Susan Rachele on Parents' Roles in Their Child's Mental and Emotional Growth

Susan Rachele grew up in a household where one parent has severe bipolar disorder. The extreme highs and extreme lows that a person with bipolar disorder experiences can greatly affect their relationships. Imagine a child being exposed to these extremes on a regular basis, and having to deal with it on his or her own because it is the parent who exhibits the manifestations of such extremes. Research shows that children who were constantly exposed to violence and abuse are at a higher risk of developing a mental disorder in their teenage years or when they become adults.

For Susan Rachele, these mental disorders manifested in the form of PTSD, ADHD, OCD, BDD, and SPD. She is now working closely with a cognitive behavior therapist to help her cope with her conditions and improve her quality of life.

With that said, parents play a huge role in the child's mental, emotional, and physical development. Where the constant atmosphere at home is that of stress, anxiety, or violence; the child's behavioral and intellectual growth may become underdeveloped. The parents' attitude towards their own bodies also heavily influences how a child may perceive his or her own body.

A child as young as 5 or 6 years old may already be worried about their body image because that is what they see from their parents. And as they get older, they may be more focused on this body image and may use extreme means to "keep up" with their perception of a perfect body.

When a child is raised in a nurturing, supportive, and loving environment, they develop a healthy self-esteem which translates to them being happy with the way they look. They also will learn to be loving and supportive to the people around them; their family, friends, teachers, and everyone they meet.