CLEVELAND, OH (CLEVELAND CLINIC) - Parents should talk to their kids about mental health to recognize if they're struggling with something like anxiety or depression.
Psychologists say parents can openly ask their children if they've been feeling anxious or depressed, or if they've been more sad or worried than usual lately. They also stress it's important to let the child take charge of the conversation and urge parents not to invalidate any feelings. Although kids may not outright say they're struggling with anxiety or depression, there are signs to look out for. A child may become more irritable, start showing little interest in activities they used to enjoy, or have trouble sleeping. So, when should a parent look into professional help for their child?
"Pretty much anytime when, you know, your child is not acting like themselves, and it's impacting their life – that would be time to certainly seek help from medical professionals. But we don't want children to have to get to that point either, so, you know, anytime that your child mentions having worries, mentions, you know, feeling depressed or having friends that are depressed, you can certainly bring that up with their pediatrician and decide if you need a referral to a mental health specialist," said Dr. Emily Mudd, Cleveland Clinic Children's.
Above all, Dr. Mudd says it's crucial for parents to build trust with their kids by responding to them in a nonjudgmental way. This lets children know they can confide in their parents, no matter the subject.
