Preview some of the blog posts below to gain a better understanding of mental wellbeing in children.
All evidenced-based articles are grounded in scientific research and use cognitive behaviour therapy.
#anxious #worry #panic
Anxiety is a common emotion and it is normal to feel anxious sometimes. But it’s important to recognise there’s a difference between feeling anxious and having anxiety...
#relaxed #calm #wellbeing
Stress management strategies can often seem like common sense or too basic to make a meaningful impact. But it is actually about doing small things, in a consistent, continuous...
#confidence #self #esteem
Coping with self-consciousness firstly requires children to understand what it is and its various types. A child's self-consciousness can be overcome by building their sense of self...
#anxiety #anxious #panic
Anxiety is a common emotion and it is normal to feel anxious sometimes. But it’s important to recognise there’s a difference between feeling anxious and having anxiety.
Children might feel anxious when they are making a speech, before an exam or walking in unfamiliar places. Feeling anxious is a natural reaction in these situations, especially the more unfamiliar they are. This is what is called the ‘fight or flight’ response - our body prepares itself to either fight or flee because we sense some form of stressful or threatening situation.
Feeling anxious before flying on a plane, for example, is a situation some children find stressful. Having anxiety is different (also known as an anxiety disorder). An anxiety disorder is where their anxiety becomes too much, we become overwhelmed and stop doing the things they want or need to do in their everyday lives. This could mean they start feeling anxious when you find them coming down with a cold, being reluctant to go outside or even not wanting to go to school and seeing their friends.
If children feel extreme anxiety, even after the stressful event has passed, and these feelings last for more than six months, this may mean they have an anxiety disorder. MaxiMinds can help children to properly manage and treat their anxiety, and subsequently, maximise their mind to get the best out of themselves.
But before we talk about managing anxiety, let’s discuss symptoms.
Physical symptoms like:
Emotional and mental symptoms such as:
Unhealthy behaviours like:
If you are concerned that your child has an anxiety disorder and suggest they speak to someone professional, click here to refer them to a MaxiMinds psychologist.
Remember, if it’s an emergency, please call 000.
References
Albano, A. M., Chorpita, B. F., & Barlow, D. H. (2003). Childhood anxiety disorders.
Clark, D. M. (1999). Anxiety disorders: Why they persist and how to treat them. Behaviour research and therapy, 37(1), S5.
Bandelow, B., Michaelis, S., & Wedekind, D. (2017). Treatment of anxiety disorders. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience, 19(2), 93.
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).
#relaxed #calm #wellbeing
Stress management strategies can often seem like common sense or too basic to make a meaningful impact. But it is actually about doing small things, in a consistent and continuous way, to help bring structure, routine and stability to our lives.
1. Actively manage childrens' physical and mental wellbeing
Exercise regularly
It is important that children take care of their physical health by exercising regularly. Encouraging and promoting physical activity in school is helpful for students in managing stress. Physical activity releases dopamine (the hormone which makes us feel pleasure) and serotonin (helps us regulate our mood). It also reduces cortisol levels in the short-term, and lowers psychosocial stress levels in the long-term (Klaperski et al., 2014). Encouraging children to even do 10 minutes of exercise a day can help them to get outside and move their bodies. Exercise will give them a healthy escape from the things that stress them out.
Eat well
Taking care of what children eat and drink is very important to mangage their gut health, and how their body can regulate their mood. Cooked foods that are high in vitamin-D to increase serotonin levels, like eggs and omega-3-rich foods such as fatty fish can help to regulate their mood. Encourage healthy habits such as eating more vegetables and fruits rather than junk food. Educational intervention carried out in early years is said to have a significant impact on school-aged children even later in life regarding their healthy-eating choices (Menor-Rodriguez et al., 2022).
Sleep hygiene
Although stress can negatively impact our sleep cycles by keeping us awake, we can manage our night-time routines to fall asleep more easily and sleep better. Monitor their screen times and make sure they avoid screens at least an hour before bed and switch to a book instead. Tell them to take a warm bath or give them warm drink of milk. Make sure they are sleeping and waking up at similar times everyday (even on weekends). Getting their body into a habit makes it easier for them and their body.
