Education Portal for Students in India

What Educators Can Do in Classrooms and Schools – You can support the mental health of all students in your classroom and school, not just individual students who may exhibit behavioral issues. Consider the following actions:

Educate staff, parents, and students on symptoms of and help for mental health problems Promote social and emotional competency and build resilience Help ensure a positive, safe school environment Teach and reinforce positive behaviors and decision-making Encourage helping others Encourage good physical health Help ensure access to school-based mental health supports

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Why is mental health important for students?

The importance of mental health for students Our mental health has a direct impact on our ability to take in new information, understand new concepts and master new skills. When struggling with depression, anxiety or other mental health issues, working on assignments and attending classes can become impossible.
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How to take care of your mental health as a student essay?

Negative Impact of Mental Health – The way we physically fall sick, we can also fall sick mentally. Mental illness is the instability of one’s health, which includes changes in emotion, thinking, and behaviour. Mental illness can be caused due to stress or reaction to a certain incident.

It could also arise due to genetic factors, biochemical imbalances, child abuse or trauma, social disadvantage, poor physical health condition, etc. Mental illness is curable. One can seek help from the experts in this particular area or can overcome this illness by positive thinking and changing their lifestyle.

Regular fitness exercises like morning walks, yoga, and meditation have proved to be great medicine for curing mental health. Besides this, it is imperative to have a good diet and enough sleep. A person needs 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night on average.

1. When someone is tired yet still can’t sleep, it’s a symptom that their mental health is unstable.
2. Overworking oneself can sometimes result in not just physical tiredness but also significant mental exhaustion.
3. As a result, people get insomnia (the inability to fall asleep).
4. Anxiety is another indicator.

There are many symptoms of mental health issues that differ from person to person and among the different kinds of issues as well. For instance, panic attacks and racing thoughts are common side effects. As a result of this mental strain, a person may experience chest aches and breathing difficulties.

• Another sign of poor mental health is a lack of focus.
• It occurs when you have too much going on in your life at once, and you begin to make thoughtless mistakes, resulting in a loss of capacity to focus effectively.
• Another element is being on edge all of the time.
• It’s noticeable when you’re quickly irritated by minor events or statements, become offended, and argue with your family, friends, or co-workers.

It occurs as a result of a build-up of internal irritation. A sense of alienation from your loved ones might have a negative influence on your mental health. It makes you feel lonely and might even put you in a state of despair. You can prevent mental illness by taking care of yourself like calming your mind by listening to soft music, being more social, setting realistic goals for yourself, and taking care of your body.

1. Surround yourself with individuals who understand your circumstances and respect you as the unique individual that you are.
2. This practice will assist you in dealing with the sickness successfully.
3. Improve your mental health knowledge to receive the help you need to deal with the problem.
4. To gain emotional support, connect with other people, family, and friends.

Always remember to be grateful in life. Pursue a hobby or any other creative activity that you enjoy.
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What is the 10 importance of mental health?

Mental health is so much more than just the absence of mental illness. It is a combination of our emotional, psychological and social wellbeing, and it affects every aspect of our lives — how we think, how we feel and how we act. It influences how we relate to other people, how we deal with the stresses in our lives and whether we make healthy or unhealthy lifestyle choices.

1. Poor mental health makes us more vulnerable to certain physical health problems, such as heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.1
2. Nurturing our mental health can also help prevent the development of mental illnesses.2
3. Good mental health helps us have a more positive outlook and enjoy our lives more.2
4. When our mental health is good, we are better able to cope with the difficult times in our lives.2
5. We are more creative when our mental health is good, and that makes us more open to trying new things.2
6. Good mental health promotes better relationships with the people in our lives.3
7. Good mental health enables us to work more productively and reach our full potential.3
8. Good mental health enables us to make meaningful contributions to our family, to our community and to society.3
9. Having good mental health helps us think more clearly.4
10. Our moods are improved and our self-esteem enhanced when our mental health is good.4

Stress and mental health Mental health changes over time, depending on a number of factors.1 One of the factors that can affect mental health is stress. Everyone experiences stress at times, but when the demands of life go beyond our ability to cope with them, our mental health can suffer.1 Stress causes physical changes in the body.

1. It causes muscles to tense and heart rate and breathing rate to increase.5 In the short term, stress can have positive effects, such as helping us be ready to face a challenge.
2. Then, once the challenge has passed, the body returns to normal.5 However, when the stress becomes chronic, the body loses the ability to return to normal, and attention, memory and the way we deal with our emotions can be negatively affected.5 Prolonged stress can lead to problems such as depression, anxiety and burnout.6 Fortunately, there are techniques you can employ to help manage your stress and foster good mental health.

