April is alcohol awareness month. This media blitz devoted to bringing attention to this public health concern will soon come to an end.
But what will not end is the need for health care and mental health clinicians treating seriously ill children and adolescents, whether they have addiction or other significant health concerns, to be focused on how they may help encourage resilience in these children.
A focus on the child’s physical and mental health can improve outcomes
Whether the adolescent has cancer, a brain injury, or severe addiction, they are suffering.
Yes, it is essential to work to restore the physical health of an ill child and teen. But this is not the only mission.
It is also vital that the focus on the child’s physical health be expanded to include their emotional health. This complementary focus of helping children and adolescents make sense of this time in their lives and determine how to use it constructively is essential for them to move forward.
And can lead to an appreciation of their developing resilience
Understanding what they can control and using this consciously can give a child a sense of power and purpose. This is the essence of resilience.
Saying this is not to minimize the anguish and confusion that the seriously ill child, adolescent, and their family feel. However, helping the child and adolescent focus on what they can control can benefit them not only in their physical recovery but also in their growth towards adulthood.
Whether you are a parent, uncle, or clinician, I recommend that you explore building resilience in children and adolescents with addiction and other serious medical challenges more fully in the article I co-authored with Malkin, E, Gordon. R., O’Gorman, P., that appeared in Psychology Today, Meaning and Values in Pediatric Care.
And … stay tuned. If you’re interested in my clinical work on how to build your resilience, please visit me on Psychology Today.
Patricia O’Gorman, Ph.D, psychologist and life coach, is a best-selling author of nine books on trauma, resilience, women, and self-parenting. She is a speaker known for her warm and funny presentations.
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