KUALA LUMPUR: Mental health care requires the same commitment, care and urgency as any physical illness, says the Children’s Protection Society Malaysia (CPSM).
Its president Datuk Seri Nazir Ariff Mushir Ariff said mental health challenges among children and young people are no longer rare or exceptional and are increasingly present in homes, schools and communities.
ALSO READ: Mind the youth mental health gap
"Depression, anxiety, loneliness and profound hopelessness often sit quietly behind smiles that even the most attentive parents, teachers or caregivers may not recognise," he said in a statement on Monday (July 27).
"We have a legal, moral and social responsibility to learn how to identify the early signs, to listen without judgment and create environments where children and young people feel safe enough to speak honestly, without fear of being dismissed or misunderstood.
"The stigma surrounding mental health is dangerous as it silences those who most need to be heard.
"Leaders, adults and all those entrusted with influence or care must confront the stigma surrounding mental health, dismantle it and eliminate it entirely."
He said doing away with such stigma is a duty towards the safety and wellbeing of children.
Addressing the recent death of an 18-year-old student in a fall from an upper floor of the Komtar building in Penang on Friday (July 24), Nazir touched on an emotional 42-minute video uploaded prior to the incident.
ALSO READ: Youth lead sharp increase in mental health calls
In it, the student shared his personal struggles, school memories and messages to his friends and family.
Nazir said he understood calls for the video to be taken down, but the conversation it starts on mental health cannot be pushed aside.
"Silence has never protected anyone and mental health requires the same seriousness, care and urgency as any physical illness.
"No child, teenager, or young adult should ever reach a point where they believe there is no one who will listen.
"Our responsibility as parents, caregivers, educators, health professionals, community leaders and ministries is to ensure no child or young adult ever faces their pain in isolation," he said.
He said protecting children extends beyond providing food, shelter and education.
ALSO READ: Youths speak up on mental health
"Their emotional and psychological wellbeing deserves the same attention and investment.
"Prevention begins not only with laws and policies but within our homes, our schools, our places of worship and communities.
"Parents and caregivers today shoulder immense responsibilities as they raise children in an increasingly complex and demanding world.
"Many children and adolescents struggle to articulate what they feel while some withdraw, some reject guidance and others act out in ways that mask deeper emotional distress," he said.
He said while discipline and accountability remain essential, they must be balanced with compassion, patience and empathy.
"The work of raising emotionally healthy children does not fall on parents alone.
"It is a shared obligation and family, teachers, relatives, friends, health professionals, community leaders and the wider society each play a critical role.
"A single trusted adult who listens and supports can make a great difference to a young person," he said.
