Our view of childhood as a happy, playful
time of life without worries or cares is not accurate. Children are sometimes
overwhelmed by emotions and feelings they cannot explain. Without the
understanding that they can be helped to arrive at a place where they feel
better, they sometimes engage in behaviors that are self destructive or are
painful and disruptive to others. These negative behaviors often go
unrecognized as a cry for help. Too often adults use only punishment to
change the behaviors, causing even more pain for the child.
Mental health and mental
illness are terms that not only have a fuzzy meaning for most of us, but also
hold a sense of fear and denial. Terms like "crazy",
"insane", "nuts" have been used by ignorant, insensitive
people who have no understanding that mental health, like physical health, is a
state of being. All of us can improve our mental health daily, or neglect
it. Mind-healthy activities can strengthen our ability to cope with the
challenges and stresses in life. Mental illness, like physical illness
can be an affliction that can strike anyone, any time. It can and should be
diagnosed and treated. When treated, we can become healthy again.
Mental illness, like a physical illness can be mild to severe, just like the
range from catching a cold to suffering from leukemia. There
should be no more stigmas attached to a mental illness than a physical
illness. We just need more information.
How Common is Mental
Illness?
According to the Unites
States Surgeon General, 20% of our children suffer from a mental illness during
a given year. Mental illness includes the range of all diagnosable
emotional behaviors including depression, attention disorders with or without
hyperactivity, anxiety, conduct and eating disorders. Serious mental
disturbances (where the disorders severely disrupt daily functioning at home,
school, or in the community) afflict one in every ten children.
Symptoms
Only
a qualified professional can diagnose a mental condition that requires
treatment, but families have a reason to raise questions when some of these
symptoms are present:
Use of drugs or alcohol
Complaints of vague or unexplained physical
ailments
Strong expressions of excessive or persistent
anger
Trouble coping with daily challenges
Significant changes in sleeping or eating
patterns
Persistent nightmares
Long periods of sadness, or withdrawals from friends
/family
Changes in academic performance
Excessive worrying
Unusual amounts of negative behaviors, disobedience or
fighting, stealing,
skipping school, hurting
animals or inflicting intentional pain on others
Mind-Healthy Activities
Good mental and emotional
health goes far beyond not having a mental disorder. Signs of good mental
and emotional health include resiliency, connectedness with others, ability to
cope with life challenges, balance in life, and self-confidence.
Promote physical health, including good nutrition, adequate sleep
and exercise, exposure to sunshine, limit use of drugs and alcohol.
Take care of yourself, create a balance between work and
play, and engage activities that you find enjoyable.
Create strong friendships, interact with others, volunteer
South
Sioux has made a commitment to establishing an environment rich in
social emotional learning. The social emotional skill training includes
self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and
responsible decision making.
