Over the last few years, the likelihood that a child will experience a mental health issue has increased by 50%. It is now estimated that 1 in 6 children between the ages of 5-16 may be experiencing a mental health condition. Worryingly, 34% of those children that are referred into NHS services are not accepted for further treatment. Supporting children’s mental health has clearly become much more crucial.
Our mental health awareness and knowledge of the signs and symptoms of common conditions such as depression and anxiety has been improving. But the signs of mental illness or poor mental health are often missed and go unsupported for children.
What are we missing?
Mental health issues in young people can get missed because they might be unable to describe the way they are feeling, don’t understand their feelings or emotions, or because they haven’t got the vocabulary or communication skills to express it yet.
Many of the signs and symptoms of mental health conditions might not be seen as unusual in children – tantrums or problems sleeping for example. The type of symptoms they experience may also vary depending on their age or developmental stage. Childhood is full of constant changes, so changes in behaviour can sometimes be missed or dismissed.
Young people don’t always seek help and the reasons for this can include concerns around medication, diagnosis labels and the associated stigma, waiting lists and the cost of treatment.
Signs of mental health issues in children and young people
• Feeling sad for two weeks or more
• Withdrawing from or avoiding social interactions
• Significant changes in their mood or behaviour
• Angry outbursts or extreme irritability
• Changes in their eating habits (eating more or less than normal)
• Difficulty sleeping
• Frequent headaches or tummy aches
• Difficulty concentrating or focusing
• Refusing to go to school
More significant signs, that need immediate action:
• Self-harm or talking about self-harm
• Talking about death or suicide
What can parents and guardians do to support children’s mental health?
1. Talk
Letting your child or teen know you’ve noticed a change in their behaviour can be a good first step, as well as asking them what help and support they feel they need. It can be tempting to aim to ‘fix’ the problem and sometimes this can create resistance. Giving them the opportunity to express their needs can help reduce that. Sometimes, just letting them know you are there to support them – as and when they need you – can make a big difference on its own.
It’s also good to share that what they are feeling is normal and experienced by people of all ages. You can also encourage your child to find someone they can talk to about how they’re feeling if that feels more comfortable – extended family members or close family friends.
2. Be Patient and Monitor the Situation
Mental health issues can take time to resolve, so patience is key. Continue to monitor your child’s behaviour and check in with them every now and then. Remind them you’re there and offer help and support. You can also start to subtly bring in other tools and techniques to support and encourage positive mental health.
3. Help Them to Create a Good Routine
As adults, we often feel happiest – or at least more in control – when we’re in a routine. We know how important routine is for our babies and toddlers, but we often forget that it’s just as important for our older children and teenagers too. Supporting your child to create a positive routine that includes their before school morning, school and extracurricular activities, as well as time for rest and relaxation, and a positive night-time routine to support a good night’s sleep, can really help to promote good mental health.
4. Encourage Positive Thought
As solution focused hypnotherapists, we’re always talking about the importance of the simple question, “What’s been good?” It trains our brain to notice and recall the good things that are going on in our life, rather than leaving it to dwell on the negatives or the problems (which it will do, given the chance). We have to access our intellectual mind, where our thinking is generally positive, innovative and solution focused. Asking, “What’s been good today?” rather than, “How was your day?” is a great conversation starter and naturally encourages positive thought. Try asking them when you pick them up from school, around the dinner table or as part of their bedtime routine. And you can share what’s been good about your day too!
5. Encourage Positive Actions
When we do things we enjoy doing, we naturally produce our feel good, happy hormones (dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins). When we’ve got a good level of these feel-good hormones in our brain, they combat the cortisol that can lead to compromised mental health, and we feel much better. Providing opportunities to engage in hobbies or activities they enjoy is a great way of supporting children’s mental health. This really can be anything they like doing: playing games, being outside, building Lego, reading, arts and crafts, learning an instrument, bike rides, swimming, cinema trips, family day trips – the list is endless.
6. Encourage Positive Interactions
Many activities create the opportunity to spend time with other people. Spending time with the people we like naturally boosts our feel-good, happy hormones. These positive interactions might be with close family, the extended family, friends or even with our much-loved family pets. Support your young person to understand the importance of creating social connections (and that healthy interactions make us feel good) and provide them with the opportunities and support to be able to do this.
7. Look After Yourself
It’s easy to put your child’s needs first but it’s important to make time to look after yourself as parents too. We can’t support others effectively if we are feeling overwhelmed, stressed or exhausted ourselves. Take the time to look at what help and support you need and make time for those positive actions and interactions that make YOU happy. Our hypnotherapists often work with parents who feel worried and burnt out, helping them to feel calmer, relaxed and more confident, which in turn has a positive ripple effect on the rest of the family.
8. Ask for Help
Supporting children’s mental health doesn’t have to mean doing it alone. Asking for professional support can be a positive action in itself. This might be speaking to child’s teacher or school, contacting mental health support organisations, speaking to your GP or looking at support options such as solution focused hypnotherapy.
Is Hypnotherapy Effective for Supporting Children’s Mental Health?
The benefits of hypnotherapy are the same for children as for adults! The tools and techniques hypnotherapists use are great for teaching children how their brain works, how to manage feelings of anxiety and anger, and how to look after their mental health as they grow up. Hypnosis is also a powerful tool for boosting a child’s confidence and resilience, empowering them to discover and use their natural talents and strengths.
Our hypnotherapists often support children and teens who are struggling with feelings of overwhelm, stress, anxiety, anger or depression. Hypnotherapy can help children and teenagers to make sense of and cope with school pressures and exams, to adapt to changing emotions and hormones, and better manage social fear and anxieties.
And because we don’t need to dwell on the problems or revisit the past children find their sessions to be a positive and fun experience!
Related articles:
• The Truth About Teenagers
• Is Your Child an Orchid or a Dandelion?
About the Author: Kerry Seymour is based in our North Somerset clinic in Weston-super-Mare and she works with clients online both across the South West and around the UK. Kerry specialises in helping people with Anxiety, OCD, Low Confidence, Chronic Pain and Parental Mental Health and Resilience.
If you’d like to find out how solution focused hypnotherapy could help your child to flourish, get in touch to book your FREE initial consultation.
