Why Mental Health Should be Taught in Schools

Mental health goes hand in hand with suicide.  We have people as young as 10 years old taking their own lives (this is according to the National Institute of Mental Health).  This is exactly why mental health should be taught in schools.  We need to talk about this and talk about it early, notice warning signs / red flags, and take action.

How does bullying affect mental health?

I am sure you have either seen bullying or been a victim of it.  If you’ve been a victim of bullying, I’m sorry.  I know how it feels.  When I was in school, I didn’t speak English very well and I did have kids who would bully me because they saw me as different.  Sadly, no one helped – not even teachers.

I don’t necessarily recall why, but those bullies moved on.  But, it didn’t make me feel good inside and it really affected my self-confidence.  I felt like I was inferior to others but that’s exactly what the bullies wanted to make you feel like.  And, when no one helped, it solidified that belief in me.  This is just one reason why mental health should be taught in schools.

Surprisingly, it also happens in the workplace.

How can you help?

Whether you are another student, a parent / adult, or a teacher, watch out for bullying behavior.  When you see it, stop it.  If you are a teacher (or parent), talk to your kids about bullying behavior and how it is not OK.  Please teach your children that they shouldn’t bully others and if they see someone else getting bullied, teach them what they should do.  This is why mental health should be taught in schools – so that people learn it’s wrong from a very early age.

In some situations, it is best to tell an adult so that the adult handles it.  In other situations, you can help the victim by standing up for them.  Bullies don’t know what to do when people stand up and don’t allow things to happen – generally, they will walk away but assess the situation.  Ensure safety of everyone.  Afterwards, you can always talk to the victim and help them to understand that they did nothing wrong.  Empower them and give them strength.

Day 19 of our 30 Day Challenge

Stand up to Bullying!  If you see someone being bullied, do something about it.  We need to stand up to bullies.  And, we need to start recognizing how it affects peoples’ mental health.  Talk about it and make people aware.

I’d love to hear your comments so please feel free to share them.  Tell me about your experiences.  The more you share, the more I can share on this platform to start getting the word out.  Thank you.