Since 1995, World Mental Health Day has been celebrated every October 10, instituted by the World Federation for Monthly Health and the World Health Organization (WHO), in order to raise awareness about mental health problems, as well as eradicate myths and stigmas around this issue .
Although it is a subject of great importance, this year it becomes more relevant than ever, as we are going through a very difficult time for all of us and that may have an impact on it. We share how you can take care of your mental health and that of your children during the pandemic and in the new normal .
A year full of changes for everyone
There is no doubt that this year has been full of challenges and difficulties for everyone. In the case of families, many had to make a total change in their lives and routines , both at work and financially, as well as in the education of their children.
Although human beings have the wonderful ability to adapt to overcome the obstacles that appear in our way, the truth is that nothing could have prepared us emotionally for the drastic change that we are experiencing .
For all this, it is important that we make mental health a topic of conversation within the family , making it one of the talks we have together. It is not always easy to talk about mental health, but that is why we must seek to have a close relationship with our children.
Of course, we will achieve this through communication, respect and empathy . As parents, we will have to set an example by taking care of ourselves, but we must also make sure that our children know the importance of taking care of their mental health.
I understand that this sounds like a great responsibility, taking into account all the others that we already have at home as parents, but now more than ever we need to pay attention to this part of our life in the new normal .
How the pandemic has affected us
Now let’s get to the numbers. In terms of mental health, the pandemic is something that has affected us all in one way or another, causing problems such as anxiety, insomnia, nervousness, panic attacks or depression to appear in those who have never had them and increasing those who have never had them. they already lived them.
For example, one study found that during the pandemic, the cases of postpartum depression in mothers had tripled , due to the uncertainty of the situation and the lack of the face-to-face tribe.
Another example is a survey that found that 86% of mothers felt sad, listless and unmotivated due to confinement, increasing their physical stress, but especially mental stress .
In addition, let us remember that children and adolescents are also affected , since many of them not only showed regressions in things that they already mastered (such as sleeping alone or going to the bathroom without help), but according to a study, the majority manifested difficulty in concentration, nervousness or fear.
And let’s not forget the great change in their physical activity and the risk that this represents for their mental health , because according to another study, a sedentary lifestyle in children could increase the risk of suffering from depression in adolescence.
Tips for caring for the mental health of the whole family
Accepting that this is our new normal is difficult for everyone, but we need to find a way to have peace and calm, and we will only achieve this through proper emotional management and taking care of our mental health .
And this is so important that WHO itself has published advice for mental health care during the pandemic, in which in addition to giving general advice, a section for mothers and fathers is included . These are their recommendations on that topic:
- Keep the family routine as normal as possible, or create new and different routines , especially if you stay at home for long periods of time.
- Talk about our children about the coronavirus, honestly and using clear and age-appropriate language .
- Understand that children need more attention, as they are experiencing times of stress.
- Help them find positive and different ways to express feelings such as sadness or fear . It is difficult for many children to verbally communicate what they feel, but it can be resorted to during a creative activity such as playing or painting.
- Provide them with what is necessary to have virtual contact with all those who cannot see or visit due to the pandemic.
- Take care of screen times . Although they became great allies during confinement, it is important to continue to monitor how many hours a day they watch television or use electronic devices, including video games.
- Make sure you can do fun activities away from the screens , doing your best to spend time outside, or if it’s indoors, organize family activities like cooking or baking together, singing and dancing, playing games, and so on.
On the other hand, let’s not forget the importance of physical exercise, which has been proven to also help maintain good mental health. In this particular situation, practicing yoga and accompanying it with meditation helps us to cover both physical and mental health.
And finally, let’s not forget ourselves. It is easy to focus solely on the needs of our children, as they are our main responsibility, but for them to be well, we must be first , especially now that they need us so much.
It is true that in the case of mothers, many of us choose to cry alone to vent and not affect our children, but it is extremely important that we take time to take care of our mental health . Both mothers and fathers can take distance therapy, or do some things that help us release tension and stress, such as taking up an activity that helps us disconnect.
In conclusion: physical health is a priority in the face of the coronavirus, but mental health is also important and must be a priority in order to cope with everything we are experiencing. Let’s talk about it with our children, let’s do activities to feel better and above all, let’s not forget to take a break when we need it.
Photos | iStock
In Babies and more | Mom time: why it is important to have it also during quarantine, How confinement affects babies and children, and what we can do to help them
