Description: An outline of some of the common mental health problems experienced by young people, key symptoms and ways to help.
When looking for mental health problems in young people, the below points include some indications of mental health issues and the signs. Mental health problems in young people may be more common than you think, especially with ongoing Coronavirus implications.
The current measures are having a profound effect on many young people with a history of mental health problems. In a recent survey of young people, 32% agreed that the measures had made their mental health much worse while 51% agreed that it had made their mental health a bit worse.
Mental Health problems in young people can cover a variety of areas such as bullying, eating problems, suicidal thoughts and more. Awareness is key to understanding and helping a young person in these situations.
Bullying
Bullying affects many young people every year and with the rise of technology, there is even more scope for forms of bullying such as cyberbullying. Bullying can also include name-calling, other forms of verbal bullying and physical bullying.
Bullying in any form can leave the victim feeling isolated, overwhelmed and have long-term impacts on their mental health.
You may notice your child is more anxious, has lowered self-esteem and lack of emotional expression. This can extrapolate into social withdrawal including missing school and skipping classes. Missing out on education coupled with the overall emotional strain can lead to a dip in grades.
If this continues long-term it can result in an academic decline. With cyberbullying in particular you may notice your child is anxious when their phone goes off or a dramatic change in levels of use with their phone.
Bullying can have a knock-on effect on other problems such as anxiety, eating disorders and more. It’s important to take it seriously and report it every time.
How to help
If the bullying is happening at school – tell their teacher. The school will have a policy in place for dealing with bullying. If the bullying is happening online it is best for the victim to tell a trusted adult, as a parent this can be you and you may further escalate to their teacher again. When talking to your child to allow them a safe space to be heard and assure them that bullying is never their fault.
Eating problems
Eating problems can occur when young people are under particular stress and may present in a variety of ways. Eating problems can leave a young person exhausted and have serious health complications if not treated. Eating problems include anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder.
These may all present in different ways but can have some common denominators. You may notice your child is overly preoccupied with food, displaying secretive behaviour or has had a large change in their weight. Eating problems can be linked with poor body image and can begin as a coping strategy for stressors.
How to help
Be mindful that your child will likely be secretive and not want to discuss it if they have eating problems. You can go to the GP, where they will make an assessment and can refer your child for specialist help if they need it. Be supportive, remain calm and understand that there will likely be bigger picture emotional issues that need to be explored, not simply the act of eating.
Suicidal thoughts and self-harm
When suffering from mental health problems it can present in suicidal thoughts and/or self-harm. Warning signs include losing interest in daily life, talking about death more often, withdrawing and changes to eating and sleeping.
It is key to know that while there are links between self-harm and suicide that it does not mean that those who self-harm will always attempt suicide. Self-harm can be a coping mechanism and is not always linked to suicidal thoughts.
How to help
It is important to take their feelings seriously and to let them know you are glad they have told you. While it is easy to feel overwhelmed on hearing this, you must stay calm and not overreact. In this time your child will need reassurance that they are not alone and empathy towards their feelings.
After this conversation it is wise to seek professional help. If you child does not want to talk to you, look to other trusted adults that can help in this time. Explore activities to start conversation such as going for a walk, cooking together or sharing music.
Anxiety
Anxiety is something that we may all feel from time to time but if anxiety is pronounced, symptoms start to worsen or last longer than they should then you may be suffering from anxiety.
Symptoms include feeling overwhelmed or out of control, heart beating too fast or feel like you are having a heart attack, trembling, fainting and more. Experiencing these symptoms does not mean it is definitely an anxiety problem but if it is affecting every-day life then it could be likely.
How to help
Breathing slowly and deeply together to try and calm your child down in a moment of anxiety. You can also ask them to think about a relaxing place in their mind. Reassure them that this will pass and that they will be okay.
Physical touch can also be helpful, as long as it’s calming physical reassurance. Sitting close by or holding hands can work well to help your child in that moment but bear in mind this is unique and some children may prefer more space.
When helping your child with any potential mental health issues it is essential to remember to listen without judgement, stay calm and make sure your child feels loved when they may not be feeling their most lovable. Take any issues seriously, seek professional help where it is needed and do not shy away from handling these challenges.
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