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Mental Health Education

Chaman Lal Banga*

Abstract
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………
Mental health can be seen as an unstable continuum, where an individual's mental health may
have many different possible values. Mental wellness is generally viewed as a positive attribute,
such that a person can reach enhanced levels of mental health, even if the person does not have
any diagnosed mental health condition. This definition of mental health
highlights emotional well-being, the capacity to live a full and creative life, and the flexibility to
deal with life's inevitable challenges. Many therapeutic systems and self-help books offer
methods and philosophies espousing strategies and techniques vaunted as effective for further
improving the mental wellness of otherwise healthy people. Positive psychology is increasingly
prominent in mental health. The objective of this paper is to analyze Mental Health Education.
The paper has been divided into four parts. First, part discusses the Mental health: a state of
well-being. Second part highlighted Characteristics of mental health .Third part highlighted
Safe, inclusive and empowering environments and fourth part discusses Role of teacher for
good Mental Health.
Kew words: Mental Health; Education.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

*
Assistant Professor (Education), Department of Education, ICDEOL, Himachal Pradesh
University Shimla

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Introduction
Emotions, feelings, personality traits, and many other mental processes exist along a
continuum, like the continuum of temperatures between hot and cold). Mental health problems
are not defined by an objective point on a continuum. Mental health problems are caused by a
combination of environmental factors, affecting an individual's position on a continuum, and
biological factors, affecting an individual's predispositions and their responses to the
environment. Mental health problems are episodic; only significantly affecting people for limited
periods of time, known as episodes. Definitions of mental health are changing. It used to be that
a person was considered to have good mental health simply if they showed no signs or symptoms
of a mental illness. But in recent years, there has been a shift towards a more holistic approach to
mental health. Mental health includes how people feel about themselves and other people, how
they approach problems and challenges, and how they cope with life. Good mental health helps
people handle stress, make wise decisions, and get along with others, in childhood and
throughout adulthood. Mental wellness or good Mental Health is feeling, thinking, and
interacting in ways that help you enjoy life and deal effectively with difficult situations. It is a
feeling of emotional and spiritual well-being that respects the importance of culture, equity,
social justice, relationships and personal dignity (Centre for Health Promotion, University of
Toronto, 1997).

Mental health: a state of well-being

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US, suicide is the
third highest cause of death for those between the ages of 15 and 24, and the second-highest
for 25- to 34-year-olds. In Great Britain, the charity MentalHealth.org.uk reports that one in
10 children between the ages of one and 15 have a mental health disorder. And while the
UK's teen suicide rate is low in comparison, it does raise the question – are we doing enough
to support the mental health of the younger generation? Mental health for young people in
this country is poorly provided for. Some schools deal with students' issues through
counselling services. Others have pastoral sessions to reflect on problems. Mental
health describes a level of psychological well-being, or an absence of a mental disorder. From
the perspective of 'positive psychology' or 'holism', mental health may include an individual's
ability to enjoy life, and create a balance between life activities and efforts to
achieve psychological resilience. Mental health can also be defined as an expression of

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emotions, and as signifying a successful adaptation to a range of demands. Mental health is
defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential,
can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to
make a contribution to her or his community. Mental health refers to a broad array of
activities directly or indirectly related to the mental well-being The positive dimension of
mental health is stressed in WHO's definition of health as contained in its constitution:
"Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity." The condition of being sound mentally and emotionally that
is characterized by the absence of mental disorder (as neurosis or psychosis) and by adequate
adjustment especially as reflected in feeling comfortable about oneself, positive feelings
about others, and ability to meet the demands of life Mental health is not just the absence of
mental illness. It is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or
her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and
fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community. (WHO, 2007)

Mental Health is about :

How we feel about ourselves
How we feel about others
How we are able to meet the demands of life

Mental ill health refers to the kind of general mental health problems we can all experience in
certain stressful circumstances; for example, work pressures can cause us to experience:
poor concentration
mood swings and
sleep disturbance

Such problems are usually of temporary nature, are relative to the demands a particular situation
makes on us and generally respond to support and reassurance.
Mental illness can be defined as the experiencing of severe and distressing psychological
symptoms to the extent that normal functioning is seriously impaired.
Examples of such symptoms include:

anxiety
depressed mood

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obsessional thinking
delusions and hallucinations

Mental wellness gives you a sense of

self-worth
dignity
belonging
problem-solving
self-determination
tolerance
acceptance and respect for others

so that you can

realize your full potential

understand and feel good about yourself
relate to others and expand your social support networks
experience pleasure and enjoyment
handle stress
assess challenges and problems
set goals and follow interests
explore choices and make decisions
have power and control over your life
develop good problem-solving and coping skills
bounce back from negative experiences that everyone encounters

Characteristics of mental health

1. They are not overwhelmed by their own emotions - fears, anger, love, jealousy,
guilt or worries.
2. They have a tolerant, easy-going attitude towards themselves as well as others and
they can laugh at themselves.
3. They have self-respect.
4. They can take pleasure in simple, everyday things.
5. They have personal relationships that are satisfying and lasting.
6. They do not take advantage of others nor allow others to take advantage of them.

