Emotions, care, and the three-year crisis: What influences a child's psyche, explained an expert

October 10, MINSK . On Mental HEALTH Day, Oksana Shilova, a psychiatrist and narcologist of the highest qualification category, leading researcher at the Republican Scientific and Practical Center for Mental Health, PhD in Medicine, and Associate Professor, discussed how children's mental health

develops, BELTA reports. "The mental health of different categories of people, as well as the provision of assistance and prevention of various disorders, has its own specific characteristics. This is important for vulnerable groups. A child's mental health in the first five years of life, within the context of their family, is of paramount importance. it is during this stage that basic trust in the world is formed," the physician emphasized.

According to Oksana Shilova, this factor can either serve as an anti-anxiety agent and stabilize a person in adulthood, helping them cope with stressful moments, or it can become a point of vulnerability, making a person very fragile, vulnerable, and sensitive in the face of changing realities and crisis situations.

The DOCTOR also discussed what shapes a child's mental health. A mother's emotional stability, family support , physical and emotional contact with the child, establishing eye contact, and the mother's maternity leave have a positive impact on the child's mental health. Conversely, family conflicts, ALCOHOL abuse, lack of attention and care, frequent moves, and the number of relatives living with the child can become vulnerability factors, increasing the risk of developing mental disorders in adulthood.

According to the expert, how parents cope with their child's emotions plays a significant role. "There should be support from the father, grandparents, or specially trained people. Harmoniously coping with the three-year crisis, when children begin to say, 'I don't want to,' is crucial. This period—the experience of navigating life's crises—will later become the foundation for maturation. A child learns to maintain a balance between understanding their own desires and plans and what society expects of us," noted Oksana Shilova.