The vacations are a period when statistics on the reporting of children and adolescents to psychiatrists and psychologists generally drop. However, this does not mean that one can completely lose vigilance during this period. - Mental disorders can manifest themselves in any situation, at any time of the year and at any age. Attentiveness, which I myself very often call for, is extremely important at any time," says Dr. Anna Lewandowska, national consultant for child and adolescent psychiatry, in an interview with Medexpress.
Mental crises don't have a vacation. Caregivers must not lose attention
Published Aug. 21, 2024 12:47
Fot. Thinkstock/Getty Images
- The period of the school year is more difficult for young people, because there are many more stressful situations. These are various events related to education or peer relations. On the other hand, during the vacations there is a certain space to take off the extra responsibilities, relax or focus on their interests. Psychological comfort in children is then at a higher level, and this is also true for those we manage in permanent processes. The condition of our patients really stabilizes, and often they themselves ask us for less frequent appointments, which is understandable, because they are anxious to go to camp or summer camp, for example," explains Dr. Aleksandra Lewandowska.
However, it should not be forgotten that mental crises can occur at any time. The vacations are no exception in this context.
- Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. We can have the opposite of the situation I mentioned earlier. Sometimes it's the case that a child experiences tensions throughout the school year and doesn't fully cope with stressful situations, but is a task-oriented type. He strives to do well on an exam, for example. When the holiday season comes and those tasks are gone, that's when all the emotions that have been pushed down for months come to the surface. Parents or guardians often don't understand what's going on, because after all, the child was preparing beautifully for the test, and when the vacations come, he doesn't want anything, he keeps crying or is irritable," says the national consultant for child and adolescent psychiatry.
Dr. Aleksandra Lewandowska stresses that attention to the mental condition of young people is needed in every situation and every day. As she adds, it is still worth remembering during the vacations, a period when young people are more likely to experiment with various stimulants.
In turn, the observations of MP Marcin Jozefaciuk, who served as director of the Crafts School Complex in Lodz from 2017-2022, show that, especially in September, young people are more likely to report to school psychologists.
- Psychologists say they first pay attention to children who start school, but they are also sensitive to what happens to those who return after the summer break. They observe in them not only a poor mental state, resulting from the stress of just returning from school. Summer is also a time when young people experience at least their first love dilemmas, but also many children do not cope with mental problems, often not knowing where to go for help during such a period. September is a time when psychologists observe an increase in self-aggressive behavior. This is how young people cry out for help," says Marcin Jozefaciuk.
The National Health Fund reminds:
If you suspect that your child has psychological problems, seek support. The director of the institution is responsible for providing psychological and pedagogical assistance in the kindergarten or school. For psychological, psychiatric or addiction treatment you can also go to specialists working under contracts with the National Health Fund. These include psychologists, psychotherapists, community therapists and psychiatrists.
