Why are Indian children unhappy?
1 out of 4 students in India is going through depression.
what is the reason for this? and does knowing about this issue make any difference to us?
Here I would like to note some pieces of information which may help your children or somebody else who is suffering from depression.
1 in 7 children is facing mental health issues. these types of issues where which don't need empty assurances but need medical help.
DEPRESSION
ANXIETY
ADHD
but even schizophrenia where kids have hallucinations, but less than 1% of children gets medical support. because we don't talk openly about mental health in India. Children's friends don't have the capacity to understand and elders don't have an inclination to understand. which leads to the result of a person ending up feeling very suffocated.
Many studies say anxiety and depression can increase insulin resistance, impact our digestive system which increases the chance of diabetes in the future. India is the world capital of Diabetes?
we are celebrating November 14 as children's day in India, and surprisingly it is also World Diabetes Day.
this might be not a coincidence but it is a sign that we must do focus on the mental health of our children.
Let's see why Indian children are unhappy?
* Unhealthy Competition:.
as all we know in our childhood also we had a topper in our class the whole class used to be compared to this person. Forget about the marks that your child got but how much did that friend of your child get that was more important to you & family. If your child got more marks than that person, then all is good. but what if your child got fewer marks than that person?
Why does this sound relatable?
because this happens everywhere!!!!
this attitude does not help us to improve our children's marks but it definitely ruins a friendship.
Our education system is not perfect. but the shocking fact is, Earlier, this comparison was limited to the classrooms, it was limited to cousins, brothers, and sisters. The competition used to be limited to a smaller circle but when we see news like this that kids are scoring 100% that leads parents to think if it is possible for him, then why not for my child? It is very important for parents to understand all of us are running different races, our starting lines and finish lines are different. so what can we do about this?
we can stop treating kids like trophies to display.
if we do want to compare let's not compare the output but the inputs. we can make sure that we create an environment that is best suitable for wholesome growth.
* Social Media & anxiety
This phone is a weapon of Mass Distraction!
Kids have to Focus on their Phones during online classes and stay away while studying. This problem gives confusing signals to the kids. There is no distinction between what is work and what is play. this leads to a rise in anxiety. Dopamine is called a feel-good hormone it is very important to have the right balance of dopamine, but social media gives us an instant boost of dopamine which can get extremely addictive. Scientist Paul Phillips from the University of North Carolina conducted an experiment. He connected a lab rat's brain to an electrode and he monitored the lab rat's activities. The rat's cage had a button when that button got pressed, his brain got a signal, and the brain releases dopamine but the rate would also get a mild shock. Initially, that rat was curious so he would press the button once or twice. Then the button was pressed 5 times a day. The rat has been getting shocked but he was enjoying it. Then there came one time when it has observed that the rat stopped eating and keep pressing the button.
The rat was addicted to dopamine. Even though he was getting a shock that is precisely what social media does to us.
* Lockdown.
Now Covid has made things worse! Covid & Lockdown has made our mental health situation worse.
The Asian Journal of Psychiatry says; over 53% of Indian university students suffer from moderate to extremely severe depression. 74% of Indian students suffer from high to severe stress.
Every 1 Out of 4 students is a victim of stress. Children may not be able to express their emotions. Not going to schools and colleges is causing an additional burden to the children. how will exams be conducted? Online or Offline? this confusion is going on for the past 2 years. we all know that Humans are Social Animals. We all need social interactions. Some people do not have a good environment at home, parents keep fighting they find a new family in their friends and teachers. In the past 1.5 years, without any warning or fault of theirs schools, colleges and classes are all shut and this has a deep impact on India's students.
This is the truth. !
So...
What can we do about this?
UNICEF India has made an interactive toolkit for children's mental health. which can be helpful for the parents to understand what their child is going through. Plus this website has proper guidance on how to express your feeling and emotions. Extreme aggression or being extremely moody, suddenly & continuously performing badly in exams, a complete loss of appetite, or eating too much food can be early signs of a mental health disorder.
How to express our emotions, who needs therapy and why do they need therapy, how do we get started with all of this, this website has guidance on all of these topics.
Where can you get support for mental health in India?
these few important resources may help you.
Depression can be dealt with expression. not with suppression.
We'll not give an individual a chance to grow, Why aren't they happy? If we never reach the bottom of this we will not be able to grow as a society. Because children are not trophies, they are like flowers, who need a chance to blossom. Not just physically but mentally as well.
Thanks, Abhiandniyu to making change our world
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