Signs of a Child Struggling with Mental Illness
Your child avoids you or other family members
Have you noticed that your child avoids you? Or other members of the household?
While a certain level of shyness is normal in children, an active avoidance can be a sign of something else going on - and should not be ignored.
This could be a sign of a variety of mental illnesses, but most directly linked to the actions in avoidant personality disorder. This is when social situations as well as close interpersonal relationships are circumvented, often due to an immense fear of rejection if the child were to go through and open themselves up.
Many initially believe that people with avoidant personality disorder simply want to be left alone, and do not long for that type of closeness with anyone; however, this could not be farther from the case. They desire it just like anyone else, if not more, but their tremendous fear acts as a barrier.
The disorder's causes may vary, but it is not uncommon for one to have had a painful experience of rejection at an early age. Going forward, either consciously or subconsciously, the person will begin to avoid situations that they fear could put them back in that place.
This condition should be treated as early as possible, as prolonging the condition could lead to deeper issues when socializing, which could potentially result in issues when in school, work, or any setting that requires communication or teamwork. Discuss with their pediatrician if you are observing these signs in your child.
