No More Silent Tears: Recognizing mental abnormalities within our youth

In general, many walked with their heads down and unsure of themselves; I later figured out it was because of their experience with rejection within their peer groups, because they had trouble adapting to change, or that they displayed their frustration and hurt in rebellion activities.

I also learned that most children display their pain from trauma externally, because internally they do not have the tools to internalize and compartmentalize their trauma to sort out or work through them. In my tenured work with the youth as a mentor, I learned that many felt disregarded, unacknowledged and judged by their peers and others.

Learning ways to help each child’s needs was an in-depth connection with them. So, after learning their needs and how I could assist them, I realized that some of the students were strong and had a fantastic talent to discover within themselves, and they had support from family and friends though some parents didn’t have the tools to help.

Our youth can experience trauma and bounce back even when they feel hurt and uncertain, but the bounce back is only temporary because if not addressed, it can lead to adulthood problems. Children look for acceptance and love, and when it is absent, they become victims of their circumstances; many children who are rejected feel hopeless, some have contemplated suicide, and some have succeeded in their suicide attempts because they thought no one could help them. They felt alone or afraid to share their hidden pain to someone who could help them; fear of not being believed or feeling judged. Rejection in Latin means to throw back, leaving anyone rejected with a sense of insignificance. As if their life is not valuable or not worth it.

So, as a youth, being hurt makes us feel that we are not worth anything; this can be damaging. Being rejected by our family and peers is overwhelming for any child to undergo. Many of us may have felt picked on, bullied, ostracized, abandoned, and lonely as youth. A child or youth who has endured rejection also may experience bullying. If not treated or addressed, this can impact our children’s mental health in the long run.

Rejection has ways that manifest itself in children in a wide range of ways; some children may display their hidden traumatic experience with rejection in physical sickness or outburst of uncontrolled anger, anxiety, depression and PTSD, and many of our youth have a difficult time adhering to rules and instructions. Some of our children are misdiagnosed and are prescribed medication that doesn’t help alleviate the core of the problem. Let’s look at some coherent methodologies that may be helpful for our youth.

Mental health within our youth derives from a broader range of concerns. Many contributing factors of rejection in childhood lead to developmental abnormalities. In many cases, children who have been rejected tend to hide from their emotions and become hidden within their families and social groups. They may conceal through their expressions, become introverts, and stay confined within their imaginations’ walls; they often connect with the wrong crowd who will accept them and find unhealthy ways to communicate their pain.

If you have a child who has experienced rejection, understanding the complex relationship between mental disorders and childhood trauma can better help us consider this issue our youth face differently. Please seek help from a licensed professional who can assist.