Teen Mental Health

You watch your child as they grow up and understandably every parent has certain expectations of him or her. But we do have to remember that the teen years are not only tough for the parents but for the child too. Adolescents are under stress to do well in school, be liked by their peers, get along with their family and make important life decisions.Most of these pressures are unavoidable and worrying about them is natural. But if your teen is feeling extremely sad, hopeless or·worthless, these could be warning signs of a mental health problem.

Many people think that young people do not get mental health problems and brush them aside. The real fact is young people DO get mental health problems that are real, painful and can be severe. They can lead to school failure, loss of friends, or family conflict. Extra care and attention would need to be exercised should your teen show any of these signs that may point to a possible problem.

• Is angry most of the time, cries a lot or overreacts to any situation
• More anxious or worried than other teens
• Grief for a long time after a loss or death
• Is extremely fearful - has unexplained fear or has more fears than other young people
• Is constantly concerned about his or her appearance or physical problems
• Feels guilty or worthless a lot
• Unable to sit still or focus attention
  
• Has poor concentration and cannot make decisions
  
• Frightened that his or her mind is getting out of control
  
• Loses interest in things he or she usually enjoys and does worse in school
• Has unexplained changes in sleeping or eating habits
• Has persistent nightmares
  
• Avoids friends and families - wants to be alone all the time
• Feels that life is hard to handle and talks about suicide
  
• Hears voices that cannot be explained
• Has the need to perform certain action several times a day
• Uses alcohol or other drugs
• Continues to exercise or diet excessively although is already very thin
• Eats large amounts of food and then forces vomiting, abuses laxatives, or takes enemas to avoid weight-'gain;
• Often hurts other people, breaks the law or destroy things
  
• Does things that can be life threatening
  

Eat to Beat Stress!

You can brush off the remarks you've heard about stress-eating is a bad thing. Gorging away when your nerves are jangling can actually calm you down. The good news is you can chow away with all these yummy goodies and not worry about the risk of obesity, high blood pressure and heart diseases. The basic chemicals in each food are responsible for such reactions.

1. Salmon is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin D. It keeps cortisol and adrenaline from geysering. Omega-3 fatty acids also protects us against heart disease. Other fatty fish like mackerel, herring and light tuna does the same. For other Omega-3 punch, buy foods fortified with DHA such as omega-3 fortified eggs, yogurt and soy products.
   
2. Spinach is rich in folic acid, soluble fiber and magnesium. Magnesium tends to relax us and put us in a soothing mood. Not getting enough of it may trigger migraine headaches and make you feel fatigued.
   
3. Skim Milk is rich in Vitamin D and B12. Not only the old warm-milk remedies insomnia and restlessness, it turns out that calcium can reduce muscle spasms and soothe tension too. A glass of this 'moo' juice may also reduce stressful pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms such as mood swings, anxiety and irritability.
   
4. Nuts such as almonds, pistachios and walnuts a bursting with Vitamin E, B and magnesium. Not only it helps to calm down your nervous system but also helps to lower your blood pressure. Both sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds also contributes to the same purpose.
5. Oatmeal and other whole wheats which consists of carbohydrates make the brain produce more serotonin, the same relaxing brain chemical released when you eat dark chocolate. The more serotonin, the happier you'll be.
   
6. Vitamin C is essential in keeping stress at bay. Vitamin C is present in uncooked fruits and vegetables, especially citrus foods and red and green peppers. It's also found in papayas, cantaloupes, strawberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, asparagus and parsley.
   

Eat up in all these foods and may you keep you moods and spirits high.

Mental Health of the Young

In this fast evolving stressing world, people from all ages of life experience some kind of mental health problems and children are not excluded from this. Many children have mental health problems that can be painful and severe and this problem affects every one out of every five children. At least one out of every ten may experience serious emotional disturbance that severely disrupts his or her ability to function well.

Tragically an estimated figure of up to 75% of all young people with mental health problems are not getting the help they need. All these mental health problems can eventually lead to school failure, alcohol or other drug abuse, violence, or in some cases, suicide.A variety of signs may point to a possible mental health problem in a child or teenager. If you are concerned, you can talk to your doctor, a school counselor, or other mental health professionals who are trained to assess whether your child has a mental health problem.

There is no one right way to raise a child but clear and consistent expectations of every child by all caregivers, are very important. Here are a few suggestions but are not meant to be complete.

• Do your best in providing a home and community to your child, as well as nutritious meals, regular check-ups, immunization and exercise.
• Be aware of the stages in child development so that you will not expect too much or too little from the child.
• Encourage your child to express his or her feelings and respect those feelings. Let your child know that everyone experiences anger, pain, anxiety and fear.
• Help your child to express anger positively, without resorting to violence.
• Promote mutual trust and respect. Keep your voice level down even when you don't agree. Always keep your communication levels open.
• Listen to your child and encourage questions. Use words and examples your child can understand.
• Always provide comfort and assurance. Be honest and focus on the objectives. Express your willingness to talk in any subject.
• Encourage your child's talents and accept limitations.
• Set goals based on the child's abilities and interests. Not other people's expectations. Celebrate accomplishments. Always appreciate the uniqueness of your child and do not compare him or her with other children. Spend time with your child regularly.
• Foster your child's independence and self-worth.
• Help your child to deal with life's ups and downs.
• Discipline constructively, fairly and consistently. Help your child to learn from his or her mistakes.
• Look at your own problem solving and coping skills. Are you setting a good example? Seek help if you are unable to control your own anger and frustrations.
• Love unconditionally. Teach the value of apologies, cooperation, patience, forgiveness and consideration to others.
  

Do not expect to be perfect. Parenting is no easy task but you can make it easier through love and understanding.

Teen Girls' Mental Health

Mental health is how we think, feel, and act in order to face life's situations. It is how we look at ourselves, our lives, and the people we know and care about. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, evaluate our options, and make choices. Everyone has mental health. But, today I am going to focus on the mental health of teens especially for teen girls. Did you know that;

• Girls are three times more likely than boys to have a negative body image. Such cases are often reflected in eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia.
• Girls are seven times more likely than boys to get depressed and is twice likely to attempt suicide.
• In Malaysia, out of the 50 teenagers who starts smoking every day, 10 of them are girls.
• During teenage years, girls are more likely to try risky behaviours including drinking, smoking, using drugs and exploring their sexuality unhealthily.
  
• Girls who develop positive interpersonal and social skills decrease their risk of substance abuse.
• Girls who have an interest and ability in areas such as sports, arts, academics and involve in community activities are more likely to develop confidence and may be less likely to use drugs.
  

Mental health is paving the way to enhance girls' mental wellness by helping them to build self confidence. Mental health is important at every stage of life as relationships and physical health are all affected by it. Therefore, caring and protecting a child's mental health is a major part of helping that child grow to become the best she can be.

Girls' independence is usually encouraged in childhood and their strengths are nurtured. Most girls become emotionally, mentally, and physically healthy young adults. But sometimes, during the transition from childhood to adolescence, extra care is necessary, so that a girl's self-esteem and coping skills are not diminished.