Understanding Of Mental Health Within Educational Institutions

Introduction:-

The term “mental health” encompasses our overall state of well-being, which includes our social, psychological, and emotional aspects of life. It impacts our emotions, thoughts, and behaviour, and also affects how we manage stress, deal with other people, and make choices in life. Mental health also includes our capacity to handle life’s obstacles. Educational institutions are the place where we learn so many things, but mental health is not that important in institutions, as no one talks or teaches about mental health, which often leads to misunderstanding, and it affects people mentally.

The Importance Of Mental Health In Education:-

• It improves the concentration of the students, which is the most important thing a student needs for their studies, and if a student feels mentally healthy, they can perform well in their studies.
• Good mental health helps students develop their self-confidence, which eventually helps in their studies.
• Teenagers are the perfect time to address mental health issues as they are frequently characterised by heightened emotions. Children in school are more likely to experience problems like stress, anxiety, and social isolation. Students suffer from anxiety because of peer pressure and academic pressure, and for these problems, mental health education is needed in school[1].
• Every time our society hears about mental health issues, it assumes that the particular person is a lunatic or insane. However, if mental health education is provided in school that this kind of perception will never be made, as these perceptions affect students, even adults, mentally, and they can’t talk about their anxiety or depression with anyone, and these issues remain unsolved.
• Mental health education prevents serious problems in the future if these problem is dealt at an earlier stage, then it can be cured before it take into bigger problem mentally which not even harm that person but society too because the most of the criminal tends to have mental illness which was never resolved before.

Causes Of Mental Health:-

Academic Pressure

Students often want to make their parents proud by scoring well in exams, and if they do not, then there may be a chance that they may become depressed and which often results in mental health issues, and if parents scold them for this, then there is a high chance of mental issues. These expectations not only include parents, but also teachers and even themselves. This pressure can lead one student to mental health problems. Academic Pressure can also be when a person fails in their exam or any test, the fear of failing too cause mental illness.

Peer Pressure

Bullying and peer pressure are one of the main reasons for mental health issues because of this pressure, students or even adults may lead to fear, loneliness, and low self-esteem and because of peer pressure people tend to do those type of thing which they have never imagined to do in their own life if pressure is not created and students often act improperly only to keep their friendship intact. When this objective is not fulfilled, then the person detaches himself from society and starts living in his world, which includes loneliness and no social contact with anyone, which finally turns into some kind of mental health problems, for example, depression.

Family Issues

Parents’ fights or conflicts are also one of the reasons for mental problems. If any adolescent has seen his parents divorce or constant fighting since the childhood then this is one the biggest reason of mental health issues as that child has to go from so many things before he can attain majority and this could lead to anxiety or depression or in many cases that types of children often use the drug as a mode of relief from all these problems which in later turns into a big problem.

Role Of Parents:-

Children only need the support of their parents or guardians whenever they are having some kind of trouble in their life but in India it’s often seen that parents do not take their children seriously and they do not listen to them properly when they are talking about mental issue so parents must listen to their child and show support by encouraging them to seek some help if they need and also listen to their problems and not only listen but understand too because if they will not understand them than adolescents will have to suffer alone which lead to mental issues. Another thing one parent can do is to have contact with their school teachers or college professors. By this, they will get to know about their child’s behaviour when they are not in front of their eyes, and they will learn how they are dealing with society.

Role Of Schools and Colleges:-

When one person learn about mental illness then they can talk about their condition with anyone and for this to happen it must be the duty of schools and colleges to maintain social awareness sessions where one professional will come and will teach about the mental problems which may arise by certain conditions by this the students will get to know their problems and they will know that how to deal with the situation. Schools and colleges must have counselling sessions within educational institutions where students can talk about their problems with counsellors who are professionals in their job, and the sessions will be confidential and private. There must be a safe environment in educational institutions, and the institutions must take strict action against any bullying or other improper acts. Teachers also play an important role in one’s life, so teachers must notice the signs of their students. If they think there are any signs of a mental problem, then they should deal with it with proper care, love, and caution. In session, they must be taught that this problem is totally okay, it is not any kind of problem, so that they can talk about their problem openly without any fear of judgment.

How Students Can Deal With Problems:-

• Must talk to someone as it helps them to release their stress.
• Eat healthy food and do workouts.
• Practice meditation.
• Sleep well
• Stay away from alcohol, drinking, or other substances witch harm the body physically.

CONCLUSION

Mental health problems are one of the biggest problems in every nation. Being physically or mentally unhealthy leads to anxiety, depression, or other problems, which is not good for any well-being. So, it must be cured, or action must be taken against it, so that mental illness can’t affect society at large. By introducing mental health education in school, it will help to identify mental problems at an early stage, by which proper care and caution can be given.

Refrences

• Patel, V., & Saxena, S. (2014). Mental health education in schools: A global perspective. Lancet Psychiatry, 1(4), 229-239.
• The Role of Education in Mental Health Promotion. Psychological Health and Medicine, 22(3), 201-208.
• , 2025, Importance of Mental Health Education In Schools.

[1] Article on Mental Health Education, Awareness and Stigma Regarding Mental Illness Among College Students