Good mental health techniques

• Pay attention to how you’re feeling and what your body is telling you.7 Are you feeling very stressed most of the time? Are you having trouble sleeping? Do you feel angry or depressed? Do you often feel that you don’t have enough energy? These could be signals of a mental health issue. Talk about your feelings with a trusted friend, family member or professional counsellor.
• Be physically active.7 Exercising regularly can help you feel better and sleep better, and it can enhance your ability to concentrate.
• Engage in a relaxing activity.7 This could be something such as meditation, yoga or breathing exercises, or it could be listening to soothing music or engaging in a hobby you enjoy.
• Eat a healthy diet to ensure that your body is getting all the nutrients it needs to function properly.8
• If you drink alcohol, drink sensibly.8 Turning to alcohol to deal with a difficult situation will only provide temporary relief, and when it wears off, you may even feel worse. Alcohol is never a good way to try to deal with problems — and the same is true for other recreational drugs as well.
• Stay in touch with other people.8 Don’t try to go it alone. Family and friends can support you and help you deal with life’s problems and stresses.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help.8 This is a sign of strength, not weakness. Recognizing that you can’t conquer every problem and having the courage to seek assistance demonstrates maturity and self-confidence. There are programs available to help those with the courage to ask for help.

Learn more about our mental health services, Reference: 1. Learn About Mental Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.2018. Available online at https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm#:~:text=Mental%20health%20includes%20our%20emotional,others%2C%20and%20make%20healthy%20choices.&text=Mental%20health%20is%20important%20at,childhood%20and%20adolescence%20through%20adulthood 2.

Benefits of Good Mental Health. Canadian Mental Health Association. Available online at https://toronto.cmha.ca/documents/benefits-of-good-mental-health/ 3. Mental Health. Medline Plus. Available online at https://medlineplus.gov/mentalhealth.html 4. Miller K.2020. The Benefits of Mental Health According to Science.

Positive Psychology. Available online at https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-of-mental-health/ 5. Stress and Our Mental Health—What Is the Impact & How Dan We Tackle It? MQ Mental Health Research. Available online at https://www.mqmentalhealth.org/stress-and-mental-health/ 6.

• Racine V.2020.
• The Impact of Stress on Your Mental Health.
• Canadian Red Cross.
• Available online at https://www.redcross.ca/blog/2020/10/the-impact-of-stress-on-your-mental-health 7.5 Things You Should Know About Stress National Institute of Mental Health.
• Available online at https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/stress/19-mh-8109-5-things-stress_142898.pdf 8.

How to Look After Your Mental Health. Mental Health Foundation Available online at https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/How%20to.mental%20health.pdf
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What are the four pillars of mental health?

Psychiatric Times asked integrative psychiatrist James Lake, MD, for insights and advice for patients to reduce stress and take care of their mental health on a day to day basis, especially important now when life seems to be in upheaval for so many.

• It is of utmost importance to focus on improving lifestyle factors, which may then translate into improved general mental health, and more resilience in the face of stress.
• Dr Lake talks about 4 pillars of mental health and health: getting enough sleep, regular physical activity, healthy nutrition, and a practice addressed at stress management.

Nutrition In order to optimize your mental well being, a healthy diet with the essential nutrients are vital to healthy brain function. Individuals who have healthy diets tend to function better, feel better, and manage better in the face of stress, whether that is day-to-day work stress, or in this case, the extraordinary unprecedented stress that we are all experiencing.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic a healthy diet that includes fresh fish, vegetables, and grains is essential. Physical activity People who engage in regular physical activity tend to feel better and function better. This does not necessarily mean vigorous workouts every day today, but staying active is key.

Moderate level of activity might include regular walks (up to 30 minutes or more per day); strength training; using weights; and hiking on the weekends. Nature is always a wonderful way to be active and refreshed, especially during these times of confinement.

There is an enormous body of research showing the relationship between regular physical activity and good mental health. In fact, many studies show that individuals who have moderate depression or anxiety or who engage in regular physical activity, including patients who take antidepressants, derive benefit.

Sleep A consistent pattern of rest means a patient has enough time to get into deep sleep. This enables one to wake up the next day refreshed, ready go to work or school. Good sleep hygiene entails the things you do from the beginning of your day until the time you go to sleep that night.

They will predispose you sleeping better. Try to turn off the television or any other electronics. Students should stop studying at least an hour before going to bed. Don’t drink alcohol right before bed and try to avoid it the last few hours of the day. For patients with anxiety disorders, go into a very quiet, peaceful space using gentle yoga or simple mindfulness practice to take their minds off their worries before trying to fall asleep.

People who sleep tend to be more emotionally resilient. In the context of what we are dealing with now, sleep is fundamental to those who are struggling with depression Stress management This can be simple or it can be elaborate, depending on your preferences, or religious or spiritual bearings.

