12 year old anxiety and depression talk

[FiniteSagacity]

DS at 12 regularly talks about anxiety and depression. This is not diagnosed but he does have behaviours that suggest some anxiety. As a young child he had anger management and control issues and play therapy really helped him. He is more sensitive in personality than his sibling.

But with all the school and media focus on mental health I worry it’s feeding him an unhelpful narrative. Have also hated him having a mobile phone since starting secondary and I’m sure it doesn’t help all the content he sees on there. But am I wrong and it’s better that he can label his feelings? Should I be seeking support for him?

There has been a worrying trend on TikTok to sort of glamourise mental health problems.

They're very interested in MH and every other child seems to have something....which is bad...because it sort of dilutes those having real experiences. You're not wrong to think that it's better to talk about these things though.

My DD did this at about the same age. Got very "into" mental health as a topic of conversation and I just stayed neutral and didn't judge. She's 13 going on 14 and seems to have grown out of it now.

Thanks @FortunesFave I do wonder if it’s a phase while he processes this. I spend time every day with DS when we read at bedtime and he gets to talk about anything then. I hope that means he’s opening up and trying to understand himself and I’ll try to listen without judgment and see if it goes anywhere. Just so much everywhere about mental health and adjusting from my own ‘stiff upper lip’ childhood, where I had plenty of cause to crumple in a heap but plodded on. In focussing on DS2 I could miss something for DS1 who is more like I was, far less attention seeking but occasionally implodes. Parenting is harder than it looked but I hope that’s because I’m trying harder iyswim.

I feel the same....about having a lot to deal with alone as a kid....but kept plodding on. We had no choice did we? I dealt with all sorts alone....but part of our kids not having to I suppose, is this splurge of it all coming out in the open .

I try to focus on fun, focus on creativity with mine....like you, I make sure to spend one to one time with them and your parenting sounds absolutely fine and good. You're obviously a great Mother, taking time to understand her kids.