Page 47 - Waterfall Issue 9_2022

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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