Children and teens today feel sad and worried more than before. We are currently in a mental health crisis, and lots of things are making kids feel this way, including things like social media exposure and academic pressure. As a result, children and teens struggle to cope with these big feelings. Access to proper mental healthcare is important and ensures that children and teens have the tools they need to navigate challenges and lead a healthier and more fulfilling life.
How can mental healthcare help with managing stress?
Below are some ways mental healthcare can help kids and teens manage stress and trauma:
- Improves focus and concentration
- Boosts your mood
- Improves immune system
- Reduces stress
- Improves your quality of life
- Helps build new skills
- Teaches you how to manage big feelings
As we can see there are several benefits to receiving mental healthcare, however the growing demand for services has led to long waitlists, leaving many children and teens without immediate access to the support they need. This can be frustrating and worrisome for parents and caregivers, but there are things that you can do while you wait for professional help that can help build your child’s resilience.
What is resilience?
Resilience is our ability to thrive or bounce back after a stressful situation. The good news is that resilience can be taught. Resilient children tend to be happier, more motivated and engaged, and adopt a more positive attitude about difficult or challenging situations. As a parent, you can help promote your child’s emotional well-being by engaging them in an environment full of opportunities to learn helpful skills to becoming resilient. Resilient skills can include:
- Emotion identification
- Emotion regulation
- Coping skills
- Practicing mindfulness
- Expressing gratitude
