The impact of mental health on the child

 The importance of the child's mental health, and ways to take care of it

Children are gentle, beautiful beings that are easy to shape and form, and this is a very important axis that must be paid attention to and to the methods of education that either raise a healthy child with good psychological health, or raise a child suffering from mental ill health and suffering from psychological disorders and problems that accompany him throughout his life, and families often pay most of their attention to the health of The child's physical rather than psychological, although mental health is considered the mirror through which the child expresses his inner being and also reflects everything that happens inside the home or society in which they are exposed to various traumas.

The impact of mental health on the child

Thus, caring for the mental health of a child is no less important than the physical one, and may even outweigh it, as psychological problems affect one in ten children in different stages of childhood, such as anxiety, depression, and various behavioral disorders, in addition to the increased risk of a child suffering from mental illnesses between the ages of 12 to 16 years old, which is an important stage in the psychological formation of the child and building his future personality.

The concept of a child's mental health expresses permanent balance and flexible harmony with oneself and the environment, as it is a prevailing and continuous state in which the child is stable, psychologically and socially compatible, in addition to a sense of happiness with oneself and with others, and thus the ability to achieve self-esteem, and to exploit self-skills and competencies to the maximum extent possible. That is, it is the positive characteristic of the individual's behavior and attitudes towards himself and towards others, so that he is a happy, balanced and well-mannered individual.

Child mental health issues

Among the most important mental health problems in children are anxiety disorders, ADHD, disruptive behavior disorders, output disorders, emotional (mood) disorders, social performance disorders in childhood or adolescence, in addition to sleep and eating disorders, learning and communication disorders, and tic disorders. .
We point out the seriousness of the consequences of not paying attention to these problems and not addressing them, as your children are more likely to develop psychological problems and may make family life inconsistent and turbulent. It also affects your ability to discipline your children and may strain your relationship with your partner or other family members.
Studies have shown that if these children are left untreated by specialists, they are likely to tend to feel inferior, negativity, and have poor academic performance, and when these children are dealt with properly, they can learn how to live a healthier life, and overcome many issues. that affect them.
Nail biting is one of the most common bad habits among children, as it is a reflection of a psychological disorder in the child as a result of stress and anxiety, due to pressures at home or school, being prevented from doing what he loves, threatening him with punishment, and his fear of parents or teachers.
And nail biting is a way out of his feeling of guilt or sin that he feels when he fails to perform what was asked of him, and this bad habit appears at the age of one to two years of the child’s life and continues with him when he grows up, as it turns into a bad habit that takes place automatically, no more, no less. 
This is if it is not properly treated in childhood, by not drawing the child’s attention to it, occupying his fingers with other useful things such as playing a musical instrument or practicing drawing, and giving the child more support, love, tenderness, and care.

What are the reasons for the emergence of psychological problems in the child?

There are reasons that both the father and the mother share together, such as cruelty, punishment, and humiliation of the child, which leads to the cessation of the growth of the child’s self-confidence, so he is filled with fear, hesitation, and shyness in anything he thinks of doing, and he becomes vulnerable to psychological suffering.

The arrival of a new child, taking extra care and pampering him in front of the child, neglecting the child and not taking care of him as before, and family disputes that require the child to be on the side of one of the parents are among the reasons that enter the child into psychological conflict or strong psychological trauma.

Parents’ race to win the child’s approval and give him contradictory orders, or the child’s feeling of hatred between the parents, excessive appreciation or extravagance in meeting the child’s requirements, lack of dialogue or cooperation between family members, in addition to the father who is addicted or who indulges in his pleasures sacrificing the dignity of his family members in exchange for All of these are reasons that lead to severe trauma and psychological problems in children until they grow up.

There are reasons related only to the mother, such as her exposure to pregnancy or taking medical drugs during the first months of pregnancy that harm the fetus, in addition to smoking or sadness during pregnancy, all of which harm the child's mental and psychological health.

And there is a mother who neglects the upbringing of her children and leaves them to female workers, or leaves them to be raised far from her, especially in the first years of their life. Mothers often raise their children to fear imaginary things such as goblins, mother of forty-fours, and others, which causes the child to have dark psychological complexes or grow weak in personality and lack of self-confidence.

And there is the dominant mother who cancels the father’s personality and makes him a shaky symbol in the eyes of his child and does not realize the importance of the value of the father’s presence and his role in the child’s life and the extent of its impact on his psychological health, and that the imbalance of the father’s symbol in the child causes great psychological problems that she does not realize.

As for the reasons that relate to the father only, they are represented in the father insulting the mother in front of the child, beating her and canceling her personality, or the father being a drunkard or a liar, dishonorable, stealing or embezzling, or being too busy with work and not allocating time to spend with his child or emigrating outside the country away from the child for a period Long, without keenness to compensate for that with regular communication and great attention, all of which are reasons that affect the child’s psyche a lot and cancel the symbolism of the father and his role as a role model and teacher in the child’s life, and its impact may not appear until the child grows up.

Finally, the reasons that belong to the child himself, represented in the child’s low mental abilities and level of intelligence, or the presence of a disability in him, which exposes him to ridicule from the rest of his colleagues, or looks of contempt or pity from others, which makes him feel inferior, embarrassed, and psychological pressure, and leads to psychological disorders in the child.

