Why Schools Should Teach Students About Mental Health
Mental health is an issue in today’s society that many young people do not know a lot about. It is impossible to tell if someone has a mental health issue by looking at them, so we need to talk about it.
Pic: Pexels Creative Commons / Zac Frith
Mental health is not spoken about enough in schools across the country. Here is why it needs more attention, and how help can be given more effectively.
The national curriculum
Many schools do not teach their pupils about their or others’ mental health. If schools do this, they could help many people in their struggles. One in ten children suffers from a mental illness, but it is often only dealt with later on in life. If someone noticed these issues when they first happened it could help that person get help sooner.
How to spot an illness
Mental health is a big topic, and different illnesses have different symptoms. For example, depression has many symptoms, some of which are listed here: a loss in interest in something they used to enjoy, having problems with concentrating, remembering things and making decisions, feeling tired all the time, and having thoughts of death and self-harm. Young people could show signs of these symptoms, but due to a lack of knowledge, it could go unnoticed by the people around them. It is a doctor’s duty to diagnose someone with a mental health issue, but if you know someone who you think is struggling, you could encourage them to go and see a doctor and talk to their parents or guardians about it.
“They’re just seeking attention”
Of course, there are cases of young people pretending to have a mental health disorder so that they can seek attention, but don’t let that dissuade you. Due to the negative stigma surrounding mental health and speaking up about it, many young people may not want to speak up about it as they fear being labelled as an attention seeker. You should still take these statements seriously as it could lead to later problems in their life.
I believe that mental health should be taught in schools as one in ten are suffering from a mental health illness. If it is talked about more, more people can get help and improve their lives.