Mental health sensitisation in schools to promote well-being, inclusivity and acceptance

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A high school teacher notices that a student who has generally been a good student has begun to slack off. He is skipping assignments, doesn’t seem to care about his appearance anymore, and has stopped interacting and responding much in the classroom. He’s sometimes sullen and doesn’t talk much, and when he does talk, it seems like he’s trying to push people away.

In most situations, she would be labeled a problem child and could even face disciplinary action. Is this just teenage rebellion or could it be a sign of some mental health issue? If a teacher knew how to tell the difference between kids who are kids and kids who need help with their mental health, it would make a world of difference to generations of students.

For the last hundred years, we have been using the term “problem child” to describe children who were difficult to handle and couldn’t fit in with the rest of their peers. Now, we have begun to understand that challenging behavior among adolescents is often a response to trauma, a symptom of mental distress, or a learning disability. There are no problem children, only problematic situations that they are going through.

It is crucial for parents and educators to discern between normal childhood shenanigans and symptoms of mental health problems because approximately 50% of mental health disorders begin in the early teens and 75% in the mid-twenties. At this time, the average delay between the appearance of these symptoms and timely intervention is 8 to 10 years. A life or childhood itself could be lost in this gap. When parents, teachers, and children know more about mental health, problems can be caught early and help can be given right away. This can lead to better treatment and faster recovery.

Prioritize the mental well-being of students

With more than 450 million children, India has the largest adolescent population in the world. We cannot afford to ignore the impact of growing mental health problems. Even before the pandemic, India had around 50 million children suffering from mental health problems. Academic pressures, problems in your home life, problems with peer relationships, handling failure, emerging understandings about gender or sexual identity, or uncertainty about your future are just some of the things that can cause an accumulation of stressors that trigger mental health. concern among students.

Depression, anxiety, body image issues, eating disorders, addictions, and substance use disorders are just a few of the mental health issues that can arise during this time. It can be a terribly isolated and bleak experience dealing with these mental health issues without knowing what one is going through. No wonder then that an Indian student ends up taking his own life every hour.

One of the best ways to address the mental health crisis among India’s youth is to incorporate mental health education into the mainstream curriculum. It is important to open the classroom to knowledge and discussion on topics such as depression, suicide prevention, sexuality, types of abuse, the development of empathy, the control of negative thoughts or healthy coping mechanisms.

Mental Health Curriculum in Action

Mpower has pioneered the introduction of mental health curriculum in schools. Our Minds Matter program has been adopted in schools in different parts of India with positive results. This program includes teachers, students and counselors, creating an ecosystem for mental health in the institution. It focuses on the concepts of positive psychology, mindful behavior, social-emotional learning, and mental health awareness. For parents and teachers, this includes training that will help them be more responsive to children’s emotional responses and allow them to spot red flags early on.

Counselors from participating schools across India have shared that having a mental health program like this has helped students express their emotions and thoughts in a more balanced way and seek help when they need it. They can understand their strengths and weaknesses and can set realistic goals for themselves. More importantly, it has taught them healthy coping mechanisms to deal with anxiety and failure.

Including mental health in the curriculum not only promotes your holistic well-being, but also fosters a spirit of empathy and inclusion. At Aditya Birla World Academy, for example, students celebrate wellness week and pride week, and have a Rainbow Club and even gender-neutral uniforms. Parents, teachers, and students can advocate for such progressive moves because of the sensitivity to mental wellness, acceptance, and inclusion that has been instilled through the mental health curriculum.

In general, having mental health programs in schools has a ripple effect. As they said, to build anything of value, you first need to lay a solid foundation. When children are able to learn about mental health from a young age, they develop a deeper understanding of how their minds and emotions work. This establishes a strong foundation of skills to manage emotions, build healthy relationships, and confidently navigate the world in which they live. It helps them develop empathy and teaches them to be inclusive and kind. In the long run, it helps them do better academically, develop better social relationships, and have a better chance of leading a happy and successful life. Students who grow up with a strong mental health foundation will also transform the mental health landscape in their future workplaces, with their parents and family members, and in the world at large.

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