How can you protect your child from toxic psychological stress?

We often hear about "toxic stress" in the news, about the high rates of anxiety and depression in children, and the growing number of studies that deal with the extent to which negative events in childhood cause symptoms of trauma and suffering. What environment makes a child prone to stress due to trauma?

One of the factors that generates stress in a child is the traumatic event factor such as parental divorce or any situation that makes the child feel emotional fatigue and loneliness for long periods of time, said writer Hilary Jacobs Hindell in her report in the journal Psychological Today.

The second factor is separation, when children are separated from their parents, as happens with children on the Mexican border.

The third factor is the abandonment of the child emotionally, when one parent is unable to respond and interact with his child during moments when he needs the most moral support.

According to the author, the above-mentioned cases cause many shocks to the child. If the child feels fear, a series of physiological changes will affect his mind, brain and body.

Fear creates a feeling of weakness and insecurity, which leads to despair and emotional stagnation.

All that needs to be done to help children who are under stress is to help them regain their sense of security by communicating with and caring for adults who care for them and respond emotionally.

Here are ways to help a child deal with toxic stress:

Take care to exist with children
According to the British psychiatrist and psychiatrist John Bolby, children need to feel secure in order to succeed. The first step is to provide safety for the child to accompany him so that the parties can establish a relationship based on communication.

A child suffering from stress is afraid, and just because someone is in the room can be comforting even in a situation where the child exhibits hostile behavior that suggests he does not want to communicate.

Handle gently
The psychology of a child who suffers from trauma is fraught with fragility and complexity due to the disorder of his nervous system. Adults should speak in a low and quiet voice with the child, making sure to communicate with the eyes and move slowly in order to avoid disturbing or disturbing his fragile nervous system.

Play enhances secure communication
It gives us a sense of well-being regardless of age, and helps the child to feel comfortable and calm. It involves more than just a game, as it gives him the opportunity to communicate, smile and speak in a pleasant tone and tone, as well as movement.

Help the child express their feelings
The ability to describe emotions helps to relax the nervous system. Parents can tell stories, whether they are personal experiences or those they are writing, to help children describe their feelings.

There are many ways children are allowed to express what they are going through, such as giving them drawings with small faces expressing certain feelings, each time they can refer to the ones that express them.

The child can be helped to express his or her feelings using a variety of creative methods, including art, play, storytelling or puppets, or by helping to express his or her feelings orally or physically.

Hug the child and give him affection
Hugs and physical contact are likely to help calm the nervous system of the child. You can show how receptive the child is to the issue through his or her looks.

If you notice a state of inertia, consider this behavior as a protest, but if signs of relaxation appear, this is evidence of his acceptance of this type of communication.

Give your child a sense of security
A little bit of reassurance goes a long way to helping your child cope with toxic stress.

Relax with phrases such as "Do not worry, you'll be fine", "This feeling is temporary" and "You're not lonely." And avoid lying to the child with diligence in the search for honest ways to reassure him and give him a sense of security.

Human nature is based on communication and flourishes in safety and security. Whenever these elements are at risk, we must do our utmost to restore the child's sense of security as soon as possible.

There are many other resources that will teach adults how to reduce children's stress and ensure their recovery. It should be noted that the loss of our society is grave when our children suffer.