World Mental Health Day: 5 Ways to Safeguard Children From Anxiety And Depression

On World Mental Health Day 2023 - October 10 - here are five steps that parents, caregivers and teachers can take to prevent mental health issues in children.

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October 10 is observed as World Mental Health Day every year with the aim to raise awareness about mental health disorders and egg people to take appropriate steps, without regaring these issues as a social stigma. Mental health problems are prevelant not just in adults but kids too. Geetanjali Chopra, Founder and President of Wishes and Blessings, a Delhi-based NGO, shares, "Our children experience rising levels of stress and anxiety in the fast-paced world of today, where the persistent quest of achievement and the incessant buzz of technology may frequently eclipse the significance of mental well-being. Kids are now not exempt from the anxiety pandemic, and its effects on their mental health can reverberate far into adulthood."

5 Steps To Protect Children From Mental Health Disorders

As responsible adults, parents, and caregivers, it is important to proactively to safeguard children against anxiety and mental health issues. Geetanjali Chopra lists five steps:

Set an example of the morals you want your kids to follow: Kids are highly perceptive, and they pick up knowledge by observing the world around them. We need to be aware of our own mental health as parents and carers. An unbalanced adult cannot successfully mentor an unbalanced child. Resilience, self-care, and emotional intelligence must be modeled. We provide our children invaluable life lessons they can carry into adulthood by modeling healthy coping techniques and open communication.

Surround your children with healthy people: The first step in creating a nurturing and supportive environment for our children is to surround them with healthy individuals. In their own households, children should feel valued and heard. Encourage open communication, pay attention to their worries, and respect their decisions. Make sure your children are exposed to positive influences outside of the home. Healthy and supportive people inspire those around them, helping children develop a sense of safety and self-worth.

Pay attention to a child's emotions and needs: Empathy is a need that all people, regardless of age, have. Like adults, kids crave for emotional acceptance and understanding. We must strive to establish an emotional connection with our children as their carers. This entails being aware of their emotional highs and lows, identifying potential triggers, and offering a secure environment where they can express themselves. Children can feel understood and their parent-child relationship can be strengthened by spending quality time together and participating in enjoyable activities.

Nurture emotional intelligence in them: Emotional intelligence is a crucial skill for navigating life's challenges. Teach your kids to recognise and control their emotions in healthy ways. Encourage honest discussion of feelings and offer guidance on coping strategies. By encouraging emotional intelligence in children from a young age, we provide them the skills to deal with stress and anxiety effectively, building resilience that will benefit them throughout their life.

Limit screen time and establish routine and structure: Excessive screen time has been associated with a number of mental health problems in kids. Set sensible restrictions on screen time and promote outdoor recreation, artistic expression, and active play to protect children's wellbeing. Additionally, giving kids a defined daily schedule instills in them a sense of stability and accountability. Their ability to deal with stress and uncertainty is improved by predictability, which eventually lowers anxiety.

"We can equip our children to meet life's obstacles with resilience and fortitude by promoting supportive settings, modeling healthy habits, and encouraging emotional intelligence," says Geetanjali Chopra.