1. Listening to music with earbuds, while also engaged in very relaxing breathing practice can be very calming and can significantly lower your baseline anxiety.
2. Tools for reducing stress include mindfulness, such as meditation, simple yoga styles that are calming and relaxing, and breathing.
3. Some yoga postures can promote improved sleep, and those should be done at night, an hour or so before bed.

During this time of extreme stress, spiritual practices can help relieve anxiety. Because we don’t know what the future will bring, it is particularly important and valuable for people to engage in their spiritual work or to get closer to their religious community, whichever is more personally useful.

• It can provide enormous peace at to delve into, spiritual practice, which might be meditation and even Buddhist prayer, Christianity or Judaism.
• There can be enormous power from thinking more deeply in one’s spiritual life.
• And through affiliation with religious community or fellowship for support and for sharing faith with others.

For more by Dr Lake, see A Mental Health Pandemic: The Second Wave of COVID-19, Dr Lake is a Psychiatrist in private practice in California. His most recent book is An Integrative Paradigm for Mental Health Care: Ideas and Methods Shaping the Future,
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What are the five elements of mental health?

Abstract – This paper reviews the role of news with respect to the mental health of a population exposed to a disaster. It is based on the five essential elements of psychosocial care presented by Stevan E. Hobfoll et al. (2007) that can be introduced after a potentially traumatic event: promoting a sense of safety, calming, self and collective efficacy, connectedness, and hope.

This study developed a method to relate these elements to television coverage and applied it to the stories (n=1,169) aired by the main networks in Chile in the 72 hours after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck on 27 February 2010. Of the five elements, promoting a sense of safety occurred most often (82.72 per cent), whereas the others were barely present (less than 10 per cent).

The study argues that these elements can increase the possibility of framing the news, given that the audience watching can also be affected by a disaster. Keywords: Chile; disaster response; earthquake; journalism; media; mental health; television; tsunami.
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What can a teacher do to improve mental health of students?

7. Model good coping behaviours for students – be calm, honest, and caring – Teachers can be positive role models for their students. Children will look at you and learn from the skills you use daily to deal with stressful situations. Be calm, honest, and caring, and demonstrate a positive attitude to children.
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How can schools support students mental health?

The Surgeon General’s Recommended Approach to Addressing Youth Mental Health – Fortunately, there are many things educators can do to step up for students in crisis. The health advisory lays out eight ways schools and educators can support the mental health and wellbeing of students in these trying times.1.

Developing and enforcing anti-bullying policies Training students and staff to prevent harm, such as with bystander intervention Talking to students and families about mental health Using inclusive language and behavior Implementing feasible structural changes such as later starts to the school day that benefit students’ mental health

2. Expand Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Programs Implementing SEL programs is beneficial to students’ mental health development and doing so doesn’t have to radically alter educators’ lesson plans and schedules. Navigate360’s customizable SEL solutions are designed to blend seamlessly with any school’s existing structure, no matter what that looks like.3.

• Recognize Signs of Trauma and Behavior Changes and Take Action Educators are among the first to notice changes in a student’s behavior.
• When teachers can identify signs that a student is struggling with their mental health, they can move quickly to get the student the help and support they need.
• The quicker teachers take action to connect these students with the appropriate mental health services, the better the outcome will be.4.

Provide Mental Health Support for Students Schools should always be ready to help their students get proper mental health care as soon as the kids need it. The Surgeon General’s advisory suggests linking up with providers such as the Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education) program to help fund school-based practices such as:

Mental health screening Early intervention and prevention Treatment

At the district level, it’s recommended administrators implement mental health literacy training for teachers and staff. Navigate360 Mental Health & Prevention solution provides comprehensive materials to help teachers and staff facilitate difficult mental health discussions with students, with flexible delivery options for personalization.5.

Add More Mental Health Personnel Hiring more counselors, nurses, social workers and psychologists can better equip schools to help students facing mental health challenges. Per the American School Counselor Association, schools should have at least one counselor for every 250 students enrolled. In 2021, however, the national average was one counselor for every 424 students at a school.

It is recommended to seek local, state or federal resources to help make these hires possible.6. Support Staff Mental Health If school staff members are healthy and happy, they’ll be better prepared to help students with their own mental health. Schools can make their staff feel valued and boost their mental wellness with methods like:

Establishing realistic workloads Maintaining stable staff-to-student ratios Providing competitive pay and insurance benefits Assessing staff mental health regularly Integrating mental health and wellness education into staff member’s professional development (Navigate360 SEL for Staff)

7. Connect Students with Behavioral Health Coverage Helping parents and caregivers enroll with Medicaid and CHIP, both of which include access to behavioral health services, can be done with help from the Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign.
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