State of Mind: This Halloween, embrace moments of innocence

When it comes to Halloween, some relish the chance to transform themselves for a night of fun or reminisce over memories of childhood nights spent trick-or-treating. Others might loathe certain aspects of the holiday.

But, at the risk of giving too serious of consideration to a seemingly innocuous occasion, what if there is more to events like Halloween that could be playing an important role in the mental health of both kids and adults?

While the current state of Halloween has evolved and perhaps veered from its origins, the day is most typically associated with dressing in costumes and young people walking door-to-door for treats. Particularly for kids, there is a certain air of innocence around the festivities. But at what age should this innocence come to an end?

Most people would acknowledge that there is a reality in which a loss of innocence occurs at some point in our lifetimes. But how innocence wanes can vary greatly. Traumatic events that erode trust might hasten the loss for some. Constant exposure through social media to personal comparisons, political tensions or global conflicts could speed the process for others. And those lucky enough to be otherwise spared may simply lose innocence as they grow older and mature.

Regardless of how the loss of innocence occurs at an individual level, there is an argument to be made that, as a society, we are becoming more cynical by the year. A 24-hour news cycle, endless social media feeds and increasing isolation have all led to an increase in cynicism. Whether as individuals or a society, returning to our original state of innocence is likely impossible.

However, there is value in both intentionally seeking out moments of innocence and allowing innocence to filter back into our lives when opportunities present themselves.

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While the cause can certainly play a significant role in its depth of impact, the reality is that a loss of innocence has the potential to profoundly impact mental health. This can include increasing the risks of anxiety, depression and post traumatic stress disorder. Conversely, regaining some degree of innocence can help not only protect against those risks but also develop resiliency and maintain or rebuild a sense of self.

This all brings us back to Halloween. For parents, the day might bring stress in the form of things like figuring out kids’ costumes and navigating busy neighborhood traffic. For other adults, it might be the stress of buying candy and waiting for constant knocks on the door. For kids, depending on their age, perhaps the stress comes in choosing the right costume, finding the right friends to go trick-or-treating with or trying to decide when is too old to go out at all. Unfortunately, too often there is added stress for all groups in the form of judgments from others.

In the context of the value of finding innocence, what if we all —individually and collectively — agreed to set aside judgment and instead focus on enjoying the fundamental positives of the day. Whatever treats are reasonable for a family to hand out are appreciated. A teenager in a cape is shown the grace and validation allowed to any other child holding onto their own slice of innocence.

Simply put, kids are not just allowed but encouraged to live with the innocence that kids deserve, and adults use the day as a reminder to seek, reclaim and live with their own childlike innocence as much as possible. And, perhaps more importantly, we can all use this Halloween as a reminder to slow down and embrace moments of innocence in our lives throughout the year.