Importance Of Mental Health Education

Mental Health Education for Teachers

Why should teachers have mental health training? Because they could help reduce the amount of student suicides. Teens all over the world have mental health issues, suicidal thoughts, and even kill themselves. Teachers, if they have the appropriate education, can talk to those students, help them to deal with those issues, and assist them to obtain further help outside of school. Others say that there are enough programs in place; such as helplines, websites, and the guidance counselors in school are there to talk to the student and help them. Teachers should have mental health training because there is a correlation between teen suicide, and mental health; teachers often miss the signs of depression in students,

There is a book about a girl named Rita who went through depression and she didn’t have many friends so she looked to teachers for companionship. “ ...hasn’t made any friend, spends most of her time with a few teachers she trusts,...” (Classroom) This shows that teachers have a huge influence on students with depression and other mental health issues. Teachers may only see this as a cry for attention or as them just being a teenager, but they should take the following into consideration. “If you’re unsure if an adolescent in your life is depressed or just “being a teenager,” consider how long the symptoms have been present, how severe they are, and how different the teen is acting from his or her usual self.” (Smith) Most teachers do not heed this fact and just try to deal with the student’s problem as one that is temporary rather than something that may be a much deeper issue. Moreover students often develop their mental health issues or find out they have mental health issues in schools. “...bullying is a major contributing factor to teenaged depression...” (Classroom) Teachers can help this issue from even developing or cutting it short if they have the proper education. While some people may think that teachers need mental health education others think that there are enough programs in place to help

Those programs are helplines, websites, and they even have a guidance counselor in the school to talk to if necessary. All of these are great resources for teens, and some are even programmed just for teens, the issue is some teens don’t even know that these programs exist. Also teens may not like these programs and don’t feel comfortable talking to strangers. Another thing about these programs is that some programs are only offered in some areas. “Our mission is to reduce youth suicide attempts and deaths in Washington State.” (Need) This a good program that offers education about depression for teachers, but it is only offered in Washington. There are simply not enough courses taken place all around to educate teachers and teens on mental health issues and suicide prevention.

So in conclusion mental health issues and suicides in teens are intertwined and teachers will often miss signs and not be equipped or educated to talk to the student if they come to them for advice or solace. Teachers need mental health education to be able to aid their students who may not even know they have that issue or be able to talk to others about it. Teachers could reduce the number of student suicides. They could make a difference for the next generation and is that not what teachers want to do? What they are meant to do? What they are supposed to