Recently I have noticed multiple headlines, news and comments about mental health and yes, it may be a difficult and controversial issue to talk about, but we must understand the fears of our society, today. In my years at Burntwood we have had many presentations and assemblies on mental health, and as a girl’s school, we understand the different changes in the body, may affect us physically and mentally. Based on statistics, in England, women are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety disorders than men. I wanted to study the mental health of our school and understand why they think it has become such an important part of society as well as appreciating World Mental Health Day on the 10th of October.
Mental health can sometimes affect people in positive yet negative ways. So how can it affect people in negative ways? In the past few weeks, I have been interviewing my classmates to give me their opinion on mental health and why they think more young people have become more susceptible to mental health?
One student said, “Sudden surge of pressure in the media, has manipulated many young children to feel uncomfortable with their bodies and driven them to dislike themselves, as at this age we are more vulnerable”. Yet another said, “An increase in pressure from school and higher expectations from home has made it difficult for many students at GCSE level”. I later then interviewed my drama teacher, Miss Poulter whose response was, “More young people are prone to mental health because they have a fear of talking about it. Therefore, we must be more open about this topic and provide people with comfort”.
I later then asked them if they think mental health issues are influenced by more issues at home or at school? One year ten student said, “Issues provoked at home can bring issues into school, so it can vary, but in my opinion, they are usually provoked at home”. At school, anyone with anxieties or problems are helped by their personal mentor, which I believe is quite essential to overcome their fear in our society. From my research I have learned, mental health can be influenced by issues at home, pressure from school as well as social media.
However, we can help by informing schools to improve the well-being of our younger generation. When it comes to helping a loved one with mental health problems, providing them with quality information on their disorder is essential. An approach that works for one person might not work for the next, even if the two share the same disorder. Medication is an effective way of managing the symptoms of many common mental disorders, such as anxiety and depression. Other options are counseling, emotional support, and meditation.
If you would like to find some more information visit The World Mental Health website and don’t forget to appreciate World Mental Health Day in the next few days.