So.. How do I know that my child suffers from mental health disorders? And when does he need medical intervention or psychological guidance?

There are symptoms that help detect these disorders, including: noticeable changes in behavior, inability to sleep easily, desire to isolate from social gatherings, unwillingness to do what one loves, self-harm or neglect of personal hygiene.

Increase your child’s activity beyond the normal limit with difficulty in concentrating and paying attention, excessive stress and fear of situations that do not cause a feeling of fear and anxiety, child violence with his siblings, mother, father, or with his friends, or when your child is unable to pronounce or speak in the correct way and finds it difficult to express What is inside him and suffers from extreme nervousness at those times.

Organizing his tools in a special way, insisting on using specific tools and not wanting to change them, and repeating specific movements or behaviors such as rocking back and forth.

It is worth noting that some may also feel frustrated, angry, or anxious. If these symptoms persist for a long time, they may affect the child’s physical health as well. Parents and family members are often the first to notice that the child suffers from psychological problems through fluctuations in mood. His feelings or behavior, and the school administration may also notice that the child is subjected to psychological trauma, so you should go to seek help from a doctor or psychological counselor if he shows symptoms of mental health disorders.

There are 7 misconceptions about children's mental health, according to Childmind, which are:

• A child with a mental disorder is damaged for life.
• The child's psychological problems are the result of a weakness in his personality.
•  Mental disorders result from poor parenting.
•  A child can manage mental disorder with willpower.
•  Mental and psychological health problems are easy to treat at any time.
• The treatment of children's mental disorder is by talking only.
• Treatment of mental disorder for children does not depend on medication.

All of these beliefs are wrong, because if the problems he suffers from are identified and treated, he has a good chance to control or overcome the symptoms, and develop his personality properly, and the earlier the better, and the child may need help as we mentioned from a doctor or psychological counselor even is recovering.
The doctor may prescribe medicine to help him recover, and the family has an important role, but it is not the only reason, and the treatment is comprehensive and not only verbal. disturbance in the child.

What is the solution, and how do we care about our children's mental health?

There are many things that can be done to improve a child's mental health and help limit its development, including providing a warm family atmosphere, taking care of the child and encouraging him to talk about what is happening in his life and being aware of changes in his behavior, and seeking support from a doctor when he feels anxious.
Exercising regularly, eating healthy food, proper and balanced nutrition, the freedom to play indoors and outdoors, and give him enough time to play. To be part of a well-matched family and there are no major problems among its members, especially between the mother and father, and to go to a good school that takes into account your child's psychology and deals with the problems he is going through in a normal way, or at least responds to your words and observations about your child.
Participate in social activities that allow him to enter into the society around him, deal with reality, feel the love and trust of those around him, provide him with opportunities to enjoy life, and the childhood stage that will not be repeated, and not burden your child with worries from an early age, and give him the opportunity to experiment, right and wrong.
  Optimism and smiling at home have a great impact on your child’s psyche, giving him the opportunity to learn, succeed, fail and experiment, accepting and acknowledging his abilities without diminishing him, giving him a sense of belonging to the family and society, no matter how different it is from others, giving him a sense of control over his life, and the ability to make simple decisions. Depending on his age, he has the necessary strength to deal with mistakes and flexibility in solving various problems

Changing the child's lifestyle: Changing the child's lifestyle helps improve his mental health. It should be ensured that he gets enough sleep, eats healthy food and does regular physical activity.

Taking care of the child's feelings: long-term and safe relationships, such as harmonious family relationships, affect the child's psychological health.

Building a good relationship with your child: You will make him able to overcome any psychological crisis he may go through.

Seeking help from specialists: Sometimes, you cannot deal with the problem alone, you can take the advice of a child psychiatrist who specializes in children's behavior and psychology and how to deal with them. One of the mistakes that many parents make is dealing with the problems of their children in an abnormal way, and not being convinced to go to a specialist to help them.

Giving your child privacy: It is important to give your child privacy. You should not talk about his problems and what concerns him with a family member without his permission, unless he is young and does not realize yet. Despite that, you should never talk about his problems in front of him with anyone, even his father. You can talk about the problem with his father at a time when the child is not present, and assure the father not to talk about the problem in front of him as well.

Ask your child about his activities, help him set his goals and then express your happiness with his accomplishments

Developing Self-Esteem: Children need to know that they can overcome challenges and achieve goals through their actions, through academic success and talent development.

Teach your child how to have positive self-talk: Help your child have healthy self-talk. When your child says negative things, ask questions like, "What can you do to get better?" Help your child draw positive conclusions.

Teach your kids healthy ways to deal with stress: Designate stress-relieving activities for them like writing in a journal, or calling a friend when they're feeling upset. So determine ahead of time with your child some things they can do to keep their stress levels under control in times of crisis.

Set boundaries for every task: Limits should be set for every task a child does. This includes bedtime limits, limits on electronic devices, playtime rules, and expectations about how we treat others and ourselves. It's okay to allow flexibility, but setting limits and structure gets your child through. That you love him and are invested in his well-being.

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