How Being Isolated Can Affect Your Child’s Mental Health

Europeans are beginning to gradually emerge from lockdown and schools are reopening in many countries. This return can paradoxically arouse a share of joy and a share of anxiety.

Being isolated can be traumatic for children and adults

Experts believe that post-traumatic stress symptoms can develop in people in quarantine. Children from 3 years old must be socialized, their deep nature requires playing with other children.
If on the one hand some children seem happy not to go to school, a more global vision allows us to note that the situation is not so positive everywhere: many suffer from sleep disorders, worries, anxieties, permanent fatigue. The lack of contact with their friends is starting to become a problem.

Post-traumatic stress

Confusion, anger, stress, depression, low mood, irritability and insomnia are all effects observed during these periods of isolation, both in children and in adults.

Back to school

It is also for this reason that, despite the controversy aroused by the subject, in several European countries schools are reopening. Several specialists insist on its benefits, while respecting hygienic measures, of course.
However, this return to school, even if it brings benefits for mental health, paradoxically also causes anguish.
It is therefore important that the parents of children who will return to school before summer be reassuring.

Sophrology can help them

Sophrology can be a good ally in managing children’s anxieties.

An exercise

Lying in bed, your child can imagine that all the fear is concentrated in their belly. They can give it a color if they want. They will be able to bring out all this fear, thanks to breathing. They breath in through theyr nose, inflating the stomach as if it were a balloon filled with fear. And then they exhale through the mouth, emptying the balloon and emptying the fears.

Invite your child to do this exercise eyes closed several times at bedtime. The more they do it, the calmer they will feel at any time of the day. Besides, don’t hesitate to practice with them.

What about you, have you ever had sophrology sessions as part of stress management? Tell us about your experience in the comments or sure our Facebook page!