5 Ways To Support Your Child On World Teen Mental Wellness Day

When your child reaches the age of adolescence, you might feel difficulty maintaining cordial relationships with them. The hormonal changes during puberty can make it difficult to deal with young adolescents. Thus, it becomes more important than ever to show your love, care, and affection towards your children. On this World Teen Mental Wellness Day which is celebrated on March 2 worldwide, you can take the opportunity to make your children feel understood and loved. In this blog, we will be exploring the best ways to support your child on World Teen Mental Wellness Day. Let’s get started. 

Also Read: World Teen Mental Wellness Day: History, Goal, Importance  

5 Ways to Support Teen Mental Health

Mental health issues in children and teens are as common as physical health issues. It is best to diagnose them early and get the right treatment to prevent things from worsening. If you suspect your children dealing with any type of mental health issue, you can use these 5 ways to support your child on World Teen Mental Wellness Day.

1. Encourage physical self-care

The first and foremost thing to help with your child is physical self-care. Mental health issues often make us lethargic, leading to little to no self-care. You can encourage them to take a shower, wear their favourite outfits, and look their best. This simple change can help them get out of their bed and indulge in physical activities.

2. Encourage them to practice new hobbies

Another effective way to support your children and improve their mental health is to divert them from social media towards something productive. For this, you can introduce a new hobby such as painting, dancing, singing, piano or rekindle their love for cooking, journaling, reading, etc. This way, they will dedicate their crucial time towards something they love rather than scrolling endlessly on social media. 

Also Read: The Importance of Mental Health Awareness

3. Discuss their feelings

No matter how hard it is or how old you are, talking about your feelings openly can be difficult. However, the best and most effective way to destigmatize mental health is to have open healthy discussions with your children. You can ask them how their day was, what new thing they learned today, what they wish could have happened differently, and so on. The more they will talk, the more they will open up. 

Also Read: 10 Tips for Students to Improve their Mental Health

4. Teach Boundaries

Teenagers can find it difficult to set limits or boundaries with their friends, social media usage, or socializing. This is why it is important for them to learn how to set healthy boundaries with everything. For this, you can start teaching them that it is alright to say no if they do not want to do something. You can also share some boundary-setting phrases such as, Thanks for your offer, I really appreciate it. But I can’t join you guys today. 

5. Indulge in healthy eating 

The next best way to boost your child’s mental health is to indulge them in healthy eating habits. You can teach them how to get proper nutrition, get fit physically, improve their gut health, and enhance their quality of sleep all by simply following the right diet. You can start this by making sure that they eat seasonal fruits, eat a fibre-rich diet, cut down on unnecessary sugar, drink plenty of water, increase their calcium intake, and keep healthy snacks around.

Also Read: Mental Health Awareness Month in India

Common Childhood Mental Disorders

Below we have mentioned the most commonly occurring mental disorders in children:

• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Anxiety
• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
• Depression 
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

What are the Early Signs of Mental Illness in Children?

Here are a few early signs of mental illness in children that can help you assess if your child is in dire need of expert help:

• Trouble concentrating
• Prolonged sadness
• Mood swings
• Trouble sleeping
• Unexpected loss of weight
• Self-harm thoughts 

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