From the start of cmhw39f20, all those involved aim to raise awareness on the tough reality of mental health disorders in children. Find your Brave has been chosen as this week’s theme. Starting from the beginning of the month, the 3rd of February, children are urged to find the strength in themselves to be brave and to fight any mental health condition they are facing. However, this week is not just about being brave, but it will also teach kids and young adults what bravery actually means – it means that it’s ok to ask for help and that being brave doesn’t translate to isolating yourself. It’s all about finding healthy ways of dealing with both physical and mental challenges.
The mental health of young people can be easily affected in many shapes or forms. For the whole period in which cmhw39f20 is ongoing, the factors which contribute to the damage of one’s mental health will be discussed and tackled. Those invovled will offer tips to learning institutions on how they can help their students with any metal health condition they are suffering from. Some of the risk factors for a declining mental health can be lifestyle factors such as poverty, parental substance abuse and child abuse, or issues such as cyberbullying and bullying in general.
If you are a child, your brain needs more sleep than an adult does. If you are between the age of 9 to 13, doctors recommend sleeping for at least 9 hours, and up to 11. A child's sleep may be disrupted by not only the strain induced by school and other schoolchildren, but also by technology, with activities such as playing video games, watching tv or browsing the internet potentially playing a role in your child’s insomnia. This week will teach children about the negative effects of overusing technology on their sleeping patterns and how to tackle the issue.
Parents also need to be on the lookout for any changes in their child's behaviour and discuss mental health concerns with them. A few things to take note of is if your son or daughter: no longer see friends, are constantly depressed, are unable to get a full night's sleep, have lost their appetite or are struggling with schoolwork. If you spot any of these behaviours, have a chat with your child so they know you are there for them. You can also bring it up with a doctor or teacher from their school if things don't improve.
It is vital that you remember mental illness cannot be treated in a mere month. Instead it takes determination from everyone, every day to make small steps towards feeling better. Through this we want to establish the fact that this is not always easy. Our aim is to make sure people know they aren’t alone and that they have a support network around them. Furthermore, throughout this month it is vital people are more sympathetic towards those suffering with mental health problems in general. Coming together is the best way to help those suffering. Let’s fight this together and donate here!