Thursday, August 20, 2020

The mental health of our children and young adults

 

We are all feeling the effects of the past 6 months. We have seen unprecedented events happening right before our eyes and if you are like me, it has taken me quite some time to process everything and while I am trying to keep calm many anxieties can easily bubble over. From the lock down, the isolation, trying to not to worry about how this will affect everyone to the ever rolling news, as an adult I have found this tough. But what about our children and young adults? As a parent we try to protect our children and to filter the detail on the world around them. But as they get older and start to seek out the news for themselves, how are they processing all this information and how is it making them feel? Are they understanding what is going on around them and how it will affect them or are they building a fear, a frustration, a warped sense of what reality is going to be?

On top of the pandemic, the recession and such an uncertain future, many young adults are now facing their next step with the added stress of A level and GCSE grades, whether Universities and Colleges with accept them, how they will maintain social distancing and what those first years away will actually look like. 

As mothers of teenagers and preteens, our hearts go out to all the students who are finding their lives turned upside down and the families who are trying to support them.

As parents we are being asked to navigate an unbelievable time and to support and encourage our children without any life lessons of these events to fall back on. If you, like me are worrying about the mental health of your children and young adults, there are places you can look to find help. There are links below to fabulous charities who are there to help, support and advise.

We are in this together, if you are worried please don’t feel afraid to ask for help.

https://youngminds.org.uk/

https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/our-work/young-peoples-mental-health/reducing-the-stigma-of-mental-illness

https://www.princes-trust.org.uk/help-for-young-people/who-else/housing-health-wellbeing/wellbeing/mental-health#UK

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/coping-with-exam-stress/

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