Not just studies in the classroom, mental health is also important! Know how it can change children's lives

Not just studies in the classroom, mental health is also important! Know how it can change children's lives

Education on mental health is either not given at all in schools, or it is given very little importance. The result is that students remain unaware of their mental problems.

The main focus of the Indian education system is still on academic performance, in which the overall development of students is often ignored. Education on mental health is either not given at all in schools, or it is given very little importance. The result is that students are unaware of their mental problems and ignoring them often leads to serious mental problems.

Senior Psychologist and Mental Health Activist Dr. Arvind Otta said that recent studies have shown that anxiety, depression and even suicidal tendencies are increasing rapidly among students. In such a situation, providing mental health education in schools has become the need of the hour.

The need for mental health education

For early intervention: Schools are a good place to identify mental health problems at an early stage. If children are taught about mental health from an early age, any problem can be treated in time.

Ability to cope with adversity: Mental health education improves students’ coping skills, allowing them to handle stress better and remain mentally strong when facing failure.

Reducing stigma: There is still a stigma towards mental health in Indian society. When it is incorporated in school education, students understand mental health as a part of normal life and can seek help without fear.

Improved academic performance: Mental health is directly related to the cognitive functions and learning ability of students. A healthy mindset improves the attention, memory power, and reasoning ability of students, which improves their academic performance.

Improve social connections: Mental health education makes students self-aware and empathetic, which helps them build better relationships with their friends, teachers, and family.

Challenges in Mental Health Education

Traditional society hesitates to talk about mental health and considers it a sensitive issue.

There is a shortage of trained counselors, especially in rural areas.

Adding mental health is feared to add more stress to an already overcrowded curriculum.

Solutions for Mental Health Education

Integrating mental health education into the curriculum, training teachers, setting up counseling services, creating a safe and supportive environment, and ensuring parental involvement can make it a success. Mental health education will help in bringing awareness about this subject in the society and will help students develop a healthy mindset. Apart from this, more work can be done on this issue by collaborating with non-profit organizations and mental health institutions.