In India, and almost all over the world, mental health has been given less significance as compared to physical health. A child breaks his leg while playing football. According to the society, that's completely normal and part of a daily life. But someone suffering from depression would not even be considered in the category of a mental disease. "It's a phase," people would say. Let's break down what mental health is.

What is Mental Health? Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

Over the course of your life, if you or your child experiences mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behaviour could be affected. Everybody has mental health problems (just like physical problems) and its nothing to be ashamed of. Terms like ‘crisis’, ‘epidemic’, and ‘breaking point’ are used to emphasize the issue of mental health, though little is done to address the solution, leaving people with an even greater sense of dread or panic of what to do.

This Children’s Mental Health Week (5th-11th February 2018), children, young and adults are encouraged to celebrate their uniqueness. It’s all about #BeingOurselves!

When we have a positive view of ourselves it can help us to cope with life’s challenges, and recognizing the different qualities of others can allow us to connect with those around us – which is vital for our own and others’ wellbeing.

Children with mental health issues will have a difficult time acclimating to different situations. Studies have shown that these children if left untreated by a mental health professional, will likely to grow up and repeat these same behaviours with their children. These children tend to have a lower self-worth, negative feelings, perform poorly in school, and later become involved in unhealthy lifestyle decisions.

There are various things every kid needs to know. Starting with love. Kids need to know they are loved (especially by their family). Just saying "I love you" in the night is not enough. Love should be expressed not only by words but also by actions. Assessing how you show love, with action, not just words can help your child know you have a trusted, non-judgemental ear when they need one.

Next thing they need to know is that everyone has mental problems. They are not the only ones. Just as we all have physical health, we all have mental health. And like physical health, sometimes our mental health is good – and sometimes it’s not. It’s a fact of life and something that many of us will go through at some point.

Parents need to listen to their kids and make them feel heard. When kids have even the slightest problems they are shushed by their parents or are told to talk later as they are busy. Elders can act weird sometimes. They urge their children to be open and talk about their feelings but often ignore the problems when children try to convey.

So this Children's Mental Health Week, let's be the driver of change and make a difference.