Written by Alice Njoki.
Can you tell if your friend is struggling with mental health issues? Maybe if she or he starts behaving weird like being quiet than usual, or their mood swings change instantly, this indicates that they might be going through something and when you notice such changes which includes mood swings, poor sleep or even sometimes self harm it might be a sign that they need help or your support.
Basically mental health involves the mind and that’s why it affects the way you feel, behave and how you think, same as to how our bodies get sick ,our minds too can.
And the common mental health condition in children include: Anxiety, depression, Deficit disorder(ADHD) and post -traumatic stress disorder( PTSD) which are caused by sometimes due to genetic or family history, traumatic experiences like bullying which I definitely understand especially in schools where u get to be bullied by students and even in some instance by even teachers, witnessing violence, stress from school maybe due to a lot of pressure from studies, teachers or even parents and also social media considering on how social media has been negatively affecting us on things like cyberbullying, sex exploitation, harmful content and very many other stuff.
Additionally, factors like poverty, neglect or the loss of a loved one.
So, what can we do to help ourselves and our friends? Most of the time as children we spend a lot of time in our schools .In your school do they talk about mental health? Do they have programs to help children manage stress or deal with bullying?
Well if not this makes me think on how schools can help us in supporting and recognizing mental health issues by creating safe environments where students feel comfortable talking about their feelings, addressing bullying and promote positive relationships among students and teachers
Also to our communities where mental health is seen as something bad or something negative which prevents people from seeking help, awareness campaign can help normalize discussions about mental health.
For example if your friend comes to you and says that they want to commit suicide and they don’t want you to share? What can you do given that you don’t want to lose a friend? Stay calm and listen and encourage them to talk to a trusted adult or a mental health professional, or call a helpline together.
We can create awareness by talking openly about mental health issues.
What Can You Do?
- Listen and Support: If a friend confides in you, listen without judgment and encourage them to seek professional help.
- Educate Yourself: Learn about mental health conditions and their signs.
- Promote Awareness: Share stories and support campaigns that normalize mental health discussions.
- Advocate for Change: Encourage schools and communities to provide more mental health resources.
- Together, we can make a difference and help our friends feel supported and understood.
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