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7. They feel a sense of responsibility to fellow human beings.
8. They do something about their problems as they arise.
9. They shape their environment whenever possible; they adjust to it whenever
necessary.
10. They are able to make their own decisions.
11. They put their best effort into what they do, and get satisfaction from doing it.
12. They feel good about themselves.
13. They do not become overwhelmed by emotions, such as fear, anger, love,
jealousy, guilt, or anxiety.
14. They have lasting and satisfying personal relationships.
15. They feel comfortable with other people.
16. They can laugh at themselves and with others.
17. They have respect for themselves and for others even if there are differences.
18. They are able to accept life’s disappointments.
19. They can meet life’s demands and handle their problems when they arise.
20. They make their own decisions.
21. They shape their environment whenever possible and adjust to it when necessary.

Key characteristics of mental health:

1. Ability to enjoy life : Can you live in the moment and appreciate the “now”? Are
you able to learn from the past and plan for the future without dwelling on things
you can’t change or predict?
2. Resilience : Are you able to bounce back from hard times? Can you manage the
stress of a serious life event without losing your optimism and a sense of
perspective?
3. Balance : Are you able to juggle the many aspects of your life? Can you
recognize when you might be devoting too much time to one aspect, at the
expense of others? Are you able to make changes to restore balance when
necessary?
4. Self-actualization : Do you recognize and develop your strengths so that you can
reach your full potential?
5. Flexibility : Do you feel, and express, a range of emotions? When problems
arise, can you change your expectations – of life, others, yourself – to solve the
problem and feel better?

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Mental Health and Happy Life

The National Canadian Mental Health Association has ten tips for good mental health:

1. Build Confidence : Identify your abilities and weaknesses together, accept them, build on
your abilities, and do the best with what you have.
2. Eat right, Keep fit : A balanced diet, exercise and rest can help you to reduce stress and
enjoy life.
3. Make Time for Family and Friends : Important relationships need to be nurtured. If
taken for granted, these people may not be there to share life's joys and sorrows.
4. Give and Accept Support : Positive friends and healthy family relationships show their
strength during difficult times.
5. Create a Meaningful Budget : Financial problems cause stress. Over-spending on our
"wants" instead of our "needs" is often the culprit.
6. Volunteer : Being involved in community gives a special sense of purpose and
satisfaction.
7. Manage Stress : We all have stress in our lives but learning how to deal with it when it
threatens to overwhelm us helps to maintain our mental health.
8. Find Strength in Numbers : Sharing a problem with others who have had similar
experiences may help you find a solution and will make you feel less isolated.
9. Identify and Deal with Moods : We all need to find safe and constructive ways to
express our feelings of anger, sadness, joy and fear.
10. Learn to Be at Peace with Yourself : Get to know who you are, what makes you really
happy, and learn to balance what you can and cannot change about yourself. Mental Health
Promotion raises awareness and understanding of mental health issues and reduces the stigma
of mental illness though education and training. Parents and teachers can play a significant
role in promoting mental health in their children and students.

Addressing Mental Health Problems

Building protective factors like those noted above into the learning environment gives
most children the foundation they need to attain and maintain good mental health. We also need
to recognize and respond to children’s more acute mental health needs. Schools can support
children’s mental health on three levels:
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• Environmental: Creating a supportive school climate that fosters mentally healthy traits (e.g.,
connectedness, self-esteem, respect for others)
• Programmatic: Implementing programs or curricula targeted at specific issues and skills
development (e.g., bullying prevention, conflict resolution, social skills)
• Individual: Providing interventions to students with chronic or acute mental health needs .

Safe, inclusive and empowering environments

Environments that promote mental health are safe, inclusive and empowering

Mental health promoting environments are safe because they:

support a range of opportunities for learning and physical activity

foster safe, respectful and supportive relationships between children and young people, educators
and families

have strategies to promote positive and responsible behaviour, and to prevent and respond to
bullying, discrimination and harassment, including through the use of digital technologies.
Mental health promoting environments are inclusive because they:

value children and young people for who they are

support and promote the physical and mental wellbeing of staff

Mental health promoting environments are empowering because they:

create opportunities for children and young people’s voices to be respected and to contribute to
decisions that impact on their wellbeing, learning and environment.

