Mental Health

• World Mental Health Day (10

Oct) is a day to talk about mental
health and show everyone that
mental health matters. It’s also a
day to let people know that it’s
okay to ask for help, no matter
what you’re going through.
• As the theme of World Mental
Health Day highlights, ‘mental
health is a universal human
right’.
 Big Question:

What is mental health and

how do we stay mentally
healthy?
Objectives:
At the end of the module, learners will be able to:

• 1. Interpret the concepts of mental health and

psychological well-being in everyday observations
about mental health problems during adolescence;
• 2. Identify their own vulnerabilities, and ;
• 3. Create a plan to stay mentally healthy during
adolescence.
Activity
FACT or FICTION

1. One person in every 100

persons develops schizophrenia.
True

One per cent of the general

population develops
schizophrenia.
2. A person who has one or both
parents with mental illness is more
likely to develop mental illness.
True.

Mental illness can be hereditary. For example, the rate of

schizophrenia in the general population is one percent.
This rate rises to eight per cent if one parent has the
disorder and to 37–46 percent if both parents have it. One
in 10 people in the general population has experienced
depression, compared to one in four for people whose
parents have experienced depression.
3. Mental illness is
contagious.
False.

Mental illness is not contagious.

Heredity can, and often does, play a
factor in the development of the
disease.
4. Mental illness tends to
begin during adolescence.
 True.
The first episode of a mental illness often occurs
between the ages of 15 and 30 years. Early intervention
is currently thought to be one of the most important
factors related to recovery from mental illness.
Embarrassment, fear, peer pressure and stigma often
prevent young people from seeking out help.
5. Poor parenting causes
schizophrenia.
False.

Childhood abuse or neglect does not cause

mental illnesses such as schizophrenia.
However, stressful or abusive environments
may seriously impair a person’s ability to cope
with and later manage the illness.
6. Illegal drug use causes
mental illness.
True and False.

Alcohol and other drugs sometimes play a role in the development

of some symptoms and disorders, but do not usually cause the
illness. However, long-term drug and alcohol use can lead to the
development of drug-induced psychosis, which has many of the
same symptoms of organic mental illness. Alcohol and drugs are
often used as a means to cope with the illness, although using
alcohol and drugs can make the symptoms of mental illness worse.
7. Mental illness can be
cured with willpower.
False. Mental illness is associated with
chemical imbalances in the brain and
requires a comprehensive treatment
plan.
8. People with mental illness
never get better.
 False.
With the right kind of help, many people with a mental illness
do recover and go on to lead healthy, productive and satisfying
lives. While the illness may not go away, the symptoms
associated with it can be controlled. This usually allows the
person to regain normal functioning. Medication, counseling
and psychosocial rehabilitation are treatment options that can
help people recover from mental illness.
9. People with mental illness
tend to be violent.
False.

People who experience a mental illness acutely

sometimes behave very differently from people
who do not. While some of their behaviors
may seem bizarre, people with mental illness
are not more violent than the rest of the
population.
10. All homeless people
are mentally ill.
False.

Although studies have shown that between

17 and 70 percent of people who are
homeless have mental illnesses, it is clear
that being homeless doesn’t automatically
indicate a mental illness.
11. Developmental disabilities
are a form of mental illness.
False.
Mental illness is often confused with developmental
disabilities, even though the two conditions are quite
different. Mental illness does not affect an
individual’s intellectual capacity, whereas
developmental disabilities do. However, people with
developmental disabilities are more susceptible to
developing mental illness.
12. Poor people are more
likely to have mental illness
than those who are not
 False.
Income is not a factor in overall rates of mental health
problems. However, people with lower incomes
experience slightly higher rates of depression. People
who live with major mental illnesses often end up in
lower social classes because the illness may interfere
with their ability to hold a job.
 MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and

social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act, and helps
determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make
choices.
Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and
adolescence through adulthood. Over the course of your life, if you
experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behavior
could be affected.
 CHANGE YOUR MIND ABOUT
MENTAL HEALTH
Mental health. It’s the way your thoughts, feelings,
and behaviors affect your life. Good mental health leads
to positive self-image and in-turn, satisfying
relationships with friends and others. Having good
mental health helps you make good decisions and deal
with life’s challenges at home, work, or school.
It is not uncommon for teenagers to develop problems
with their mental health. Problems can range from mild
to severe, and can include depression, anxiety, body
esteem issues, and suicide, among others. Unfortunately,
most young people with mental health problems don’t get
any treatment for them.
 Research shows that effective treatments are available
that can help members of all racial, ethnic, and cultural
groups. If you broke your leg or came down with
pneumonia, you wouldn’t let it go untreated. Often
however, young people ignore mental health problems
thinking they will “snap out of it,” or that they are
something to be ashamed of. That kind of thinking
prevents people from getting the help they need.
Sometimes getting help is a matter of understanding
mental health issues and changing your mind about them.
 Mental Health Indicators
Here are some known indicators of mental health:

