''If there is anything that we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something that could better be changed in ourselves.''
Carl Jung
Last Friday I ran into my 7th grader elementary teacher at the drug store, Walgreen. We talked at length and caught up on things.
She is still teaching elementary grades children. In the past year she has helped bring a level 4 school up to catch up with the rest of the other schools in the district. She is exhausted. Yet her concern for the children is still forever more burdened her thoughts.
She signed and said that more of her students are suffering from moods disorders and mental illnesses. Thought I would bring you this message. The day is closed and it is a great time to start talking about this with those around us.
Carl Jung
Last Friday I ran into my 7th grader elementary teacher at the drug store, Walgreen. We talked at length and caught up on things.
She is still teaching elementary grades children. In the past year she has helped bring a level 4 school up to catch up with the rest of the other schools in the district. She is exhausted. Yet her concern for the children is still forever more burdened her thoughts.
She signed and said that more of her students are suffering from moods disorders and mental illnesses. Thought I would bring you this message. The day is closed and it is a great time to start talking about this with those around us.
Research shows that early social support systems, a stable family life, an abuse-free upbringing, optimism, positive role models, and self-identity build strong sense of resilience and serve as protective factors helping children guard against the effect of stressful life situations that may otherwise weaken their ability to observe and bounce back later in life.
Another important goal for these awareness events is to children affected from mental health illnesses such as depression to find recovery through the transformation of mental health services and social awareness.
According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services and SAMHSA it is never too early to start a nurturing environment for children because there are many emotional and social well-being milestones they can achieve as newborns and the years to their adulthood.
Sources: Bybee D, Mowbray CT, Oyserman D, Lewandowski L. (2003).
Variability in community functioning of mothers with serious mental
illness. J Behav Health Serv Res. 30(3):269-289.
Jones DJ, O’Connell C, Gound M, Heller L, Forehand R. (2004).
Predictors of self-reported physical symptoms in low-income, innercity
African American women: the role of optimism, depressive
symptoms, and chronic illness. Psychol Women Q. 28:112-121.
illness. J Behav Health Serv Res. 30(3):269-289.
Jones DJ, O’Connell C, Gound M, Heller L, Forehand R. (2004).
Predictors of self-reported physical symptoms in low-income, innercity
African American women: the role of optimism, depressive
symptoms, and chronic illness. Psychol Women Q. 28:112-121.
www.samhsa.gov
To attend or learn more the events, please log on to AwarenessDay2010@vancomm.com.
Events location: The Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, in Washington, DC; Coming soon: www.ourmentalhealthmatters.com
