Introduction
Depression is not a pleasant experience. While it may begin as sadness and hopelessness, its tentacles spread and infiltrate various parts of your kid’s life. As a result, depression has various signs and symptoms that vary based on an individual’s personality and mindset.
The number of children suffering from depression continues to rise with every passing year, an ode to the declining mental health conditions of kids of the 21st century. Due to the stigma surrounding mental health, many children and parents do not speak up or get the help they need.
This ends up significantly impacting their life, changing things for the worse. While cognitive behavioral therapy and medication work well, the latter has several side effects. This is why medication is used only in moderate to severe cases of depression.
Then, how to combat childhood depression naturally? Playing and engaging in creativity has been linked with lowering depression in children. Here is a quick guide on their role in defeating childhood depression.
Role Of Play And Creativity In Battling Childhood Depression
Reduces Stress
After enduring academic stress all day, when children return home, even an hour of playing or creative time can enhance their mental health and keep childhood depression at bay. Playing automatically helps kids relax and releases muscle. When children return home after enduring academic stress all day, even an hour of playing or creative time can enhance their mental health and keep childhood depression at bay. Playing automatically helps kids relax, releases muscle tension and utilizes their restless energy. As for creativity, it helps keep anxious thoughts at bay, develops mindfulness, and helps children unwind mentally.
Improves Mood
As depression is a mood disorder, adequate play, and creative expression can become the bane of its existence. Children who engage in outdoor play or enjoy creative pursuits like dancing enjoy an improved mood immediately. Those who are more into less active forms of play and creative activities like board games, painting, and writing enjoy and experience it better after completing the activity. The enhanced secretion of mood-improving endorphins ensures this.
Helps Process Difficult Emotions
Playing and engaging in creative activities help children process difficult emotions and complex situations in an age-appropriate manner. For example, your child might witness a family argument and then write a poem to feel better or play a make-believe argument between their dolls and robots to deal with the situation in their own way. This is how kids make sense of the world around them at their age.
Develops Confidence And Self-Esteem
When kids play a sport or create art using their choice of medium, it instills confidence and self-satisfaction unlike anything else. Your depressed child is bound to feel a little better if, by the end of the day, they have at least completed coloring a drawing. This helps improve self-image and sense of worth. Try breaking your depressed child’s apathy by asking for their help while engaging in your hobby. Even that will make them feel better.
Builds Resilience
Playing and engaging in art teaches children resilience and patience. Delayed gratification inculcates perseverance and dedication in kids. They understand life is like a painting or a sports championship. It is not completed in a day, and that is okay. It allows them to correct their mistakes, imagine new possibilities, and do better.
Boosts Out-Of-The-Box Thinking
Engaging in mindful play and creative arts boosts children's imagination and out-of-the-box thinking. Be it playing with dolls, solving a puzzle, or figuring out the opposite sports team’s strategy, playtime, and artistic engagements help children think in a unique and individualistic manner. Such kids view the world in a different way and come up with quick and innovative solutions for problems instead of pondering all day.
Enhances Social Skills
When children go out and play or try social and creative activities and classes, they enhance their social skills. Depressed children may feel lonely and misunderstood, so this is a good way of getting them out of their rooms and sadness. Take them to an art or dancing class and let their social skills bloom. If your child is neither sporty nor artistic, give martial arts a try. They will fortify their mental health unlike anything else.
Teaches Problem-Solving Skills
Playtime and creative activities teach kids how to solve problems in their own way. Instead of being fazed by the severity of the situation, they focus on finding the solution mindfully. Playing and creative pursuits usually keep anxious and depressive thoughts at bay, helping children solve problems mentally and faster.
Conclusion
Playtime and creativity are not the ultimate solution to depression. However, play-based therapy has gained significant success in psychiatric and behavioral studies. Also, children who engage in creative pursuits are more likely to tackle problems in their unique way instead of being overwhelmed by them. As playing and creativity are known for boosting mental resilience in kids, this makes them the perfect combo for combating childhood depression.
References
https://www.unicef.org/parenting/child-development/how-play-strengthens-your-childs-mental-health
The views expressed are that of the expert alone.
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