Mental illness is challenging to treat, and it is even worse in children because it does not always present with the typical signs we often see in adults.
It would be disastrous to completely depend on health professionals to address the various mental illness seen in the family unit, and therefore parents, teachers, and caretakers must learn the warning signs of mental health disorders in children, such as difficulty paying attention or concentrating, unexplained weight loss, refusal to go to school, vague abdominal pain, withdrawal or avoidance of public spaces, etc. A stronger emphasis should be on early detection and prevention rather than waiting to diagnose and then treating.
As a resident of Tumbler Ridge, where I also practice, I have learned much about this condition and have also been privileged to contribute a little quota to addressing it the way I know how. I believe a lot still needs to be done.
There is nothing scarier than living a life without hope or purpose, which most mental health conditions present with. I’m not talking about suffering from organic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, Crohn’s, or even the various types of cancers that can be controlled with medications and lifestyle changes, but I am describing physically strong persons with intact bodily function but little or poor will to achieve their purpose in life.
I’m not sure what else can be more disturbing than this. How are our children supposed to achieve their dreams if they do not even see a need to live in the first place? Suicide is on the rise, stealing from us our loves ones and denying them a peep into the beautiful future that lies ahead. Life is not a bed of roses but rather a gentle stream hiding behind a dark cloud. Suicidal ideation limits our vision to the clouds, coercing us to believe there is nothing thereafter. It judges us on the ‘now’, revealing nothing about a future full of possibilities.
We must all work together as a people to fight this state of mind that is fast engulfing our world, killing us from within, despite the strong fences we have erected around us to fend the enemy away. We are becoming very isolated mostly because of the many gadgets at our disposal. Children nowadays would rather stick to their gadgets or video games than talk to siblings and parents, talk less of wanting to even play with them.
I grew up playing skip rope and hopscotch with my siblings. I learned about other cultures like the Scots, who loved dancing around the evening fire. We played hide and seek, in fact, sometimes we even roamed around under the rain just for fun.
I am not necessarily recommending this. All that is fast becoming history. But machines are beginning to fill the void in our lives, a role that was designed for other humans, our spouses, friends, teachers, other family members, and sometimes even strangers. We were designed to be communal beings no matter how much we pretend. We cannot be loners as some people might want to take pride in.
Yes, distance sometimes separates us, and traveling does not always come cheap but there are other ways to relate and bond even from a distance and technology—that which can sometimes divide, can also help us connect. Rather than always calling on the phone, we can do Zoom, Facetime, Skype, etc. so that we can see the other caller: their facial expressions, the tears in their eyes, the smile or the curving of their mouths while they laugh. It helps memory, bringing life back to the good old times. It brings life to friendship. No man is an island, we need to bond so that we can share and learn from each other.
As a family physician who lives and practices here in Tumbler Ridge, I have developed a special interest in mental health because of the exponential rise in cases of mental health issues both in my local area and in the world at large. I’m committed to joining forces with other professionals in this field to raise awareness of mental health in both adults and children.
One method of embarking on this project is to create tools, such as picture books which I believe to be a fun way to create awareness. Children love picture books, and they are a fun, engaging way to get them to pay attention. Sometimes, it serves as a sugar-coated bitter pill. Some new studies have revealed that children with mental health issues aren’t getting the support they need. I have created stories on various topics, such as obesity, depression, bullying, etc., all with the aim to educate children so they can be better prepared for the future. I created three picture books as part of the “Motivating our Champions” series, intended to teach children about mental health through stories with examples from my own family life and experiences. My goal is to educate parents on the tell-tale signs to look for as well as other factors that predispose children to mental health conditions. It is also my hope to create awareness regarding the available support structures and treatments as well as how to access them.
These books will be available to the public this spring, with a book launch and signing event on March 4, 2023, here in town. Details to come as they are made available.
