Family Upbringing: The Foundation of Individual Mental Health

Afrah Borji – Sawt Al-Amal (Voice of Hope)

Family plays a pivotal role in developing an individual’s capabilities and mental health. It is the first environment in which a person grows and receives their initial impressions of the world. A healthy family, characterized by strong relationships and effective communication, is the foundation for the growth of a well-adjusted individual with good mental health.

In this environment, individuals feel safe, loved, and accepted, which helps them develop self-confidence and acquire social interaction skills. Conversely, a dysfunctional family, or one experiencing familial problems, leads to negative accumulations that affect an individual’s mental health in the future.

Based on this, Dr. Ayman Alwan – a specialist in neurology and psychiatry – highlights three main factors that contribute to mental health disorders:

First: Genetic factors, which are beyond control. Genes associated with mental illnesses are passed down through families.

Second: Family factors, which are preventable and can be addressed. These include the absence of a mother, conflicts between parents, divorce, displacement of children, poor parenting methods like comparing children and criticism, and physical, psychological, and sexual abuse of the child, in addition to difficult economic circumstances within the family.

Third: Social factors, such as disasters, conflicts, and poor economic conditions within society as a whole, can significantly impact individuals’ mental health.

Dr. Alwan emphasized the importance of focusing on family and social factors, which can be intervened in to prevent or mitigate mental health disorders, unlike genetic factors that cannot be controlled.

Community Opinions

Sultan Al-Maqtari says: “Undoubtedly, the family is one of the most important factors influencing an individual’s personality and behavior. Through it, children acquire many experiences, skills, habits, and moral values that contribute to building their personalities.”

He explains that the family is the basic structure for the upbringing process, through which individuals learn knowledge, skills, customs, and traditions, including religious and moral aspects like self-confidence, patience, honesty, and sincerity.

He pointed out that the behavior of family members and their relationships with each other is an important factor in shaping an individual’s personality and behaviors. Family stability, or the opposite, such as problems and difficult social and economic conditions like poverty, disease, and hunger, are all reflected in the mental and personal health of the individual.

He adds: “The contradiction and difference in directions and practices between family members creates a state of confusion and a search for role models for the child, which may lead to disturbances in their personality. Therefore, the stage of family upbringing and education is the basis for building an individual’s personality, and it needs careful evaluation to correct any negative behaviors that may arise from it and to reinforce positive practices to enhance the mental health of the individual and society.”

The Essential Role of Fathers in Personality Development

Abdul-Majid Al-Zayla’i says: “As a father, like many other fathers, I am keen on ensuring proper communication within the family so that our children live in a positive and supportive environment. The role of the family is vital in achieving stable mental health for children, as it represents a living environment that significantly influences their emotional and psychological development.”

Al-Zayla’i continues: “We strive to ensure that the family provides the emotional and social support that enhances the child’s sense of security and confidence. We work to ensure that the family contributes to strengthening personal identity and developing social interaction skills, which contributes to building a strong and psychologically stable personality that benefits themselves and their community.”

He adds: “Positive family relationships play a major role in providing emotional support, encouragement, and continuous follow-up. We constantly strive to provide a supportive and stable environment for the growth, personal development, and psychological stability of children.”

Expert Opinions

Regarding enhancing positive family communication, mental health professional Arwa Al-Wisabi says: “Promoting proper and positive communication is the foundation for building balanced and healthy relationships between family members, which directly reflects on the mental health of all its members. Understanding, honesty, and mutual respect are essential for effective family communication, which helps in understanding the needs and feelings of each individual and exchanging ideas openly and constructively.”

She adds: “Sharing joint activities and dialogue sessions between parents and children is important in strengthening and deepening this communication. When family members interact simply and discuss their concerns and aspirations, the bonds between them are strengthened, and a sense of happiness and psychological stability is achieved. Therefore, the family’s investment in strengthening positive communication among its members is vital to ensure their mental and social well-being in the long run. A cohesive family is the foundation for building a more harmonious and cooperative society.”

Positive Reinforcement Enables Psychological Support

Positive emotional reinforcement plays a pivotal role in building the personality of family members and contributes significantly to creating a righteous and effective generation in society. Through positive reinforcement, family members become more self-confident, recognize their self-worth, make sound decisions, become more self-reliant, and more capable of achieving their goals. Emotional reinforcement also helps to establish the concept of values, traditions, and social norms within the family.

Al-Wisabi says: “Emotional and positive reinforcement within the family and its relationship to improving the individual’s mental health is important and influential. Providing psychological and emotional support among family members also enhances mutual understanding, provides moral support, and facilitates good and positive communication in resolving disputes and ending problems that may hinder the course of family life.”

Challenges

The mental health professional is an essential element in providing support and advice to individuals and families facing crises and problems. Despite the importance of his role, he may face some challenges and obstacles in carrying out his work, which Al-Wisabi confirmed in her talk about the challenges. She says: “One of the most important challenges facing the mental health professional is the lack of awareness of some families about the concept of mental health. Some members of society are still unaware of the concept of mental health and the importance of its work. Some members of society refuse to resort to a mental health professional for fear of stigma or fear of society’s view. The mental health professional may also face belittlement or underestimation from some individuals, or experience irregular follow-up of psychological sessions by beneficiaries.”

To overcome these challenges, Al-Wisabi believes that it is necessary to spread awareness of the importance of the mental health professional and his effective role in building and establishing family and social relationships through various media outlets and to work to enhance societal understanding of the importance of mental health and the roles of mental health professionals. This helps to remove obstacles and enables professionals to perform their duties more effectively.

Real-Life Stories

Ali Al-Muhammadi comes from a simple village in Yemen. He grew up in a loving family that surrounded him with care and support. He was raised by his parents who worked hard on their farmland, harvesting crops and the love of their children together. In addition to his passion for education, Ali found great encouragement from his family, which contributed to his academic excellence and his kind behavior towards his friends. He was loving and helpful, always supporting his friends and sharing their joyful moments. Ali’s story is not just an ordinary one, but a model that embodies the role of a healthy family in building a strong and successful personality.

On the other hand, the child Osama Hameed grew up in a broken family environment and was repeatedly exposed to intense quarrels between his parents. This turbulent atmosphere negatively affected his behavior at school. He became absent-minded, aggressive towards his friends, and did not participate in school activities. He began to suffer from hypersensitivity, crying in any situation that did not suit him. All he dreams of now is a peaceful family that provides him with psychological support.

Family is the primary source for raising a child and teaching moral values. It is essential in shaping the child’s personality and determining their path in life. The comparison between Ali and Osama embodies the impact of family on an individual’s life and future. The family is what shapes the individual’s personality. In the shadow of a stable family, the child grows up surrounded by security and affection, which gives them self-confidence and strength to face life. In the shadow of a broken family, the child lives in a state of tension, anxiety, and lack of confidence in themselves and others, which negatively affects their psychological growth and behavior throughout their life stages.