The Introduction of mental health & life skills education in schools.
The main idea of this topic is to introduce mental health & life skill in education board from early childhood (from preparatory to high school). Children spend so much of their daily life at school. Mental health education logically should begin in schools. According to the research of American Psychiatric Association — Fifty percent of mental health illness begins by the age of 14 during school age. Therefore, education about mental health should start at an early age. Breaking down stigma and misconceptions about mental illness must start in schools. There must be a compulsory subject that tells us about the importance of mental health, life skills program, child rights, depression, stress, anxiety, anger management, relationship issues, self-image, suicide, addiction, traumas, right age for sex, about breakups and how to cope with it, abuses (physical, emotional, sexual). As well as the negative effects of the internet, social media and cyberbullying. In addition, children must know whom to speak, whom to approach, how to handle and the solutions.
Mental health is an important area of one’s life, which is always a topic of stigma and shame, people hesitate to talk about their mental health, better to suffer and suffer but not to talk to anyone. And we all know the consequences. What requires is to think beyond, heal and strength the roots of the plants so that any storm will not shake it or break it. Today’s children are tomorrow’s future. We must take a step to secure our future. Everyone knows but, no one thinks about taking a step to introduce mental health in early childhood as school’s mandatory curriculum. The need to understand mental health is as important as physical health. Dr. Brock Chisholm, the first Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), in 1954, had presciently declared that “without mental health there can be no true physical health.”
Many research studies in the department of mental health have shown that more than 300 million people of all ages suffer from depression. In addition, these mental health issues start in early childhood. It can be due to various reasons. One of the important reasons can be dysfunctional family problems, and abusive environment at home. Today, many parents do not know the art of positive parenting. They impose and project their own dreams and desire on their children. They expect too much from children on academic performance and over load on extra curricular activities, which leave a child over drained and exhausted. Also, children witness trauma, abuse at home or they themselves are abused physically, mentally, emotionally and sexually.
There has been a drastic rise in the number of domestic and child abuse incidences. As per PTI report which state that during March 20–31, the first week of the lockdown, the Childline India helpline ‘CHILDLINE 1098’ received more than 92,000 SOS calls from across the country, asking for protection from abuse and violence. There will be silent tears and suffering among the women & children who will bear effects of aggressive behavior patterns from men (vice versa) with low self- esteem. As a result, the number of suicide have increased day by day. Similarly, early childhood attachments have a huge impact on the development of a child.
We all know the problems, but where is the solution? We cannot solve all our problems immediately, but can we not take a step to heal the roots of our children and strengthen them? There are many mental health professional — Clinical Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist, Mental health counselor who are always ready to give their services. But due to stigma and shame people hesitate and do not approach them. School is a place where children go to learn about universal topics such as reading, writing and mathematics from a teacher and their sense of self-worth begins. Let us prepare our children from early childhood to take care of their mental health together with their physical health. Children are taught to express any physical issues and whom to approach. However, what about the emotional and psychological issues?
I strongly urge that every school, private or government must include mental health and life skills in their education from preparatory to 10th standard, just like any other subject GK, moral science, drawing or rhymes. When children will take their text book (awareness of mental health)at home with them their parents may also have knowledge about how to take care of mental health. As we all know today’s parents are more concerned about exams and marks. Every person in a life goes to school. Introducing a subject on mental health in early childhood will create much more awareness in our society. Today’s children are tomorrow’s future, let us make their roots stronger. Let us together spread this message in society that mental health is as important as physical health. In addition it must be a compulsory part of our education system.
