental illness.
1. Because 1 in 4 people have a mental illness.
This means that everyone has and will come into contact with someone who has a mental illness, including children. This means that 1 in 4 children will develop a mental illness.
This means that everyone has and will come into contact with someone who has a mental illness, including children. This means that 1 in 4 children will develop a mental illness.
2. Because we don’t avoid explaining physical illnesses.
If you had cancer and your treatment led to you losing your energy and hair, you would explain these changes to your child. If you had a stomach bug you would explain why you are vomiting and can’t bring them to the park. Mental illnesses are just as valid as physical illnesses and our unwillingness to talk about mental illnesses and their symptoms is due to stigma whilst also continuing to fuel that stigma.
If you had cancer and your treatment led to you losing your energy and hair, you would explain these changes to your child. If you had a stomach bug you would explain why you are vomiting and can’t bring them to the park. Mental illnesses are just as valid as physical illnesses and our unwillingness to talk about mental illnesses and their symptoms is due to stigma whilst also continuing to fuel that stigma.
3. Because children can have mental illnesses too.
According to www.mentalhealth.org.uk:
20% of adolescents may experience a mental health problem in any given year.
50% of mental health problems are established by age 14 and 75% by age 24.
10% of children and young people (aged 5-16 years) have a clinically diagnosable mental problem, yet 70% of children and adolescents who experience mental health problems have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age.
If we talk to children about mental illnesses it increases the likeliness of us identifying any problems they may experience so that we can intervene as soon as possible. I know it can be uncomfortable to think about how children can have mental illnesses, but ignoring the matter won’t make it go away, it will only make it worse.
According to www.mentalhealth.org.uk:
20% of adolescents may experience a mental health problem in any given year.
50% of mental health problems are established by age 14 and 75% by age 24.
10% of children and young people (aged 5-16 years) have a clinically diagnosable mental problem, yet 70% of children and adolescents who experience mental health problems have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age.
If we talk to children about mental illnesses it increases the likeliness of us identifying any problems they may experience so that we can intervene as soon as possible. I know it can be uncomfortable to think about how children can have mental illnesses, but ignoring the matter won’t make it go away, it will only make it worse.
4.
Because
they may blame themselves.
Mental illnesses impact every part of your life. Because the illness is in your mind, you can’t escape it, so it can affect our work, our daily routines, and the way we interact with others, including children. We don’t always have the energy to be fun and playful. We might be impatient or distant. If a mental illness is affecting how we interact with a child, surely, we should consider telling them that we are unwell? It’s the truth! Children are perceptive, and we don’t explain why our behaviour has changed they may think that they are responsible.
Mental illnesses impact every part of your life. Because the illness is in your mind, you can’t escape it, so it can affect our work, our daily routines, and the way we interact with others, including children. We don’t always have the energy to be fun and playful. We might be impatient or distant. If a mental illness is affecting how we interact with a child, surely, we should consider telling them that we are unwell? It’s the truth! Children are perceptive, and we don’t explain why our behaviour has changed they may think that they are responsible.
“For too long we have been too embarrassed to admit when our children need emotional or psychiatric help, worried that the stigma associated with these problems would be detrimental to their futures.”
-Kate Middleton
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1. Let's Talk About Suicide
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3. Depression & The Symptom We Rarely Talk About
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