2. Practice mindfulness
A meta-analysis of 49 studies Querstret and colleagues (2020) found that mindfulness activities and programs have the power to reduce measured stress twice as much than people without mindfulness training. Mindfulness is a type of meditation where you focus on being intensely aware of what you're sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment. Practicing mindfulness involves breathing methods, guided imagery, and other practices to relax the body and mind and help reduce stress. MaxiMinds offers various mindfulness activities and resources that your child can use at any time.
3. Connect with them
The overwhelming outcome of stress in children is that it makes them feel defenceless. They narrow their perspective and ignore the bigger picture. If you notice symptoms of stress, show that you are there for your child by letting them know your concerns. Children need someone they can speak to, to provide a fresh perspective and help soothe the stress they're feeling. As their parent, be that person they can connect to share their burdens with, making them feel less alone. Too much stress is also a sign that seeking professional help is needed. There is no shame in getting them the help they need by seeking a psychologist. MaxiMinds psychologists are trained to address their specific problems and help children manage their stress and emotions better to regain the wellbeing they deserve.
4. Help them assess their stress
On a piece of paper, make them write down what is bothering them. Then identify what is the best and worst possible scenario for them and what is most likely to happen. Tell them to be objective rather than emotional in this exercise as it will provide a more realistic assessment of the challenge they may be facing. It also makes them recognise that not everything is as bad as it seems, and sometimes we’re stressing too much for no good reason.
5. Make time for their hobbies
Regardless of how busy we are, every day we should put aside time to do something we love. So should children. Whether this requires driving them to their sporting commitments or joining them to a new club. Push them to engage in activities that give them pleasure and joy. Research shows this reduces stress by almost half and lowers your heart rate, too (Saihara et al., 2010).
In conclusion
While stress is necessary for normal functioning and keeping us alert to threats, too much can impede our health and wellbeing. Learning to cope with stress is a useful skill for children. It teaches them to navigate their own emotions and empowers them to build resilience to overcome barriers.
References
Menor-Rodriguez, M.J., Cortes-Martin, J., Rodriguez-Blanque, R., Tovar-Galvez, M.I., Aguilar-Cordero, M.J. and Sanchez-Garcia, J.C., 2022. Influence of an educational intervention on eating habits in school-aged children. Children, 9(4), p.574.
Klaperski, S., Dawans, B., Heinrichs, M., & Fuchs, R. (2014). Effects of a 12-week endurance training program on the physiological response to psychosocial stress in men: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 37(6), 1118-1133.
Querstret, D., Morison, L., Dickinson, S., Cropley, M., & John, M. (2020). Mindfulness-based stress reduction and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for psychological health and well-being in nonclinical samples: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Stress Management, 27(4), 394-411.
Saihara, K., Hamasaki, S., Ishida, S., Kataoka, T., Yoshikawa, A., Orihara, K., Ogawa, M., Oketani, N., Fukudome, T., Atsuchi, N., Shinsato, T., Okui, H., Kubozono, T., Ichiki, H., Kuwahata, S., Mizoguchi, E., Fujita, S., Takumi, T., Ninomiya, Y., . . . Tei, C. (2010). Enjoying hobbies is related to desirable cardiovascular effects. Heart and Vessels, 25(2), 113-20.
#confidence #self #esteem
Childrens' self-consciousness can be overcome by building their sense of self, self-esteem and self-confidence. They can do this by first working out what is causing them to be self-conscious. It is worth encouraging your child to spend some time thinking about the situations, scenarios and people that may cause them to feel embarrassed, ashamed, stupid and/or judged.
Once they are aware of what is causing them to feel self-conscious, they can use strategies to manage their feelings of self-consciousness.
Start by trying these strategies:
MaxiMinds is not an emergency mental health service. If you or someone you know are in urgent need of help, please present to the emergency department at your nearest hospital or contact the following mental health crisis teams.
Emergency 000 | Mental Health Line 1800 011 511 | Lifeline 13 14 11
