Healthy Habits for Behavioral Wellness
Behavioral Health and Wellness for Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults
Instilling healthy habits is critical in establishing overall behavioral and mental wellness. The first step in improving your wellness is defining and differentiating behavioral health from mental health. This will allow you to gain awareness of their essential roles in your life.
This article will emphasize the importance of instilling healthy habits in children, adolescents, and young adults so that they can recognize their abilities, cope with everyday stressors, work productively, and positively contribute to their community.
Differentiating behavioral health from mental health
Behavioral health is related to the decisions that people make and the actions they take; essentially, it’s about how a person’s behaviors impact their mental and physical health. Mental health relates to our thoughts and feelings and how those may impact our lives. Depending on the state of a person’s mental health, it can affect their day-to-day functioning.
Behavioral health and mental health are two separate fields; however, they can have significant overlap. Overlap occurs when someone must address the emotions (mental health) that are causing unhealthy behaviors (behavioral health). That statement suggests that improving behavioral health may require mental health care.
Mental health in children 1-10
A new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) study published in the American Medical Association’s journal JAMA Pediatrics reports significant increases in the number of children diagnosed with mental health conditions. The study, conducted by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), finds that between 2016 and 2020, the number of children ages 3-17 diagnosed with anxiety grew by 29 percent and those with depression by 27 percent. Children’s physical activity decreased by 18 percent during the same time. HRSA researchers also found that from 2019 to 2020, there was a 21 percent increase in children with behavior or conduct problems.
Children’s habits begin with what they see at home. As a parent or guardian, you are your child’s role model, and your habits will most likely affect them.
Here is some encouragement to follow from Cigna Health Care for building strong, life-long habits for your children:
Healthy eating
Regular physical activity
Staying safe and healthy
Healthy thinking
Keep in mind that habits are tough to break. That is why it is vital to instill healthy habits in children, so they can stay healthy and easily resist peer pressure down the road that may put them at risk.
Mental health in adolescents 10-19
One in six people is aged 10-19 years old. Adolescence is a unique and formative time crucial for developing social and emotional habits important for well-being.
Here are some critical facts regarding adolescent mental health according to the World Health Organization (WHO):
Globally, one in seven 10-19-year-olds experience a mental disorder, accounting for 13 percent of diseases in this age group.
Depression, anxiety, and behavioral disorders are the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents.
Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds.
The consequences of failing to address mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults.
Addressing mental health conditions in adolescents is essential to their growth and recovery. The first step includes recognizing the types of behavior to look out for. Below are common mental health conditions adolescents are vulnerable to:
Emotional disorders: Anxiety and Depression
Behavioral disorders: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity-Disorder (ADHD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Eating disorders: Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa
Psychosis: Hallucinations
Suicide and self-harm
Risk-taking behaviors: Substance abuse or sexual behaviors
While these statistics from the WHO may be daunting, there are effective ways to empower your adolescent, including asking the right questions and helping to identify the level of support they need to achieve mental wellness.
Here are some tips for parents from Jenny Taitz, PsyD, ABPP:
Practice being kind and non-judgmental
Listen and empathize
Give them hope
Ask about thoughts of self-harm
Lean on research-based approaches and share them with your adolescent: Suicide Crisis Hotline 9-8-8, Behavior therapy, Medications
Protecting adolescents from adversity, promoting socio-emotional learning (the ability to form relationships with others), psychological well-being, and ensuring access to mental health care are critical steps that will contribute to their health and overall wellness during adolescence and adulthood.
Mental health in young adults 19-25
Studies claim that the leading cause of anxiety in young adults falls under academic and financial stress. 80 percent of part-time college students have jobs outside of school, and 70 percent of college students are stressed about finances. With trying to balance school, work, finances, activities, and friends, many young adults struggle to prioritize these areas in their lives.
It’s important to realize that prioritizing your mental health does not mean your academic performance will worsen; it can improve. Reporter Rebecca LaBarge offers these five ways to help students balance mental health and academics:
Get more sleep
Take breaks
Practice relaxation or meditation techniques
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Be patient with yourself
Another stressor for young adults is the increasing use of social media. Although social media can help us maintain connections with distant friends and family, it can also increase feelings of anxiety and depression.
Social media’s effect on mental health is a complex subject that requires extensive research. Still, there are ways to take action to protect our peace by practicing healthy social media habits before they arise. Check out these tips from Sannyu McDonald Harris, Ph.D., LCMHCS:
Be intentional when you go on social media
Focus on your real-life friends
Limit your scrolling time
Follow people and pages that bring you joy
Avoid using social media before bed
Live in the moment when you are out
Take breaks often
There is no more critical time to focus on mental health than adolescence and early adulthood. Our list of responsibilities grows as we do, and our ability to cope with everyday stressors will determine our mental health state. The goal is to achieve the idea of resiliency; to be resilient is to have the knowledge and confidence that you will be able to overcome obstacles as they occur. This establishes a sense of self-esteem, self-confidence, and faith in your abilities.
Behavioral and mental health have significant impacts, especially from childhood to adulthood. By creating awareness and analyzing the facts, solutions can be reached to prevent an issue from worsening. If you are a parent or guardian of a child, adolescent, or young adult, ask yourself if you are providing the proper resources for a safe environment for your child. Recognize changes in their behavior and initiate conversations. By following the strategies listed throughout this article, you can help someone reach behavioral and mental wellness.
For more information about healthy behaviors supporting mental health, follow this link.
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