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We’re failing our children’s mental health in more ways than one. Social media pressures, loneliness, and the climate crisis are weighing on today’s youth. The stress is taking its toll on a generation. Here’s what this looks like in Canada: https://thewalrus.ca/the-many-ways-were-failing-our-childrens-mental-health/ 1/5
Mental health professionals report children as young as seven or eight expressing a desire to take their own lives. It's a crisis that has overwhelmed the tenuous mental health supports available to most Canadians. More on the issue: https://thewalrus.ca/the-many-ways-were-failing-our-childrens-mental-health/ #MentalHealth 2/5
Periods of economic hardship or general anxiety are also contributing factors. During the pandemic, the number of adolescents reaching out to Kids Help Phone has been nearly double what it was over the same period last year. More here: https://thewalrus.ca/the-many-ways-were-failing-our-childrens-mental-health/ 3/5
What’s the solution? Broadening the coverage of mental health resources, especially to remote and Indigenous communities, would certainly be a start. Beyond that, interpersonal relationships are key. Read more here: https://thewalrus.ca/the-many-ways-were-failing-our-childrens-mental-health/ #MentalHealth 4/5
Experts say that “the presence of just one supportive adult—a parent, an extended family member, a coach, a guidance counsellor—can be a major determinant of how well a child copes with stress.” Read Lauren McGill’s full article here: https://thewalrus.ca/the-many-ways-were-failing-our-childrens-mental-health/ #MentalHealth 5/5
