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Mental Health

The document discusses the importance of mental health and promoting positive mental health in schools. It defines mental health as a state of well-being that allows individuals to realize their full potential and contribute productively to their communities. Good mental health relies on proper nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management. In schools, mental health programs should support students' emotional, social, and behavioral development as well as general staff and family well-being. Teachers can promote mental health by encouraging social time, running lunch clubs, having an open door policy, making mental health a focus, and organizing wellness weeks.

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Amina Ćosić
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173 views5 pages

Mental Health

The document discusses the importance of mental health and promoting positive mental health in schools. It defines mental health as a state of well-being that allows individuals to realize their full potential and contribute productively to their communities. Good mental health relies on proper nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management. In schools, mental health programs should support students' emotional, social, and behavioral development as well as general staff and family well-being. Teachers can promote mental health by encouraging social time, running lunch clubs, having an open door policy, making mental health a focus, and organizing wellness weeks.

Uploaded by

Amina Ćosić
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1.

MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health is defined as 'a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her
own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully,
and is able to make a contribution to her or his community' (World Health Organization). Thus,
being 'mentally healthy' means being able to achieve the balanced development of the
individual's personality and emotional attitudes which enable him/her to attain the inner feeling
of well-being and to live harmoniously with other people.

Many of us focus more on our physical health, trying to stay fit while eating proper food and
exercising more. But good mental health is very important, too. A healthy body is useless
without a healthy mind. Actually, we can say that physical health and mental health are
interdependable and they are both very important to us to live a fulfilled and happy life.
Positive mental health allows people to:

 Realize their full potential


 Cope with the stresses of life
 Work productively
 Make meaningful contributions to their communities
As with physical health, for a healthy mind it is also important to eat right, exercise, get the right
number of hours of sleep and keep stress at bay. Nutrition is crucial to keeping both your body
and mind healthy. The food we consume directly affects our energy levels and our physical and
mental health.
Regular exercise is also essential to stay fit, both physically and mentally. Exercising on a
regular basis and over a long period provides long-term health benefits. Exercise produces
hormones known as endorphins, also referred to as 'feel good' hormones, which can help you
relieve stress and improve your mood.

And finally, the proper number of hours of sleep is essential for good mental health. It enables
your body and mind to relax and heal itself before the start of a challenging new day.

2. Mental health is important in education, too. Mental health programs in education should
promote the healthy emotional, social, and behavioral development of all students, but
also the general well-being of school staff and families. Schools can do a lot for mental
health, e.g. educate staff, parents, and students on symptoms of and help for mental
health problems; help ensure a positive, safe school environment; teach and reinforce
positive behaviors and decision-making; encourage helping others; etc.

Otherwise, undiagnosed, inadequately treated or, even worse, untreated mental illness can make
a serious impact on their ability to learn and grow. In addition to that, the breaking down of
stigma and misconceptions about mental illness has to start in schools. It is in schools where
children need to learn that their behavior towards others can cause serious self-confidence issues.

Mental health problems can affect a student's energy level, concentration, mental ability, and
optimism, thus hindering performance and academic achievement, but also leading to problems
later in life. Many students also experience conflicts, bullying and social exclusion at school,
which can also be the causes of serious mental health problems.

Good mental health is critical to children's success in school and life. Positive and encouraging
school climate along with students' sense of conectedness and well-being can significantly limit
stress in the classroom. Research shows that students who receive social-emotional and mental
health support achieve better academically and it is important to keep in mind that academic
anxiety reduction requires the work of students, teachers, and parents, all together as a team.

Early signs

There is no physical test or scan that reliably indicates whether a person has developed a mental
illness. However, people should look out for the following as possible signs of a mental health
disorder:

 withdrawing from friends, family, and colleagues

 avoiding activities that they would normally enjoy

 sleeping too much or too little

 eating too much or too little

 feeling hopeless

 having consistently low energy

 displaying negative emotions

 being confused

 being unable to complete daily tasks, such as getting to work or cooking a meal

 thinking of causing physical harm to themselves or others

 hearing voices etc.


3. Treatment

There are various methods for managing mental health problems. Treatment is highly individual,
and what works for one person may not work for another. Some strategies or treatments are more
successful in combination with others. A person living with a chronic mental disorder may
choose different options at various stages in their life. The individual needs to work closely with
a doctor who can help them identify their needs and provide them with suitable treatment.

Treatments can include: Psychotherapy, or talking therapies, Medication and Self-help.

How Can We Promote Positive Mental Health in Schools?

Teachers and school staff have a responsibility to promote mental health in schools. Often, even
small changes can go a long way in helping somebody feel better.

Encourage Social Time

Schedule in 30 minutes or an hour every week where students can be social and focus on
something other than the curriculum. Encourage them to chat with their peers and complete a
task together, like a difficult problem or a challenge.

Run Lunchtime Clubs


Give students the opportunity to take their mind off things at lunch by running lunchtime clubs.
These clubs could be for any activity – arts and crafts, baking, drama clubs, book clubs, film
clubs, etc.
Have an Open-Door Policy
It’s essential that students know they can come and talk to you about any issues or concerns they
have.  
Make Mental Health Known
You should make mental health a focus in your school. Discuss it in PHSCE lessons, address it
in assemblies, and celebrate awareness days, like world mental health day, to let students know
they’re not alone.
Organise a Wellness Week
To really put wellbeing at the heart of your school, arrange a wellness week in your school.

Promoting mental health in schools is something we must all prioritise. Mental health issues
could affect anyone at any time, so it’s important we get it right and help our students as much
as possible.

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