Living with mental health issues isn’t always easy as an adult. So imagine what it’s like for teenagers and toddlers!
Posted at 12:00 p.m.
Lack of understanding or unease about this issue can lead many young people to isolate themselves or feel alone. This is why it is more important than ever to talk about mental health among children under 17 and to make it a real priority for society.
In Quebec, one in five children has to deal with one or more mental health problems, which affects 350,000 families in concrete terms. No less than 25% of young people suffer from anxiety disorders, while 10% of those under the age of 10 have already had suicidal thoughts, data which are worrying to say the least and which require tangible and immediate actions in terms of prevention and awareness.
The mental health of our youth and adolescents alone accounts for approximately 300 different diagnoses. Among the most common are depression, suicidal behavior, anxiety, attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity (ADD/H) and borderline personality disorder (BPD). Furthermore, 1 in 66 children will be diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Additionally, 1 in 11 young people received an antipsychotic or medication for an anxiety or mood disorder in 2018-2019, while emergency room visits and hospitalizations for mental health reasons increased by 61% and 60% between 2008 and 2019. Then, over the last three years, the pandemic has unfortunately exacerbated this phenomenon by accentuating isolation and anxiety.
While half of mental illnesses appear before the age of 14, it is essential to act early to recognize, treat, support children or adolescents affected by this situation and make diagnoses.
About 80% of young people with a mental health disorder also experience sleep problems, which is a sign for parents that should not be overlooked.
For more than 40 years, the Fondation les petits trésors has made mental health and autism among children and adolescents ITS cause! By organizing awareness and de-stigmatization activities, the Foundation seeks to loudly express its support for young people and their loved ones, while reminding them that they will never be alone.
In order to help young people break out of their isolation, the Fondation les petits trésors has organized its annual “Stay not in your corner” campaign over the past few weeks. The sums raised will be used in particular to create mental health and autism projects, to support organizations offering respite to families throughout Quebec and to fund research and clinical care at the Rivière-des-Prairies Mental Health Hospital, the only institution in the province specializing in child psychiatry.
Now it’s your turn to join the movement and start the dialogue to allow young people to feel good in their bodies and in their minds! And let’s remember that listening, showing openness and not judging are the key actions to take when discussing the subject of mental health with your children or teenagers.