National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day (7th May) focuses on the importance of youth mental health and highlights the fact optimal mental health is essential to healthy development.
👉 “We needed you like yesterday.”
Understanding the signs and symptoms of youth mental health struggles is crucial as they frequently differ from adult presentations.
Warning signs include:
📌 Decreased interest in activities
Youth mental health challenges may become apparent through diminished interest in typical ‘childhood’ activities, such as socializing with friends, engaging in physical activity, or having a desire to learn.
📌 Inappropriate/sudden behavioral changes
2/3 of children globally report a traumatic event by age 16.
This number is higher for the Upili Youth with Disabilities Participant population.
When a youth witnesses or experiences abuse it can manifest as initiating topics for discussion/conversation that can appear ‘inappropriate’ to adults.
Additionally, as we saw with our pilot program Participants, youth with mental health challenges may display signs of bodily disconnect.
(read more here: https://lnkd.in/gNqUkWh8).
📌 Talk of suicide or self-harm
Routinely denied access to educational, economic, social and cultural opportunities, Youth with Disabilities in East Africa are among the world’s most excluded young people.
The resultant aloneness, challenges, stigma and distress can become too much for this age group to bear creating suicidal ideation and execution.
👉 “We needed you like yesterday.”
Next Step Foundation‘s Upili program is dedicated to bringing Counselors with Disabilities into Kenyan special schools to provide much needed psychosocial support.
When we met with teachers and staff at S.A Joytown Secondary School a staff member announced:
“We needed you like yesterday.”
These 5 words keep our Team motivated, focused and driven to make an impact on Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day and every day.