• Emotional well-being: life satisfaction, happiness,

cheerfulness, peacefulness.
• Psychological well-being: self-acceptance, personal growth
including openness to new experiences, optimism,
hopefulness, purpose in life, control of one’s environment,
spirituality, self-direction, and positive relationships.
• Social well-being: social acceptance, belief in
the potential of people and society, personal
self-worth and usefulness to society,
and a sense of community.
 11 TIPS FOR MENTAL HEALTH WELL-BEING

1. Get enough sleep and rest. Sleep affects our physical

and mental health but can be the first thing you trade in
when you get busy or stressed.
2. Take time out for things you enjoy. Balance in life is
important, so taking time out for things you enjoy can
make a difference to how you think and feel.
3. Be active and eat well. Your physical and mental health is
closely linked, so adding exercise and nutritious food every day
can make you feel better.
4. Nurture relationships and connect with others. Your
connection to others is what builds you up and keeps you
strong.
5. Learn to manage stress. If you have trouble winding
down or managing thoughts you may find relaxation, yoga or
writing your feelings down helpful.
6. Get involved and join in. Being part of a group with
common interests provides a sense of belonging so find out
about sporting, music, volunteer or community groups
locally.
7. Build your confidence. Learning improves your mental
fitness and taking on a new challenge can build confidence
and give you a sense of achievement.
8. Be comfortable in your own skin. Everyone is unique
and should be celebrated. Know who you are and what
makes you happy.
9. Set realistic goals and deal with tasks one
at a time. It is good to be specific when you
set a goal to help keep you on track.
10. Reach out for help when you need it.
Everyone needs support from time to time.
Talking to a family member, a friend, your
doctor or one of the many services available
can make all the difference.
 Mental and emotional problems need
to be addressed, just like students’ physical
health problems.
 Consider the following statistics:
• Mental Health problems affect one in five young people at any given time.
• Mental illness is second only to heart disease as the leading cause of disability
worldwide.
• The symptoms of mental illness generally appear between the ages of 15-24.
• An estimated 50% of young people with mental illness are not getting help.
• Fear of stigma and the resulting discrimination discourages individuals and
families from getting the help they need.
 An interesting fact is that 30% of people diagnosed
with mental illness will also have a substance use
disorder. When people have both, we call it a
concurrent disorder. It is often difficult to predict
why someone with a mental health problem is “using”.
Sometimes drug use is a form of self-medication for
mental health problems, other times the substance use
might have caused the mental health problem.
• Stress:
Stress can trigger the development of a mental illness,
but stress alone doesn’t cause the mental illness unless you
have a vulnerability gene. Causes of stress can be varied,
sometimes a change in environment, e.g., where you live or
the school you attend, or even psychological trauma, e.g.,
exposure to teasing/bullying, other violence or abuse.
 SUICIDE PREVENTION
Suicide is a leading cause of death among young people ages
15-24. At least 90% of those who die by suicide have a mental
illness. If a friend mentions thoughts of suicide or self-
harm, you NEED to tell an adult. This may be a parent,
teacher or a guidance counselor. It’s better to have a friend who
is angry with you than to keep their secret and live with knowing
you could have helped, but remained silent when your friend was
in trouble.
 Here’s a scenario:
“Your friend isn’t acting like his old self. He seems
really down, and has been doing strange things like
giving his favorite things away. He recently told you that
he thought the people he knew would be better off
without him around and that he’s thought of killing
himself. After he tells you, he asks you not to tell
anyone else about what he has said.”
 Here are some strategies for supporting
someone with mental health concerns:

• Encourage the person to seek help and support from

an adult.
• Spend time with the person, listen to his/her concerns.
• Be hopeful; help them feel like their life will get better.
• Stand by them. Invite your friend to things
that you are doing; keeping busy and
staying in touch with friends will help your
friend feel better, when they are ready.
• Learn as much as you can about mental
illness so that you understand what is going
on for them.
• If you are a close friend or family member of
someone with a mental health problem, make sure
that you get help as well. Talk to someone about
what is happening. This will help you be a better
support person.
• Put the person’s life before your friendship. If the
person mentions thoughts of suicide, don’t keep it
secret, even if the person has asked you to.
 VERY important reminders:
• Mental health is as important as physical health. In fact,
the two are closely linked.
• Mental health problems are real, and they deserve to be
treated.
• It’s not a person’s fault if he or she has a mental health
problem. No one is to blame.
• Mental health problems are not a sign of weakness.
They are not something you can “just snap out of ”
even if you try.
• Whether you’re male or female, it’s ok to ask for
help and get it.
• There’s hope. People improve and recover with the
help of treatment, and they are able to enjoy
happier and healthier lives.
 Group Activity
Suicide Prevention Slogan
(1/8 illustration board)
In your group, come up with an
encouraging message to someone who is
struggling mentally. BE CREATIVE. J
Deadline: October 16, 2023 (Monday,
4:30pm)