Mental Health, till date, is generally spoken about in quieted voices. Even though one out of four individuals experience deterioration in mental health all over the world, the dread and disgrace related to it persists. This is the sole reason that prevents individuals identified with mental health issues from connecting and looking for help; they just keep on enduring silently.

Mental health issues often start during the school years. Therefore in this context, the awareness and instructions about mental wellness ought to likewise, begin at an early age. Since youngsters spend such a large amount of their day by day life at school, mental health education legitimately should start in schools.

But how can mental education help school children?

It is fundamental that to develop as an individual, a child needs to work together with peers, acknowledge and embrace disappointment, build healthy relations with relatives, companions and sustain a growth mentality that will push them to continually improve. Studies show that a child’s mental state extremely affects their behavior and performance in school alongside his/her outlook and emotional resilience.

 In this sense, mental health education provides a sheltered space to children for communicating their feelings and assists them in healthy mental development. Moreover, the elimination of shame and stereotypes about psychological illness needs to begin in schools. Mental health education can also be considered a key to detect and treat the psychological issues at the very initial phase in children as well as adolescents.

What is the big picture of mental health education?

The inclusion of mental health in educational plans should not be seen as expanding the academic weight of subjects being instructed. Rather, its aim should be considered for incorporating life skills training as an essential part of the curriculum. A part of these fundamental abilities could incorporate urging them to gain aptitude identified with gender sensitivity, managing toxic emotions, improving emotional intelligence, and making them mindful of themselves and their surroundings.

Ideally, a mental health education program should be run in correspondence with the current academic system of schools. Mental wellness frequently gets ignored when contrasted with the general physical wellbeing. The point must be emphasized that like physical illness, mental illness is likewise established in biological basis, rather than mythological convictions that credit psychological sicknesses to the evil spirits, or superstitions.

So, what is the takeaway?

A shift in perspectives about mental well-being needs to begin with the youth. This way they will learn more about mental health and quit defaming the concept of mental illness and stereotypes in general. Schools need to encourage a domain in schools where psychological wellness issues can be recognized and tended to without being slandered. Awareness ought to be raised about mental health crises, for example, self-hurt, substance misuse, dietary issues, and other negative adapting behavior.

If everybody in schools is engaged with information, and exchange is empowered, students will have the opportunity to open up about what they are experiencing and get the help they need before it's past the point of no return.