Do you think Mental Health class could reduce teen suicides and shootings?

Question

I’m currently writing a paper on why mental health class should be mandatory in high school. Curious to know what you guys think.

Accepted Answer

I think adding mental health into health classes in general would be beneficial. Teaching about different mental health conditions, symptoms, how to seek help if you think you need it, etc. Just giving kids a better understanding of mental health as a whole.

Answer

What would a mental health class consist of?

Answer

Parents are the ones who need the mental health classes... honestly they should be mandatory!!

Answer

I think it depends a lot on what is taught. I just want to warn you though, when people mention they are making polls for class, they tend to get a lot of “do your own homework” comments

Answer

Maybe? But I think access to mental healthcare is most important here and we really need to work on that. Mental health was taught about in my 6th grade health class and it’s being taught in the public high school class I’m currently in. I don’t think an extra class is really necessary.

Answer

I feel it could make kids feel less alone in the way they feel

Answer

i think it would reduce suicidices for sure and it would be very beneficial if done correctly, but it wouldnt reduce school shootings. mental illness isnt the reason people shoot up schools - its white male entitlement, normalisation of violence and a lack of compassion. or thats just what i think. school shootings dont really happen in my country because we have gun control so idk.

Answer

Mental health should be discussed at every grade level. Especially in middle and high school. It should be more than a unit of study in health class. Children and teens should have ongoing exposure to mental health education and coping strategies. It cannot be a one-and-done class.

Answer

I think the new policy a few of our local schools are adding are most beneficial. (We live in a district next to Sante Fe High school). 
School counselors now meet with every single child 2x a semester no matter if they are red flags or not. They complete basic mental health screenings for anxiety/depression/etc. They have an online portal in which kids can request additional meetings, report a student who may need one, or report other concerns. Teachers can also red flag students to be checked in with again. At the start of each semester kids are also given a questionnaire if they would like to join a therapy group for specific topics (home life, LGBTQ, depression, substance abuse, etc.) School counselors are also bringing in outside therapists and professionals to do presentations once a month on a mental health topic.

Answer

100%. I did a mental health unit in my tertiary studies.
It involved learning about different conditions, the history of mental health treatment in my state, different kinds of treatment, what happens when you go to counselling, how to find resources and about different organisations that can help. They also encouraged us to undertake a mental health first aid or suicide intervention training course. Those last two courses are probably too full on for school, but they should teach how you can support a friend experiencing a mental health crisis. 
I really believe that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) should be taught in schools. It changed my life.

Do you think Mental Health class could reduce teen suicides and shootings?

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