Opinion Editorial
By Osher Gunsberg
Medium: Osher's personal social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
Reason to choose Osher: He has a history of facing anxiety disorder, he is also well-known for The Bachelor show.
Message: to remind the publics with beyondblue's previous efforts and to influence them with the idea of using Bedtime Stories.
(Photo credit: adapted from newsapi.com.au)
There are few things that can be as oppressive as our own minds. Although invisible, mental illness is a very real threat to the quality of life of thousands of people – almost 1 in 5 Australians have experimented symptoms of a mental disorder. [2]
While the past decades have seen an amazing increase of awareness and a reduction of the stigma surrounding this topic, there is still a long way to go in terms of providing information and support for the wide range of issues that span almost all demographics.
However, the national mental health charity beyondblue has just taken a great step to help a very vulnerable population that tends to be overlooked: young children.
With the creation of a new series of books for pre-schoolers, Beyondblue Bedtime Stories, the organisation has taken upon themselves the task of helping children create a healthy attitude towards their mental wellbeing. They also educate the adults in charge, and through this, they encourage families who require professional services to get the help they need to get better through a series of bus tours across Australia.
Bedtime stories have always been a fantastic way of giving children positive examples, and they offer an opportunity to have heart-to-heart conversations at a time when they feel relaxed and safe. Some of my cosiest memories, in fact, are of my dad coming into our room after dinner with a striking picture book, reading us fantastic tales and just chatting for a while about everything and anything before tucking us in and saying goodnight.
Those were the times that stayed with me when I was beginning to realize for the first time that my worrying had crossed the line into an anxiety disorder, and I was going to need a hand to get it under control; my parents had always reassured me when I was a kid, no matter how small my problem could have seemed, and that helped me realize I shouldn’t feel ashamed about needing extra support.
Unfortunately, not all children have parents who are as understanding; to adults, childhood emotions can seem really foreign, and at times even parents who are well-meaning can end up dismissing their child’s feelings. This can lead to a lack of trust and close the lines of communication between both sides.
However, this stage is critical for setting the foundations of adulthood, and harmful patterns are much harder to deal with if they aren’t identified and treated when they first appear – so the importance of developing good coping skills and an understanding of mental health early in life, and promoting a compassionate environment, can not be overstated.
For that reason, I believe that the efforts of beyondblue to address what is often the root of many psychological problems –unresolved childhood issues– before they take hold is truly commendable, and all parents should make use of resources like this.
To have a better tomorrow, we need to start right now, nurturing the future generation to help it blossoms into a truly healthy one.
