Mental health is a massive issue in schools which isn’t always addressed.
Once students have opened up about having mental health problems, they need to be monitored. They don’t just admit it and it all goes away, sometimes it can get worse or just stay the same. Sometimes it is just forgotten about after a few weeks by many especially if it isn’t brought up again. However, monitoring does need to be effective and genuinely helpful. I had to have a meeting with my head of year the other day about my anxiety which went something like this:
Her: ‘how are you? How have you been recently?’
Me: ‘I’m having a really hard time at the moment, especially struggling to stay in lessons, focus and keep up with work.’
Her: ‘oh okay. Anyway, I’ll see you again before exams’
I felt like she was just doing it because she has to: showing no concern and providing no help despite me admitting how much I’m struggling. I’m not very good at opening up and this has made me become more introverted as I just felt pathetic. However, effective monitoring could be useful to easily pick up the signs of problems before they get out of hand so they can easily be dealt with.
Teaching teachers and students about mental health problems is essential. I know that I go on about this all of this time and you’re probably fed up of hearing it, but it’s so important. Most schools teach first aid training and how to keep health but nothing about mental health problems. This is just another example of physical health being seen as more important than mental health. 1 in 10 teenagers will suffer with mental health problems which is around 3 in every class. It’s almost guaranteed that you will have to help someone suffering from a mental health problem at some point but when was the last time you, or anyone you know, needed CPR? I know it can save someone’s life and is important to know but by helping someone with a mental health problem, you can also save their life.
I’ve also experienced a lack of understanding from teachers. I’m not saying that this is the case with all of them because most have been understanding and gone out of their way to help me but sadly, this is overshadowed by the few who haven’t understood. I’ve had negative comments made towards me, been told to deal with it myself and been left in the dark when I missed work. I also found that many teachers didn’t recognise or know how to deal with panic attacks but most have asked me what I want and need them to do.
What really should be happening in schools is completely different to the reality. I think that mental health should be part of the national curriculum, whether it is taught in lessons, assemblies, focus days or form times. It needn’t be in detail or overly scientific because people will not understand and lose interest. Just a basic outline of what mental health is and various disorders that people may suffer from is needed. How to deal with your own mental health problems should be taught because I had no idea what to do when I began to suffer. Another important thing to learn is how to help other people with mental health problems because the majority of people will know someone who will suffer with a mental health problem where support is a major thing for them. This will help break down the stigma surrounding them as it allows people to hear the real facts about mental health instead of the things that you might see in the media or myths you might hear.
Another thing that could be done is having someone to specifically to talk to. Just someone that is always there and around to discuss any problems you are having with. It’s hard for some people to talk because they really don’t know who to talk to. Having someone there to talk to is essential not just for mental health problems, all problems in school.
Finally, schools should give a little bit of leeway to people who are struggling. I’m not suggesting that they get special treatment or anything like that but, something to help them. For example, I struggle with keeping up with work because I spend so much time out of lessons. Time to let them catch up, extensions on deadline and a bit of extra help form teachers to go through work that has been missed.
These changes are not anything major but they are simple things that would make a big impact for people with mental health problems and improve their experiences of school.
Once students have opened up about having mental health problems, they need to be monitored. They don’t just admit it and it all goes away, sometimes it can get worse or just stay the same. Sometimes it is just forgotten about after a few weeks by many especially if it isn’t brought up again. However, monitoring does need to be effective and genuinely helpful. I had to have a meeting with my head of year the other day about my anxiety which went something like this:
Her: ‘how are you? How have you been recently?’
Me: ‘I’m having a really hard time at the moment, especially struggling to stay in lessons, focus and keep up with work.’
Her: ‘oh okay. Anyway, I’ll see you again before exams’
I felt like she was just doing it because she has to: showing no concern and providing no help despite me admitting how much I’m struggling. I’m not very good at opening up and this has made me become more introverted as I just felt pathetic. However, effective monitoring could be useful to easily pick up the signs of problems before they get out of hand so they can easily be dealt with.
Teaching teachers and students about mental health problems is essential. I know that I go on about this all of this time and you’re probably fed up of hearing it, but it’s so important. Most schools teach first aid training and how to keep health but nothing about mental health problems. This is just another example of physical health being seen as more important than mental health. 1 in 10 teenagers will suffer with mental health problems which is around 3 in every class. It’s almost guaranteed that you will have to help someone suffering from a mental health problem at some point but when was the last time you, or anyone you know, needed CPR? I know it can save someone’s life and is important to know but by helping someone with a mental health problem, you can also save their life.
I’ve also experienced a lack of understanding from teachers. I’m not saying that this is the case with all of them because most have been understanding and gone out of their way to help me but sadly, this is overshadowed by the few who haven’t understood. I’ve had negative comments made towards me, been told to deal with it myself and been left in the dark when I missed work. I also found that many teachers didn’t recognise or know how to deal with panic attacks but most have asked me what I want and need them to do.
What really should be happening in schools is completely different to the reality. I think that mental health should be part of the national curriculum, whether it is taught in lessons, assemblies, focus days or form times. It needn’t be in detail or overly scientific because people will not understand and lose interest. Just a basic outline of what mental health is and various disorders that people may suffer from is needed. How to deal with your own mental health problems should be taught because I had no idea what to do when I began to suffer. Another important thing to learn is how to help other people with mental health problems because the majority of people will know someone who will suffer with a mental health problem where support is a major thing for them. This will help break down the stigma surrounding them as it allows people to hear the real facts about mental health instead of the things that you might see in the media or myths you might hear.
Another thing that could be done is having someone to specifically to talk to. Just someone that is always there and around to discuss any problems you are having with. It’s hard for some people to talk because they really don’t know who to talk to. Having someone there to talk to is essential not just for mental health problems, all problems in school.
Finally, schools should give a little bit of leeway to people who are struggling. I’m not suggesting that they get special treatment or anything like that but, something to help them. For example, I struggle with keeping up with work because I spend so much time out of lessons. Time to let them catch up, extensions on deadline and a bit of extra help form teachers to go through work that has been missed.
These changes are not anything major but they are simple things that would make a big impact for people with mental health problems and improve their experiences of school.