kesehatanjiwa, mentl health mom, kesehatn mental ibu, kesehatn mental ayah, stress, stres pada orang tua, stres pada ibu, stres pada ayah, anak berkebutuhuan khusus

Maintain the Mental Health of Parents with Children with Special Needs

Caring for Children with Special Needs (ABK) is a parent's routine that can sometimes  take up a lot of time and energy. Most parents will do everything that is best for their child for the sake of the child's development and growth and development.

Being a parent with a child with special needs certainly has its own challenges for parents, both mothers and fathers. Feelings of sadness, worry and shock, will be feelings that can dominate when you have a child with special needs. This condition can also be made worse by negative views or stigma that arise in the surrounding environment, from family, neighbors to friends, which can trigger parents with children with special needs to close themselves off from that environment.

A condition where parents of children with special needs have to make maximum efforts to ensure their child's development, but also have to accept negative views or stigma in the surrounding environment, can trigger stress and can have an impact on mental health disorders.

Mental health disorders in parents of children with special needs can get worse if they are not prevented or treated properly. Prolonged and continuous stress conditions can also have an impact on the physical and mental health of parents.

With these various burdens and demands, parents' mental health is an important weapon that must be maintained so that parents can provide optimal care and care for ABK with healthy emotions and thoughts.

Here are some efforts that parents of children with special needs can take to maintain their mental health:

  • Still make time for adequate rest. Try to implement a daily schedule (alternating) with your partner or family member in caring for a child with special needs.
  • Say positive things to yourself, praise yourself for the achievements you have made.
  • Be grateful for what is happening now and always enjoy every event in life. Remaining grateful and sincere is medicine that can reduce fatigue, so you don't focus too much on the difficult parts.
  • Nourish your body with exercise such as yoga which can relieve stress while improving your physical health, eating nutritious foods and drinking enough water. 
  • Dare to open up to those closest to you about your feelings and the problems you are facing and never close yourself off. Remain a pleasant and patient person. If necessary, make close friends with other parents of children with special needs.

Mental illness can make parents of children with special needs miserable and can cause problems in everyday life. Most mental illnesses do not get better on their own, and if left untreated, they can get worse over time and cause serious problems. If you really need help, don't hesitate to consult a psychologist/psychiatry.

Reference :
https://www.mfine.co/article/why-we-need-to-have-a-talk-about-the-mental-health-of-homemakers
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/symptoms-causes/syc-20374968

Categories