The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a ‘state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity’. With the mounting social and economic issues pervading our society, the issue of mental health becomes increasingly urgent. Mental health impacts the academic success and well-being of all our students and so we must build awareness and reduce the stigma surrounding these issues.

Integrating mental health into our school curriculum is a powerful tool in empowering our youth. While there are programmes within our schools aimed at increasing mental health literacy, the question is, is this enough? Mental health must be included in every school’s curriculum and taken seriously. These classes should not be considered ‘free or idle sessions’ and should be considered as valuable as learning English language and mathematics.

Facilitators of mental health classes must be trained and must actually impart knowledge, critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills and promote moral development. It should not be a class that is lightly given to just anyone to teach. Additionally, all teachers are potentially powerful role models and must therefore demonstrate good relationships amongst themselves as well as with students. Teachers should refrain from embarrassing or humiliating students. I hear too many stories of this occurring. This must stop! When faced with conflict, as adults, we should not escalate a situation but instead remain calm.

Life is hard and will always have ups and downs. Some parents try to shield their children from the reality of difficulties and hardship in work life and in relationships which can negatively impact youngsters when true reality hits them. They become completely taken aback with reality and possess no skills to deal with troubles. On the contrary, many of our students are overwhelmed by overexposure to hardships of life including poverty, abuse, alcoholism and physical violence. Our society is warped and damaged, and to ensure a better tomorrow, we must start working with our young children to promote positive mental health.

Children should understand different emotions, be able to name their feelings and learn coping skills. They ought to be provided with a toolbox of surviving mechanisms to ensure resilience. This ‘toolbox’ refers to that set of skills and strategies that the individual will use to manage and tackle stress, emotions and challenging situations. Some of these tools include:

1) Awareness — students must be educated on the variety of mental health issues including symptoms, warning signs, and how to seek help.

2) Mindfulness – involves breathwork, meditation and body scans which help students to remain calm and to focus on the present moment. It reduces stress and anxiety.

3) Physical exercise – this is great for managing stress. All students should be encouraged to participate in at least 20 minutes of activity every day. This can include structured activities such as sports but can also be unstructured such as simple walking, jogging, cycling, or dancing in one’s bedroom.

4) Sleep – it is important that student’s receive enough sleep, at least seven hours per night to ensure optimum brain function and release of stress.

5) Positive self-talk – the power of the tongue should never be underestimated. Encouraging our students to engage in positive self-talk despite negativities surrounding them, can help in motivation, resilience and stress management.

6) Conflict resolution –undoubtedly, there is a severe shortage of conflict resolution skills not only in our schools but throughout every sector of society. This will involve teaching active listening and communication skills, compassion, empathy, tolerance, perspective-taking, negotiation and compromise. The value of finding win-win solutions must be highlighted.

7) Mental health professionals – there must be easier access to free mental health services and support including counselling, therapy and medical assistance.

8) Storytelling and role playing in classes are good methods of demonstrating moral situations, negotiation and conflict resolution.

There is a plethora of information and tools available to empower our children. This requires intent, determination, time, investment and resources to become successful. It can be done and must be done.

Dr Karla Hylton is the founder and CEO of Your Empowerment Solutions (YES) Institute, offering mathematics and science tutoring as well as a host of workshops for parents, teachers, and students. She is the author of Yes! You Can Help Your Child Achieve Academic Success and Complete Chemistry for Caribbean High Schools. Reach her at (876) 564-1347; e-mail: ceo@yes-institute.com; or visit www.yes-institute.com, or www.khylton.com.