In terms of public interest, mental health is at an all-time high. Prince Harry’s much publicised interview showed again that the taboo nature of mental health is diminishing. However, mental health is more than just celebrity endorsement, or the steady stream of events and days dedicated to the cause.
One of the most crucial, and perhaps understated, issues within mental health relates to children and young people.
Intervention has long been a buzz term in mental health. At Action Mental Health we firmly believe that the foundations of good mental health are built from a very early age.
Our child, adolescent and formative years see the greatest changes occur within our bodies and minds, and whilst we do welcome the increase in efforts within schools and government, we believe much more can be done.
One of our flagship programmes Healthy Me is aimed at children and explores emotional/mental health, healthy lifestyle choices and pathways to effective support through imaginative and interactive play and song.
It seeks to positively promote mental health and social and emotional wellbeing in children and has a strong focus on prevention and self-help.
The programme is being rolled out right across Northern Ireland, and is rapidly gaining in popularity and acclaim. We recently delivered the programme in Holy Trinity Primary and Nursery School, Enniskillen.
Soon afterwards, we received a heartening letter from Brian Tracey, who is a teacher there, who said that the staff found that the programme has ‘enabled the children to recognise that mental health is as important as physical health, and provided children with the tools to recognise how they are in terms of their mental health and strategies to enhance it’.
He added that it has helped to ‘open up conversations about the importance of mental health and encouraged the children to feel confident about seeking support for their emotional and mental health.’
Whilst it is difficult to gain accurate data in relation to the mental health of children and young people living here, it is estimated that the rates of mental disorder are at least comparable to those reported for Great Britain, possibly higher taking into account the higher levels of deprivation, and the legacy of the conflict.
The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness week, is ‘survive to thrive’.
This stems from the fact that too many of us experience daily life as a battle. Emotionally, our heads are only just above water; holding onto our jobs, managing our family life and paying our bills sometimes threaten to overwhelm us.
Society is as challenging now as it has ever been for people. Financial pressures and political instability (particularly in Northern Ireland), can add weight to the burden carried by many people across the region.
That is why we fully support the theme and believe that by adding greater emphasis to our children and their needs, that we can, and will, allow future generations, not only to survive but thrive right across Northern Ireland.
