Hear the children crying

TTUTA

IN 2019, the WHO launched the Special Initiative for Mental Health (2019-2023): Universal Health Coverage for Mental Health. This initiative emphasises access to quality and affordable care for mental health conditions to 100 million more people in 12 priority countries. The overview states, “Depression is one of the leading causes of disability. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds. People with severe mental health conditions die prematurely – as much as two decades early – due to preventable physical conditions.”

These statistics are alarming and must cause us to raise a red flag on behalf of our youth and include better mental health care in all sustainable development plans.

Assuming that we are intelligent Trinidadians-Tobagonians, it does not take genius aptitudes for us to realise that the nation’s students are left to fend for themselves as they struggle with a string of events that literally threaten their mental, emotional, and physical health as a by-product of stress and distress.

Every adult in our land is aware of “time-off” and “days off.” Whether we are on sick leave or on personal business, employees access their rights to time away from work. Students, teachers, and parents experience burnout during the school term due to the demands of the education system coupled with personal life. Many adolescents and teenagers are navigating relationship building and the difficulties they experience. Additionally, family trauma and pressure to perform well academically result in inability to cope when things go wrong.

It is saddening to see that many adults have forgotten that children are experiencing severe levels of stress and anxiety. The present elevated levels of absenteeism during online classes is also a consequence of the real-life challenges that result in being thoroughly overwhelmed by circumstances they cannot control.

The 6th Report of the Joint Select Committee on Social Services and Public Administration (An Inquiry into Mental Health and Wellness Services and Facilities in TT), highlights the issue locally. The introduction, Section 3.7 stipulates:

“In 2012, the then Minister of Health issued a statement in observance of World Mental Health Day. The statement indicated that ‘approximately one quarter of our population, or 1 in 4 persons, is afflicted by mental illness. Mood disorders such as depression account for 30 per cent of the reported cases of mental illness in TT. The last Global School Health Survey (2007) conducted in TT revealed that 21.5 per cent of students felt sad or hopeless almost every day to the extent that they stopped participating in their usual activities.’

“Moreover, the survey also indicated that female students were more likely than males to be affected by mental health issues, with 21.5 per cent of females and 14.1 per cent of males reporting that they seriously considered committing suicide during the 12 months before the survey.”

This is ample cause for alarm. Our students are no strangers to severe psychological trauma suffered as a child, such as emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. They have experienced terrible losses, neglect and are saddled with multiple social anxieties and inadequacies. It is true that our social services are insufficient and understaffed, but can we put a price on a child’s head and continue to deny them their rights of protection from abuse and harm? More efficient and diverse mental health care is needed for realisation of their full potential.

In response to the rising rates of depression and suicide among young people in the US in 2018, Utah passed a bill that states students are allowed to take a mental health day as an excused absence from school. Oregon followed Utah’s lead in 2019 when it enacted a similar law.

It is proposed that one in six children between the ages of six and 17 experiences a mental health disorder each year. Young people need a break. Schools must recognise when they cannot cope or persevere and are being harsh on themselves.

All too often, credible models from which we can learn and gain valuable knowledge are ignored, leaving our children in the lurch to deal with challenges that threaten health, sanity, and happiness. These mental health days will encourage them to create a space in their soul for rejuvenation and inner strength. It cannot be filled with homework or housework. Students will feel supported, understood, and motivated to care for and truly accept themselves when their essential needs are met.