Safeguarding the mental health of our children and youth

By Bophelo Ndlovu, Manager: Intermediate Phase, Arrow Academy
Issued by Optimi
Johannesburg, Nov 29, 2024
Safeguarding the mental health of our children and youth. (Image: Supplied)

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social well-being. This indirectly affects day-to-day functioning in terms of how we think, feel and act.

The importance of mental health cannot be stressed enough – from childhood, through adolescence and into adulthood. Poor mental health does not necessarily mean that you will be diagnosed with a mental illness. However, it may be detrimental to your overall physical health.

Many families and cultures shun the idea of seeking professional help from psychologists, psychiatrists or therapists. This has had a significant impact on how these individuals grow up and experience life.

The important questions we must ask are:

  • What is the quality of life of someone with mental health-related issues?
  • How much are they affected when they do not deal with the issues using professional help?
  • How do we even begin to recognise that we need professional help?

Young adults sometimes feel that their busy lives keep them from attending to their mental health. It becomes something they hardly think about, until one day they are fit and energetic and the next, they suffer a panic attack. Life has a curious way of reminding you to look inward and become more intentional about taking care of yourself.

What signs can we look for in children and young people that tell us their mental health needs special attention?

1. Anxiety or worry: your child might be preoccupied or overly anxious about managing their schoolwork.

2. Depression: challenges at school may lead to sadness, hopelessness, lethargy and other symptoms of depression.

3. Confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate.

These are only a few of the signs to look for – read about mental health and educate yourself to recognise the signs.

As a society, we must step back and consider what is most important for the child. We must let go of the notion that the image or reputation of the family is important, or what our parents and great-grandparents did or didn’t do when it came to their mental health.

We live in the 21st century, with its unique and harsh realities and challenges – how often do we as parents or our children take the time to count the cost? Children today have endured a global pandemic – a first for all of us. They were affected by the stringent rules of lockdown, and we do not think about how they have managed to keep going and live their lives.

Some of us have family members who count among the unemployed youth, which, according to an article written by Ed Stoddard (Unemployment rate in South Africa hits record 35.3% in Q4 2021 2022), currently remains at a staggering 65.5%. We often overlook children and young adults who are facing a mental health crisis because we think they are either too young to be affected or that they are not at risk.

Mental health knows no age, colour or ethnicity. If your child’s cup is running on empty, do not wait until the eleventh hour to step in and assist, take charge now.