Breaking the deafening silence around mental health issues among children

New Delhi: Riya, a bright 14-year-old ninth grader, believes that children, especially teens, face a unique set of mental health challenges, much like adults. Growing up in a financially constrained household, Riya's stress came from various sources: the pressure of schoolwork, her family's financial struggles, and her role in caring for her three younger siblings. Despite these burdens, Riya found comfort in the presence of her close friends who helped her get through the difficult days. "Stress and anxiety aren't just things adults face. Children go through them too. Parents should understand this and create a safe space for kids to open up," she said thoughtfully.On Thursday, Riya joined scores of children in a colourful celebration for World Mental Health Day, part of an event called Emotions Matter, which aimed at raising awareness about mental health among young people. Organised by the Delhi Child Rights Club, in collaboration with multiple NGOs, the event was facilitated by Butterflies NGO, an organisation dedicated to children's rights.Children performed street plays and recited heartfelt poems, each piece reflecting their shared experience and the need for mental health support. Riya was thrilled to be part of something meaningful, knowing that they were breaking the silence surrounding mental health.Speaking to TOI, the director of the Butterflies NGO, Rita Panicker, said: "Awareness on mental health among children in India is essential as mental well-being lays the foundation for overall development. Rapid societal changes, academic pressure and the rise in digital interactions increase stress among the young. However, due to stigma and a lack of awareness, mental health issues often go unrecognised and untreated, impacting children's growth, academic performance and social interactions. Early intervention and understanding can prevent long-term consequences. Parents, educators and communities must recognise signs of distress. By promoting mental health education and support systems, India can have a healthier, more resilient generation of children."The NGO, on a regular basis, does seminars in different schools and colleges to start a dialogue about mental health. Panicker said: "Often, we see that children do not get to express themselves and end up keeping these issues to themselves, which can be dangerous. In a bid to make them express themselves better, we have trained the children for better communication and empathy. These trained students then became buddies for other kids," she added.Talking about the name, Emotions Matter, JB Oli, the head of programs at Butterflies NGO, said: "Emotional well-being is crucially important for the well-being and development of children and adolescents. Emotions play an important role in motivation, creativity, healthy relationships with their peers, parents, and teachers and beyond. Therefore, along with physical health, emotional well-being also should be given equal importance. That's why we emphasised emotional well-being and promoted it."Through events like this, children like Riya amplify their voices, highlighting the importance of empathy, understanding, and open dialogue around mental health issues for children and adolescents.
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