8 hours ago
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Guest Column
On any given school morning in Trinidad and Tobago, classrooms burst with the familiar rhythm of Caribbean life—children laughing, settling into lessons and greeting their teachers with bright energy. Yet beneath that vibrancy, a quieter crisis is unfolding. More of our nation’s children are living with emotional distress than ever before, navigating fear, anxiety, sadness and uncertainty long before they have the words to describe what they feel.
As one article notes, “More of our children are living with emotional distress than ever before. They are navigating fear, anxiety, sadness, and uncertainty long before they have the language to explain it.”
For too long, we have comforted ourselves with the familiar phrase, “we go deal with it just now”. But when it comes to youth mental health, “just now” has become too late.
The early warnings
we keep missing
Across primary schools, teachers are observing troubling shifts: children withdrawing, becoming unusually aggressive, losing focus or expressing fear triggered by violence or instability. These are not isolated behavioural issues—they are signals of distress.
International research shows that half of all mental health conditions begin by age 14, meaning many of our primary school pupils are already experiencing symptoms that can shape their entire adulthood if ignored.
One Standard Three child captured the reality plainly: “Miss, my belly does hurt when I hear shouting.” This is not mischief. It is anxiety—and untreated anxiety becomes entrenched anxiety.
We cannot continue dismissing these signs as “bad behaviour”. Early warnings demand early action.
Teenagers and university students carrying
adult-sized burdens
By secondary school and university, the emotional load becomes heavier. Academic pressure, financial strain, social isolation and fear of crime are now part of daily life for young people across T&T.
Recent Caribbean youth mental health studies show that more than half of young people feel depressed or hopeless, and many do not believe they have a trusted adult to turn to. This includes students at UWI, COSTAATT, UTT and other institutions.
One young Trinbagonian student expressed the national sentiment: “If everybody telling me it not serious, I will bottle it up and pretend I good.”
This is how emotional crises begin. This is how lives derail. This is how a nation loses its future innovators, leaders and thinkers.
We are already seeing the consequences: rising concerns about youth suicide, increased substance use, escalating school violence, emotional burnout and withdrawal from academic and social life.
A national call to action
“The mental health of our children cannot wait.” This urgency must now shape national policy, community behaviour and institutional responsibility.
Guidance officers are in demand in schools, although there are not enough to meet the high volume of cases. Schools need early-intervention programmes in every district.
Parents must move beyond “hush yuh mouth” and “you too young to feel depressed”. Children feel deeply—and they need adults who understand what those feelings mean.
University counselling services, peer networks and crisis response systems must be expanded and treated as seriously as academic performance.
Mental health is not weakness, not “white people ting” and not attention-seeking. It is a legitimate health issue—as real as diabetes, asthma or hypertension.
Trinidad and Tobago must commit resources, monitoring and accountability to ensure strategies reach the young people who need them most.
A global movement rooted in Trinidad and Tobago
In honour of World Mental Health Day, Healthy Kinder International partnered with Future Focus Empowerment Institute International to create a safe, empowering space for young people and young leaders across five continental regions.
This global online forum highlighted a critical truth: young people thrive when they feel empowered to ask for support—and when communities, professionals and institutions respond with care, competence and compassion.
This partnership is one example of how two global organisations are collaborating to actively promote Global Youth Mental Health Empowerment, ensuring young people everywhere feel seen, supported and strengthened.
The future of T&T
depends on the mental health of its youth
A nation cannot innovate if its young people are emotionally exhausted. A society cannot thrive if its children are afraid. An economy cannot grow if its students are breaking under pressure.
T&T’s young people are brilliant, creative, resilient and full of promise—but promise cannot flourish in silence.
Mental health is national development. Mental health is crime prevention. Mental health is educational advancement. Mental health is the foundation of a stronger T&T.
Not tomorrow. Not “just now”. Today.
Dr Astril Webb is the president of Healthy Kinder International and youth mental health expert.
English (US) ·