PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – A new survey found that roughly half of the parents polled listed school as a top stressor for their kids. But at the same time, parents feel a stigma about saying their child needs a mental health break.
According to Amy Morin, a licensed clinical social worker and editor-in-chief of VeryWell Mind, “A lot of parents are afraid to say, ‘My kid took a day off for mental health reasons,’ because they’re afraid other people might judge their kid or think that there’s something wrong with them so I think it’s important that we think of mental health as part of our overall health. Parents wouldn’t be embarrassed to say their kid stayed at home because they had a cold or the flu, could be very similar.
“We don’t need to necessarily reserve mental health days for when we’re in a crisis or your child has a diagnosable mental illness so sometimes it can be preventative measures, taking a day off to say, ‘I’m going to reset and recharge.’ Taking a day to improve your mental health doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you.”
Right now, 12 states offer mental health days for public school students, independent of sick days.
To see the results of the survey, click here.
BRAIN STIMULATION
A new study found stimulating parts of the brain can help a person’s memory.
Study participants underwent 20 minutes of stimulation daily for four days in a row wearing a cap filled with electrodes.
The study also showed that the stimulation improved both immediate and long-term memory at the end of one month.
Researchers say those who struggled the most with memory games at the beginning showed the most improvement.