Page 47 - Waterfall Issue 9_2022
P. 47

Sit back and list the things South
        Africans deal with every day. Even
        though we are so desensitised to much
        of it, we don’t realise the burden it puts
        on our mental health. Rampant crime,
        perpetual load-shedding, and the
        impossible task of obtaining a driver’s
        license when the only machine in the
        country is broken. Then there is the
        sky-rocketing petrol price, widespread
        corruption, crumbling infrastructure, an
        ailing economy and inflation. Of course,
        I can’t omit the part about surviving a
        pandemic, which caused fear, isolation
        and anxiety worldwide – especially
        when parents found themselves
        suddenly juggling work from home
        routines and having to navigate their
        kids through online schooling.

        I am sure that just reading that
        paragraph was exhausting. Now, if
        you consider how challenging it can
        be for the adults, take a moment to
        think about our kids. We can become
        caught up in it all and imagine that
        many of those things go unnoticed by
        children, but they are far more aware
        of what is happening in the world
        than we give them credit for. They pick   During the eight years that I taught at   very different perspective regarding
        up on our stress and access what’s   a school for gifted kids, I picked up on   the so-called ADHD pandemic.
        happening in the world through social   things regarding anxiety in children.
        media and overheard conversations.   Bear in mind that gifted kids – as well   Don’t get me wrong. I am not anti-
        Although some of us may go out of   as many neurotypical kids – are chronic   medication, and I fully believe that
        our way to shield them from it, it’s also   overthinkers that worry constantly.   ADHD is real. I have spent enough
        discussed on the school playground,   And don’t assume this is limited to   time in the classroom to realise that
        often in ways that can make it far   adolescents. I was teaching Grade 4   medication can be life-changing
        more frightening, without context.  for most of my years there and often   when correctly prescribed in the
                                            encountered anxiety in my students.   right circumstances. But what stood
        Then there’s the added academic     Many of the children were referred to   out to me was how anxiety often
        pressure, peer pressure and         us when their previous schools asked   caused the same distractibility,
        hectic extramural commitments       that they get assessments due to their   inattention, poor work ethic and poor
        with minimal downtime.              distractibility, inattention, poor work   performance that regularly accompany
                                            ethic and poor performance. The aim   ADHD. And when the anxiety was
        OUR CHILDREN ARE IN                 was to pursue a diagnosis of ADHD or   tackled, the children thrived.
        TROUBLE                             a similar learning challenge with the
        According to UNICEF, 65% of         hope of getting them on medication   SO, HOW CAN WE HELP?
        adolescents said they were struggling   like Ritalin or Concerta to help.   The most important thing we can do
        with their mental health but didn’t                                     for our kids is to be present enough
        seek help. Many said it was because   But the assessments often ended   to recognise the signs, communicate
        they didn’t know where to get help,   up revealing something completely   with them, and make them feel safe
        didn’t feel it was severe enough to   unexpected. It turned out they    to communicate with us. Awareness
        speak to anybody, or were afraid they   had exceptional intelligence, were   of your children’s mental health is
        would be judged. Although there is   completely stifled by a system that   just as essential as physical health.
        far more awareness than before, there   tried to squish them into an ill-fitting   When left unchecked, issues like
        is still a stigma attached to mental   box and were frequently crippled   anxiety and depression can lead
        health issues. And it needs to change.  by anxiety. The assessments gave a   to countless problems down the


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