World Mental Health Day- 9 Activities For Your Child To Reflect On The Importance Of This Day

“Your mental health is everything- prioritize it. Make the time as your life depends on it because it does.”

                                                Mel Robbins

As recognized by the World Health Organization, 10th October is observed every year as World Mental Health Day. The World Federation for Mental Health has set ‘Mental health is a universal human right.’, the theme for 2023’s World Mental Health Day. However, the struggle of mental health experts to treat mental health at par with physical health has lasted for over 70 years and is still ongoing.

The objective of World Mental Health Day is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilize efforts supporting mental health. With the ongoing pandemic and its toll, a global crisis has been created, leading to short and long-term stresses, thereby affecting the mental health of millions. Unfortunately, for the majority being healthy just means relating to physical health and has not got anything to do with mental health. However, as per WHO, “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” We have been ignoring mental health as there tends to be a stigma attached to anything related to it. Mental health awareness has become the need of the hour, which needs to be prioritized. 

In India, mental health issues are largely taboo. Having a mental health disorder has negative connotations and people suffering from it are perceived with a sense of judgment. It is believed that mental disorder is a consequence of a lack of self-discipline and willpower. In 2017, the former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind asserted that India was “India was facing a possible mental health epidemic.”

A study revealed that in the same year, 14% of India’s population suffered from mental health ailments, including 45.7 million suffered from depressive disorders and 49 million from anxiety disorders. Mental health is the ability of the individual to realize one’s potential, cope with everyday stresses, work productively as well as contribute to society. Some of the most common mental health conditions include Clinical depression, depressive disorders, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, and dementia.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health conditions are increasing worldwide. There are significant gaps in treatment owing to the stigma associated with mental health, lack of access, affordability, and most importantly awareness. We need to make our children realize the importance of mental health. For this very purpose, one can engage them in certain activities that highlight its relevance and help them understand how to maintain it. 

Here is list of Activities that you can do with your child this World Mental Health Day: 

1. Connect with your child: Give your child undivided attention and lend them your ears. Try to understand their thoughts and feelings and connect with them emotionally. Spend some time doing their favorite activity with them such as watching their favorite cartoon or a movie.

2. Exercise or walk with them: Physical movement allows emotions to move through and release feel-good endorphins which decreases the stress hormone cortisol in the body. Aerobic exercises are known to reduce depression as well as anxiety. Take some time from your schedule and go for a walk and exercise with your child every day.

3. Give them quiet time and space to slow down: Making them run from one class to another after a long day at school can be overwhelming for them. Allow them to slow down and relax for self-reflection which activates multiple parts of the brain. It helps them to turn down the inner noise and be aware of what matters the most. Besides, it is effective in cultivating mindfulness.

4. Play-a must-have in their schedule: Play is the best medicine for children as it gives them a sense of control. Control and predictability are the two pillars of stress reduction. 

5. Journaling: Writing a journal is a powerful activity that allows the child to externalize emotions in a safe way. It gives them a judgment-free space to find their creative voice as well as do self-exploration. It also helps them to find solutions to internal conflicts and resolve the issues they are facing. 

6. Art: Allowing their creative juices to flow on canvas or paper provides them with an opportunity to express their pent-up emotions through art. It also helps them with mindfulness. As a matter of fact, counselors and psychotherapists use drawing as a tool to analyze the feelings of children. 

7. Music: Music is extremely beneficial as it encourages rest and relaxation in children by offering them a soothing experience. It calms them down and helps them in self-regulation.

8. Meditation: Meditation helps in practicing mindfulness by helping them be in the present. It relieves them of their stress and they can be in a more calm and relaxed state of mind. 

9. Nature walk: Take them out for a walk or play a board game with your child outside the house or organize a picnic in a park and have lunch outside. Nature tends to reduce the release of stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol in their body and hence is beneficial for children in taking care of their mental health.

These mental health day activities for children will help them accomplish the 3 R’s i.e. relaxation, reflection, and reset.

Discrimination and stigma associated with mental health continue to be a barrier to social inclusion and access to the right care. World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to play our part in increasing awareness and rekindle our efforts to protect and improve mental health. The stakeholders need to come together and be vocal about what we need to do to ensure that the campaign ‘Make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority’ is a success. 

Here’s Team Parentune  Wishing you all a very happy World Mental Health Day!!