Role of teacher for good Mental Health

Children come to school each day with more than their lunch and backpack. They bring
life factors that shape their learning and development. These influences range from family issues
and health and culture to behavior, learning style, and abilities. Virtually all are related to mental
health.

1.Create a sense of belonging. Feeling connected and welcomed is essential to children’s

positive adjustment, self-identification, and sense of trust in others and themselves. Building
strong, positive relationships among students, school staff, and parents is important to promoting
mental wellness.

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2. Promote resilience. Adversity is a natural part of life and being resilient is important to
overcoming challenges and good mental health. Connectedness, competency, helping others, and
successfully facing difficult situations can foster resilience.

3. Develop competencies. Children need to know that they can overcome challenges and
accomplish goals through their actions. Achieving academic success and developing individual
talents and interests helps children feel competent and more able to deal with stress positively.
Social competency is also important

4. Ensure a positive, safe school environment. Feeling safe is critical to students’ learning and
mental health. Promote positive behaviors such as respect, responsibility, and kindness. Prevent
negative behaviors such as bullying and harassment. Teach children to work together to stand up
to a bully, encourage them to reach out to lonely or excluded peers, celebrate acts of kindness,
and reinforce the availability of adult support.

5. Teach and reinforce positive behaviors and decision making. Provide consistent
expectations and support. Teaching children social skills, problem solving, and conflict
resolution supports good mental health. “Catch” them being successful. Positive feedback
validates and reinforces behaviors or accomplishments that are valued by others.

6. Encourage helping others. Children need to know that they can make a difference. Pro-social
behaviors build self-esteem, foster connectedness, reinforce personal responsibility, and present
opportunities for positive recognition.

7. Encourage good physical health. Good physical health supports good mental health. Healthy
eating habits, regular exercise and adequate sleep protect kids against the stress of tough
situations. Regular exercise also decreases negative emotions such as anxiety, anger, and
depression.

8. Educate staff, parents and students on symptoms of and help for mental health
problems. Information helps break down the stigma surrounding mental health and enables
adults and students recognize when to seek help. School mental health professionals can provide
useful information on symptoms of problems like depression or suicide risk.
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9. Ensure access to school-based mental health supports. School psychologists, counselors,
and social workers can provide a continuum of mental health services for students ranging from
universal mental wellness promotion and behavior supports to staff and parent training,
identification and assessment, early interventions, individual and group counseling, crisis
intervention, and referral for community services.

10. Provide a continuum of mental health services. School mental health services are part of a
continuum of mental health care for children and youth. Build relationships with community
mental health resources. Be able to provide names and numbers to parents.

11. Establish a crisis response team. Being prepared to respond to a crisis is important to
safeguarding students’ physical and mental well-being. In addition to safety, the team provides
mental health prevention, intervention, and postvention services.

 Teacher should motivate the student to do better things

 Teacher should give the remedial teaching to the slow learners
 Teacher should use different methods of teaching for student
 Teacher should give prizes to student for good things
 Teacher should arrange the guess lectures of experts for student

References
1. Canadian Institute for Health Information. (2009). Improving the Health of Canadians:
Exploring Positive Mental Health ; Ottawa: Canadian Institute for Health Information.
Retrieved Mar 26, 2012.

2. Canadian Mental Health Association. Ten Tips for Mental Health. Retrieved Mar 26,
2012.
3. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. (2008). Best Practice guidelines for mental
health promotion programs: Children & Youth. Retrieved Mar 26, 2012.
4. Centre for Health Promotion, University of Toronto. (1997). Proceedings from the
International Workshop on Mental Health Promotion. Toronto.
5. Hoffman, J. (2010). Kids Can Cope: Parenting Resilient Children at Home and at
School ; . Parenting for Life. Toronto, ON, Canada: Psychology Foundation of Canada.
Retrieved Mar 26, 2012.
6. Gunthey, R.K & Singh, R.P (1983) Mental Health Problems in relation to job
statisfaction,

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7. Indian Journal of Applied Psychology 19 About.com (2006, July 25). What is Mental
Health?. Retrieved June 1, 2007, from About.com
8. Jump up ; Princeton University. (Unknown last update). Retrieved June 1, 2007,
from Princeton.edu
9. Keyes, Corey (2002). "The mental health continuum: from languishing to flourishing in
life". Journal of Health and Social Behaviour .
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India Private Limited Minke, K. M., & Bear, G. G. (Eds.) (1999). Preventing school
problems, promoting school success: Strategies and programs that work. Bethesda, MD:
National Association of School Psychologists. ISBN: 0932955894.

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1. .www.mentalhealtheducation.org.uk
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5. http://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/mental%20health
6. http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jul/08/young-people-mental-health-
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