Mental Health Issues That Your Child Might Face While Growing Up

Children often grow up facing a number of different conditions that they must learn to navigate in their own way. Unfortunately, mental health issues tend to fly under the radar, often manifesting as issues that we struggle to notice as parents. They might be sad for a long period of time, their sleep patterns might change, or they might lose interest in things they used to enjoy. These are all potential signs of mental health issues, hence why it’s important to take notice of them so you can offer advice and assistance.

In this post, we’ll be covering some of the most common mental health issues that your child might face, and also discuss some of the common signs to look out for.

Eating disorders can include both binge eating and not eating enough. These disorders will typically manifest during childhood and may continue into early adulthood if they aren’t addressed. These disorders typically happen when a child develops an unhealthy relationship with food.

For instance, they could develop a distorted sense of body image due to spending a lot of time on social media. This may lead to extreme dieting or fasting for long periods of time without watching their own physical health. Eating disorders can also develop if your child associates eating as a form of comfort. They may eat their favorite high-calorie comfort foods whenever they feel stressed, and this could develop an unhealthy link between food and their mental health.

These kinds of issues are complicated to talk about, but it’s never a bad idea to at least mention them to your child. Try to find the route of the problem and help them navigate the challenges around it.

ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders that children face today. It’s often described as being hyperactive and impulsive, but there are a lot of nuances to each case which makes it hard to diagnose. As such, it’s worth pursuing this as a potential mental health issue that your child is facing even if they’re only experiencing one or two symptoms.

Some examples of symptoms include a short attention span and an increased likelihood of making careless mistakes. They might also be forgetful and will often misplace things around the home or at school. You’ll notice that they also avoid tasks that might be tedious or time-consuming, and they may struggle to follow instructions.

There are many ADHD supplements for kids that will help alleviate some of these symptoms. However, it’s usually best to speak with your family doctor to receive a proper diagnosis. This will give you a much better understanding of ADHD and how it’s affecting your child. With proper treatment and medication, it’s possible to keep these symptoms at bay so that your child can overcome this mental health condition.

Anxiety disorders are also prevalent among children. Children are often burdened with excessive fears and worries regarding both their future and their immediate academic position. These worries can easily manifest as anxiety, leading to issues like failing to eat properly, being irritable, and having negative thoughts.

But when does anxiety become a problem? It’s completely normal to have negative thoughts now and then, and we all face concerns in life from time to time. However, the moment it starts to negatively affect their day-to-day activities is when it starts to become a real problem. For instance, if anxiety begins to affect a child’s appetite and they aren’t getting enough energy throughout the day, then it needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Similarly, severe anxiety could potentially harm one’s self-esteem and confidence, leading to social withdrawal which can further alienate them from friends and even family members.

Thankfully, there are ways to help your child deal with anxiety. Firstly, it’s important to speak to your child on a regular basis so they have an outlet to express their anxiety and concerns. You should aim to reassure them as best as you can so that they can tell you how they feel without fear of being criticized.

Substance abuse is typically something that we associate with adults. However, adolescents can also be susceptible to it as well. This usually stems from curiosity or peer pressure from their friends, and there’s a higher chance they will succumb to substance abuse if they are already facing a multitude of mental health issues.

There are a number of signs that could point to substance abuse in children. This includes irresponsible actions, coming home late from school, asking for money, locking their bedroom doors, or even meeting with friends that they have never seen before. If you believe that your child might be abusing substances, then it’s best to maintain an open and honest dialogue to communicate with them. Educate them about the risks of substance abuse and be supportive of their problems.

Prevention is the key to avoiding substance abuse in children. Spending more time with your children, helping them cope with their mental health struggles, and listening to their concerns are all good ways to stop substance abuse in its tracks.

All children could experience stressful and traumatic events throughout their life. It could come from being abused by others, a natural disaster, or even accidents that have harmed them physically. When children experience these kinds of traumatic events, it could lead to the development of long-term symptoms.

For instance, your child may experience recurring nightmares and sleep-related issues, or they might find it hard to feel positive about certain things. They may experience an intense fear of certain situations or people, and they could act hopeless or withdrawn under certain situations.

Post-traumatic stress disorder requires medical intervention. Children might find it hard to talk about the event that triggers their stress, so you’ll need to comfort them and convince them to open up. Once the PTSD has been diagnosed, they can start receiving treatment from a skilled health provider.