While most schools and businesses have resumed close to normal schedules following the shutdowns of 2020, many students and adults are still dealing with post-pandemic mental health issues.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, but there are several ways that schools and parents can help raise awareness about mental health all year long.
Break the Stigma
One of the first things parents and educators can do is to break the stigma, discrimination and negativity that can be associated with mental health. In years past, mental health issues may have not been as widely discussed as they are today. In fact, the tendency over the last few decades was not to talk about mental health or to forget about it. Mental Health Awareness Month helps validate mental health issues, presents the facts associated with them, while also helping people to recognize the ways mental illness impacts their lives. Mental Health Awareness Month is also good timing to educate people about available services while, at the same time, highlighting ways to advocate.
Recognize Mental Health Signs
The National Alliance on Mental Illness has assembled an extensive list of a few of the important signs that indicate if a child or adult is experiencing a mental health issue. Children, more than adults, can have a challenging time talking about their thoughts or emotions, so their symptoms tend to be more behavioral. Some of the warning signs to be on the lookout for in children include changes in school performance, excessive worry or anxiety, fighting to go to school or to sleep, hyperactive behavior, frequent nightmares or frequent disobedience.
Teach and Reinforce Positive Behaviors
One of the best ways to combat mental health issues in the classroom and at home is to spend time focusing on positive behaviors. This may seem easier said than done, however. So, how do we do this? In more than approximately 26,000 U.S. schools, many educators create a positive environment through Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). This framework may help prevent 80-90 percent of problem behaviors. Some examples include removing what is causing the behavior, getting down to eye level with the child, providing the child choices, reinforce desired behaviors and communicate care instead of control. Younger students may participate in mindfulness lessons which help with building self-regulation skills, executive functioning, and prosocial skills. Older elementary students learn about wellness, discuss what anxiety and depression can look like and learn about the warning signs of suicide. At home, families may implement family “pillars” or values that are important collectively to your family unit. Discuss what’s important to you all — for example — have respect for each other’s spaces and opinions and discuss the importance of always being kind.
Instill Empathy
One of the best things teachers and parents can do for children is to teach empathy from an early age. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Many schools emphasize empathy as part of their social and emotional curriculums (SEL). These curriculums teach children how to develop and gshow empathy. SEL programs also help children develop healthy identities, manage their emotions, and guide children into adults who can make responsible and caring decisions. When children understand the plight of others, and can visualize how they would feel in someone else’s shoes, they are better able to manage and respond to an emotional experience or to handle a stressful situation.
Initiating a simple conversation at school or at home is an important first step to raise awareness for mental health. The next step, however, is to continue and carry on the conversation throughout the rest of the year. If you or your loved one is experiencing a mental health crisis, contact your child’s pediatrician or the National Alliance on Mental Illness HelpLine at 800-950-6264 or info@nami.org.
