Mental Wellness Family Checklist By Maureen Frost
As we enter year three of the Covid-19 pandemic, morale may be low in your house, especially for your kids. Yet there are actionable steps you can take to boost spirits, foster emotional openness, and find joy in the midst of uncertainty.
First, acknowledge that mental health is just as important as physical health. The recently published Protecting Youth Mental Health: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory calls attention to this. It says to “Recognize that mental health is an essential part of overall health. Mental health conditions are real, common, and treatable, and people experiencing mental health challenges deserve support, compassion, and care, not stigma and shame. Mental health is no less important than physical health. And that must be reflected in how we communicate about and prioritize mental health.” (Read the full report here.)
Have Increased s e u Iss h t l a ing the Pandemic r u Youth Mental He D “Recent research covering 80,000 youth globally found that depressive and anxiety symptoms doubled during the pandemic, with 25% of youth experiencing depressive symptoms and 20% experiencing anxiety symptoms.” Source: Protecting Youth Mental Health: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory 27 kiwi Spring 2022
