MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. It affects how we think, feel and act, it also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others and make healthy choices. Mental health encompasses influencing cognition, perception and behavior. It likewise determines our interpersonal relationships and decision making (Wikipedia). The causes of mental health include; childhood abuse, trauma or neglect, social isolation or loneliness, experiencing discrimination or stigma, including racism social disadvantage, poverty or debt.

Mental health is one of the most difficult challenges faced in the life of vulnerable children out on the street. These children sometimes suffer severe mental health outcomes due to chronic exposure to psychosocial distress, specifically anxiety and depression. Street children are denied basic rights of livelihood, health and education. Good quality of life is often considered as the foundation of sound mental health and these children are denied that. Mental Health conditions are the leading causes of health problems among children across the world, it leads to depression among the children which harm their overall growth.

Mental Health affects the social as well economic life of the street children which leads to poverty, fewer employment opportunities, and poor work efficiency. Given the fact that mental illness leads to vulnerability of individual also since street children are those who leave home due to maladjustment in the family, this leads to psychological distress among them on the street they suffer stigma, discrimination, abuse, mental distress, neglect, and violence which worsen their conditions and lead to mental health problems among the children.

These mental illnesses make them more vulnerable and push them on the margin of social exclusion and violation of many rights; they go through various hardships while on the street that undoubtedly leads to many psychosocial distresses and mental health problems among them.

Things to do for your mental health; Value yourself, take care of your body, surround yourself with good people, give yourself, quiet your mind, learn how to handle stress, set realistic goals, avoid alcohol and drugs and get help when you need it.

GSK Initiative has deemed it fit to educate the vulnerable children about their mental health and how it can be managed while they are out there on the street. Every child deserves to live happy and healthy no matter the situation they find themselves in.