Importance of Community on Youths Mental Health
Steering Committee
May 5, 2023
As we celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month this May, this year’s theme invites us to look around and look within. From our neighborhoods to our physical health and genetics, many factors come into play when it comes to the condition of our mental health. This year’s theme gives us an opportunity to explore how the world around us and within us affects our mental well-being.
Take a moment to consider your surroundings. Do you feel safe? Do you have access to health care and grocery stores? Do you have access to parks and/or other green spaces? Does your home support you, both physically and mentally? Now think about the clients/students you serve? How do you think they would answer these questions?
Where a person is born, lives, works, plays, and gathers, as well as their economic stability and social connections, are part of what is called “social determinants of health” (SDOH). The more positive an effect these factors have on you and your family the more likely you are to have positive mental wellbeing. But if these factors have a negative effect on your life, then your mental health will suffer.
We may not often think about how safe and stable housing is connected to our mental health or that of our clients/students, but if you do not feel like your home is safe and stable, how can you be comfortable? It is important to check in with our clients/students about the stability of their housing. We need to ask about their comfort level at home to see if there is any way we can support them in feeling safe and content in their own home.
And if their home is stable, does the space feel calm and positive? If not, why not? Then it’s important to help them create a space that is conducive to mental wellbeing. You can ask questions like, is the space tidy? well-lit? well-ventilated? sleep-friendly, etc.? You can inform them that keeping a clean living space is shown to promote calmness, while the living space need not be spotless, clutter can contribute to confusion, depression, stress, and trouble focusing 1 is why an organized and tidy space is important
You can also ask about the extended neighborhood and community – do they know their neighbors? Feeling a sense of connection is crucial for mental well-being, and while you can find a sense of connection with many people in many places, finding it nearby with your neighbors provides a sense of community and social support. Strong community among neighbors and nearby residents protects mental health through shared support, resources, and joy. Strong social ties within neighborhoods protect well-being by fostering a sense of teamwork and community care.2 Encourage your clients/students to be friendly with their neighbors by waving or saying hello or organizing a neighborhood gathering for folks to come together. If their neighborhood does not feel safe, do they have elsewhere in the community where they can feel safe and comfortable? Is it school? Is it the local library? A local community center? How can you help them find that a space where they can go and feel safe? We all need community to thrive.
Additionally, you can ask your clients/students if they are getting outdoors enough. Are they getting enough sunlight? Fresh air? Spending time in nature is linked to many positive mental health outcomes – better mood, improved focus, lower stress, and reduced risk of developing a mental health condition.3 Even spending time in a backyard can produce positive outcomes and feeling connected to nature helps mood even if you do not spend time outdoors.3 A simple adjustment that can be made, if outdoor time and/or space is limited, is to bring the outdoors inside. Having plants in the home helps to improve focus, memory, and stress tolerance.4 Spending time in nature helps children feel connected to themselves, others, and the world around them. This connection helps with emotional regulations, personal growth, self-esteem, and the building of social skills.5 Spending time in nature encourages children to be imaginative and independent and to feel more connected to their peers and other living things. You can encourage your clients/students to connect with nature by getting outside, visiting a community park, planting something or bringing plants inside, and/or making sure they let natural light inside. Research suggest that spending a little time outdoors every day can be as effective, maybe even more effective, than an annual camping trip!6 Encouraging your client/students to get outside even for a few minutes every day can lead to long-term positive mental health outcomes.
The research is clear, spending time outdoors is good for all of us, but especially for kids who are more used to spending time in front of screens than outside. Nature is good for kids’ minds because it builds confidence, promotes creativity and imagination, teaches responsibility, provides different stimulation, gets kids moving and thinking, and reduces stress and fatigue.7
We know that that the world around us can be both positive and negative – bringing joy and sadness, hope and anxiety – helping our clients/students balance the world and their internal needs is integral to our roles. The bottom line is that when we look at our clients/students as whole people and we ask these questions and provide ideas and suggestions about how to create a safe and comfortable space, connect with others, and interact more with nature, we are helping them learn how to improve their mental health.
Celebrate this year’s mental health awareness month by tidying up or re-organizing your space, connecting with others, and/or getting outside!
References:
- Brown K. W., Ryan R.M. (2003). The benefits of being present: mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2003 Apr;84(4):822- 48. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.84.4.822. PMID: 12703651./li>
- The Mental Health Benefits of Community Helping During Rrisis: Coordinated Helping, Community Identification and Sense of Unity During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction
- Nurtured by Nature
- Effects of Indoor Plants on Human Functions: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analyses
- Capaldi, C. A., Passmore, H.-A., Nisbet, E. K., Zelenski, J. M., & Dopko, R. L. (2015). Flourishing in nature: A review of the benefits of connecting with nature and its application as a wellbeing intervention. International Journal of Wellbeing, 5(4), 1-16. do i:10.5502/ijw.v5i4.449
- Boost your Mental Health by Spending Time Outside
- Why Kids Need to Spend Time in Nature
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