We’ll take care of the sad, irritable or withdrawn child. Believe it or not, behind your face, there may be a psychological problem that manifests itself in symptoms of internalization, such as isolation and demotivation.
Sometimes children may have behaviors that have little to do with their personality, such as extreme shyness, anxiety, fears, phobias, and mood swings, in this sense understanding, knowing, and detecting the first indicators of internalizing disorders can help prevent and treat childhood depression. .
- As for the behaviour of children.
- There is a fact that almost never fails.
- The most restless and unruly children are the ones who always catch our attention.
- Whether at home or at school.
- It is impossible not to pay attention to the child.
- Which is difficult and rarely sits still.
This type of profile corresponds to what we define as externalization disorders, which basically respond to their environment by becoming notorious. On the other hand, there are children who are far from being problematic, these children do not like others to notice. They are the ones who sit at the back of the class and remain isolated at all times, avoiding drawing attention at all costs.
In addition, their teachers are rarely concerned, somehow teachers appreciate the quiet personality of these children, especially in a classroom full of noisy and restless children, however neglecting these children or adolescents can have serious consequences, even if they hide behind their serene path, they actually ask for help.
“Yes, he’s always close to me, he never leaves me. ” He’s shy, he’s one of those kids who’s afraid of everything. “”I always take you to the doctor, when it’s not stomach pain, it’s a skin allergy. “. “
Such comments are common among parents of children with internalization disorders, in general it is not easy to see that what is behind this behavior is actually a psychological problem, this problem arises mainly when a child has not received care. when a child reaches adolescence.
We all know how hard adolescence can be. This phase is full of changes, which makes individuals more vulnerable, and this vulnerability causes this disorder to manifest, that’s when self-harm and even suicidal thoughts can arise. treatment and prevention programs for internalizing disorders.
In addition, the authors of this study noted that children with undetected psychological disorders are more likely to experience academic problems and social exclusion; however, the most serious problem is the risk of suicide; According to WHO data, suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15- to 19-year-olds.
According to Achenbach, Edelbrock and Howell (1987), mental disorders affecting children can be divided into two types, outsourced behaviors (aggression, behavioral problems, disobedience and inalination, among others) and internalizing behaviors, which refer to manifestations related to somatization from anxiety, stress or depression.
Internalization disorders are very common in childhood and manifest themselves as follows:
What lies behind these symptoms of internalization are anxiety and depressive disorders. These realities often go unnoticed in childhood and youth for two reasons: first, adults tend to attribute them to the child’s personality and age. They think tweens are more passive and introverted, while teenagers generally consider themselves rebellious and reckless.
On the other hand, it is important to consider the family aspect, many of the children with this type of disorder come from problematic environments, that is, homes where parents have inadequate parenting strategies that have neglected the emotional aspect of their children. they are unable to detect the problem in their children, making the school environment the only scenario capable of understanding the reality of these children.
Therefore, the triggers of these psychological conditions are often quite complex, it is true that the trigger may be abandonment, abuse and abuse; however, there are also stressors (school change, parent separation), personality variables and even genetic factors.
Systemic therapy is the usual therapeutic focus on the treatment of internalization disorders in children, the mental health professional should focus not only on the emotional dimension of the child, but also on their family environment, in the same way, in all cases, the therapist should propose strategies for children and adolescents to help them understand their own emotions and know their body’s reactions to anxiety For example.
Improving their social and affirmation skills will allow them to have greater self-esteem and, in turn, act more safely and calmly. There is no doubt that early detection of the symptoms of these clinical realities should be a priority in our society.