Mental Health and Children
Half of all mental health conditions begin by the age of 14. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety and depression have risen by 25%, according to WHO data. Yet early signs in children are often brushed off as a "teenage phase". Stigma keeps families and students from seeking help, while social media, bullying and academic pressure add to the load. Research shows how media and now social media can shape young minds: studies showed that when television reached a place like Fiji, eating disorders among teenage girls rose sharply within three years. Dr Mimansa Singh Tanwar, Clinical Psychologist and Head of the Fortis School National Mental Health Program at Adayu and Fortis Healthcare, explains what parents and schools can do.
Q. How real is the mental health crisis among children?
It is very real. Half of all mental health conditions begin by the age of 14, and post-pandemic, anxiety and depression have gone up by 25%. These are WHO statistics. Children also live with neurodevelopmental conditions like learning disabilities, ADHD, and autism from a young age. If behavioural and emotional issues aren't identified early, they can grow into bigger problems.
Q. Why are these issues still missed?
We often dismiss them as a teenage phase, and the child's need for help gets lost. That comes from a lack of awareness. Left unaddressed, it affects a child's quality of life, academic performance, relationships, and self-esteem.
Q. Are conditions rising because of academic pressure?
Academic pressure has always existed. Mental health conditions existed before too, but they went unnoticed, untreated, and undiagnosed, and only showed their impact in adulthood. Now schools and parents are more aware of when a child needs support, and that has opened up communication.
Q. Is stigma still a barrier?
Yes. A child feels, "If I seek help, what will people think? Will they feel I am weak?" Even in schools, students avoid counsellors because they fear peer judgment. If you can go to a nurse and say, "I have a headache," you should be able to go to a counsellor and say, "I am not feeling okay today."
Q. What role does social media play?
Social media is habit-forming, and it becomes an issue when it starts replacing physical activity and creativity. People who can set boundaries are less affected.
On body image, a well-known study from Fiji is relevant. People in remote areas there had almost no exposure to television until 1995. Researchers surveyed teenage girls one month after TV arrived and again three years later. The share with high scores on an eating attitudes test rose from about 13% to 30%. Adolescents who are more predisposed to body image issues can be affected more by heavy social media use.
Q. What should schools do?
Schools need a mental health curriculum with stress, coping, and life skills, and a targeted approach built on four things:
• Bullying: 50% of students go through some kind of bullying in their lifetime, and it has long-term mental health consequences.
• Media literacy: how to filter information and what to consume, and how media affects mood and emotions.
• Mental health education: so seeking help feels normal.
• Teacher training in psychological first aid: teachers are first responders, so they need to know how to comfort and support a child in the moment.
Parents also need to be part of this. The media has a responsible role too, especially on children's safety and the content they are exposed to.
Q. What are the red flags for parents?
• Isolating, social withdrawal, or refusing to go to school or meet friends
• Changes in sleep and eating patterns
• Irritability, anger outbursts, or a persistently low or anxious mood
• A decline in academic performance
• Aches and pains, like headaches or stomach aches, with no physical cause according to doctors
• Negative talk and a significant lack of confidence
Q. What can parents do?
Have consistent interactions with your child every day. You can't let screens take your place.