This week is Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week and the particular theme for this year is ‘express yourself’. And while this Wednesday Wisdom may focus on children, I think you all will agree, finding our own inner child as adults is just as important.
Years ago, the concept of children suffering with mental health issues would have been laughed at and ignored, where as today, it is at the forefront of our minds and constantly assessed in education.
But why is there an acceleration in children’s mental health concerns and what can we do?
Trends seem to suggest that a large spike in childhood anxiety coincided with the introduction of social media. Inspected, it really comes down to a game of comparison and not feeling worthy against what may be seen on these social media outlets. Which we all know as adults, is really only the best photos and best experiences of a person’s life.
The spiral continues as we often fall into the addiction of social media when we are feeling low and therefore, we end up comparing our ‘lowest self’ to someone else’s ‘best self’. It is just not a level playing field.
Beyond this, technology and physical isolation is not allowing interaction and essential ‘expression’ of self. That is why I love the title of this years children’s mental health awareness being ‘express yourself’.
I have a saying I tell a lot of people when they are going through emotional stress, “depression is the opposite of expression”. Not being able to express yourself drives emotions deeper into the body, which may in the short term suppress them, but in the long term can awaken and re open a deeper wound.
Take the active, outgoing, and lively middle child, now imagine him with red hair and a loud voice… you got it, that was me! (that is me I should say). I love to express myself and in doing so I love to make others happy and feel better. But if I think back to being a child I would have struggled significantly during these times, as there is no one to see me, or for me to ‘perform’ in front of. I would not be able to ‘express’ myself and this would lead to disappointment and emotional stress.
Now think for yourself, what is it you like to do? Think about your child, what is it they love to do? Allowing them to do that is essential for their emotional wellbeing, having a safe space to see and do the things they enjoy will improve their wellbeing.
I recently recorded a podcast with Mel Holliday, the author of the children’s book ‘Breathe with Bruce’, and in that interview she spoke about the need for that safe space. You can take a listen to it here Click here To Listen (to be released on I tunes soon).
She also talked about the power and potential of breath work to calm and manage emotions, both for children and adults. So, while we may not be able to always express what we want, there are other actions, such as breath work, that we can do in the moment to help our mental health and emotions.
I hope this short Wednesday Wisdom has given you something to think about and I hope it brings some joy into your day.
With love
Tom
