Rise in mental health emergencies: Five things parents can offer their children

As far as Ilham could remember, his childhood experience in primary school was always about looking forward to the invention of flying cars by the year 2020.

However, 2020 was a year where reality hit so hard, not only for him, but for everyone around the world.

There were no flying cars. Even aeroplanes, which were supposed to fly, weren’t even flying.

Ilham’s dream wasn’t about the invention, though. He definitely looked forward to it, but that wasn’t his main concern.

He was always the top student in his class, from primary school till he completed high school.

Scoring full marks in subjects was not an option; he chose to make it compulsory for himself. So, when he received an offer letter to pursue a degree in electrical engineering at one of the Ivy League universities, there was no hesitation. This was his lifelong dream.

However, he did not count on one thing – the coronavirus.

Not only was it deadly to people, it affected them physically and mentally, with both short- and long-term effects, direct and indirect.

“The whole world is in total lockdown. I can’t take the risk of letting you go, especially in this dreadful condition. We don’t want to lose you, Ilham,” his father told him on the last day of his offer letter deadline.

“But Abah...” Ilham couldn’t continue his sentence anymore, his teary eyes clouded his thoughts.

“Our decision is final, Ilham. Both Mama and Abah have decided that your life is more important. There are plenty of excellent local universities which offer the course that you want to pursue. With your outstanding examination results, I bet any university would take you in right now,” his mother told him gently, trying to console her one and only son.

Ilham walked into his room, sitting silently on the edge of his bed. He closed his eyes, thinking of all the people he wished to meet, the places he had wanted to visit, and innovative projects he had planned to participate in. Slowly, they were slipping away from him, just like that.

The next few months were like a haze to him.

He didn’t know what else to do with his life anymore. Nothing seemed right between him and his parents; they often ended up in unresolved conflict over the smallest things. All his projects were left unattended, an indirect reflection that his interest was fading.

He didn’t have difficulty falling asleep, yet he spent more than half of his days just sleeping on his bed. He shut everyone out, not only his parents, but also his close friends. He didn’t bother applying to enroll at other universities at all.

All his focus and determination felt like they had already left his soul. The next thing he realised was, his mind was haunting him every minute of every day and that he would be better off from this world.

 ***

The Covid-19 pandemic created not only medical health problems, but it also brought with it ongoing stress, fear, grief, and uncertainty to everyone, regardless of age.

Perhaps being an adult gives us the mental capacity to make sense of things or rationalise the reason for this seismic global event. However, teenagers may struggle in trying to deal with the bitter reality.

It was no surprise when there was a rise in mental health emergencies, as well as deliberate self-harm or suicide attempts among teenagers.

There are plenty of helpful things that parents or guardians can offer their children.

  1. Be present. Remind them that we are there for them during this lonely, depressing phase. Even during this transition into the endemic phase, attention should be given to them, as much as possible.
  2. Talk to them. Offer them a space to express their feelings and emotions. After all, a home should be a home; a place where they should be protected from harsh comments, where their thoughts and feelings are shared and valued.
  3. Plan a self-care activity daily. Organise virtual movie sessions or explore a new hobby together, as a family. Perhaps, encouraging them to talk is difficult but finding activities to express themselves might be more helpful.
  4. Anticipate things. Hide sharp objects and secure medications in locked cabinets, so they are not easily seen or available.
  5. Identify the early signs or symptoms. Ilham had experienced several symptoms that warranted intervention. Psychiatric treatment should be sought when children exhibit depressive symptoms, or possibly suicidal tendencies.

 

This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Twentytwo13.

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