How to Talk to Your Child about a Mental Health Disorder
July 5th, 2009
What do you do as a parent when your child has been diagnosed with a mental health disorder? This is a question that has been posed to me countless times as a therapist. Do I tell him what is wrong or not?? Whether you as a parent have been told that your child has ADHD, Clinical Depression, an Anxiety Disorder, Aspergers, or whatever it is, your child definitely needs to be told about the diagnosis. In addition, the symptoms of the disorder should also be explained to them.
Talking to your child about the disorder helps to remove the mystery surrounding the problem and it will also help them if you explain the symptoms to them. In having done so, you as a parent are given them back some measure of control to your child. I mean, if you really think about it, is whatever you are telling them really that bad??
Alot of parents/caregivers feel a sense of relief when they are told what particular problem their child has, however they then feel it necessary to “hide” the diagnosis from their child. Believe me, children know that their is a problem or something “different” about them and explaining the diagnosis will help alleviate some of their distress and then both you and your child can work towards coping with the situation. Awareness is the key towards better mental health.
Posted in Communicating with your kids
