Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being.

It affects how we think, feel,

and act. It also 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.

What Is Mental Health?

Main page content

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel,
and act. It also 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. Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including:

Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry

Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse

Family history of mental health problems

Mental health problems are common but help is available. People with mental health problems can get
better and many recover completely.

Early Warning Signs

Not sure if you or someone you know is living with mental health problems? Experiencing one or more
of the following feelings or behaviors can be an early warning sign of a problem:

Eating or sleeping too much or too little

Pulling away from people and usual activities

Having low or no energy

Feeling numb or like nothing matters

Having unexplained aches and pains

Feeling helpless or hopeless

Smoking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual

Feeling unusually confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried, or scared

Yelling or fighting with family and friends

Experiencing severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships

Having persistent thoughts and memories you can't get out of your head

Hearing voices or believing things that are not true

Thinking of harming yourself or others

Inability to perform daily tasks like taking care of your kids or getting to work or school

Learn more about specific mental health problems and where to find help.

Mental Health and Wellness

Positive mental health allows people to:

Realize their full potential

Cope with the stresses of life

Work productively

Make meaningful contributions to their communities

Ways to maintain positive mental health include:

Getting professional help if you need it

Connecting with others

Staying positive

Getting physically active

Helping others

Getting enough sleep

Developing coping skills

Learn More About Mental Health

The importance of prevention and wellness

What communities can do to promote

Virginia's law mandates that mental health education be incorporated for ninth- and 10th-graders

(CNN) On Sunday, New York and Virginia became the first two states to enact laws requiring mental
health education in schools.

New York's law updates the health curriculum in elementary, middle and high schools to include material
on mental health. Virginia's law mandates that mental health education be incorporated into physical
education and health curricula for ninth- and 10th-graders.

The New York law says that mental health "is an integral part of our overall health and should be an
integral part of health education in New York schools."

This might be why depression is rising among teen girls

This might be why depression is rising among teen girls

Both laws come into effect amid an increased focus on mental health and suicide. In June, two
prominent figures -- Kate Spade, a fashion designer, and Anthony Bourdain, a chef and CNN host -- died
by suicide within the same week.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people ages 15 to 24 and the 10th leading cause of
death overall in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The
suicide rate in the country has also dramatically increased in recent years, up 30% since 1999, according
to the CDC.

According to the New York law, which was written in 2015, "90 percent of youth who die by suicide suffer
from depression or another diagnosable and treatable mental illness at the time of their death."

Opinion: Let teens talk about mental illness

Opinion: Let teens talk about mental illness

Virginia state Sen. Creigh Deeds sponsored his state's mental health bill after he listened to a
presentation from high schoolers in Albemarle County in 2017. The students had proposals for
addressing mental health issues in schools, including increased counseling staff. They worked with Deeds
to create the legislation, passed in April.

"I was impressed by their thoughtfulness, because a lot of these young people had seen bullying. They
had seen depression. They had seen classmates that had died by suicide," Deeds said. "It's part of
tearing down the stigma and providing some equality with those that struggle with mental health."

He also has a personal connection to the issue: His son, Gus Deeds, died by suicide in 2013 at age 24.
Gus was taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation, but released because there were no open
psychiatric beds across the western part of the state. The next day, Gus stabbed Deeds and then turned a
gun on himself. Deeds later said that the Virginia system failed his son.

Since his son's death, Deeds has advocated for mental health reforms in many aspects of state laws.

The Virginia law mandates the state's Board of Education update the health Standards of Learning with
mental health material for ninth and 10th grades.

The New York law does not mandate a specific curriculum; it instead updates the health curriculum to
include mental health in its definition and purview.
Under the new law, health education in the state "must recognize the multiple dimensions of health and
include the relationship of physical and mental health," according to the New York State Department of
Education.

Schools

June 23, 2018 | By Christine Vestal

Amid sharply rising rates of teen suicide and adolescent mental illness, two states have enacted laws
that for the first time require public schools to include mental health education in their basic curriculum.

Most states require health education in all public schools, and state laws have been enacted in many
states to require health teachers to include lessons on tobacco, drugs and alcohol, cancer detection and
safe sex.

Two states are going further: New York’s new law adds mental health instruction to the list in
kindergarten through 12th grade; Virginia requires it in ninth and 10th grades.

Nationwide, cities and states have been adopting a variety of initiatives over the past decade to address
the rising need for mental health care in schools.
But until this year, mandated mental health education had not been part of the trend.

“We’re seeing a huge increase in youth anxiety and depression,” said Dustin Verga, a high school health
teacher in Clifton, N.Y., who was an early advocate for the state’s new law.

“We teach them how to detect the signs of cancer and how to avoid accidents, but we don’t teach them
how to recognize the symptoms of mental illness,” Verga said. “It’s a shame because, like cancer, mental
health treatment is much more effective if the disease is caught early.”

A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this month shows the U.S. suicide rate rose
by a quarter between 1999 and 2016. That and two celebrity deaths this month — those of fashion
designer Kate Spade, 55, and chef Anthony Bourdain, 61 — have raised the nation’s consciousness about
depression and suicide prevention.

But mental illness can set in much earlier than adulthood. More than half of lifetime mental illnesses
begin before age 14, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Yet the average person waits
10 years after the first symptoms occur before getting treatment.

By educating children of all ages about mental health, the hope is that they will learn how to recognize
early symptoms in themselves and their friends and seek help before a crisis develops, said Paul
Gionfriddo, president and CEO of Mental Health America, a nonprofit that advocates for better mental
health care.

“People are talking more about youth mental health and the effects of trauma on kids, but it’s taken a
long time to get traction. I think what we’ve seen recently in terms of school shootings is spurring this,”
Gionfriddo said. “It wouldn’t surprise me to see a number of states go in the same direction over the
next few years,” he said, referring to New York and Virginia.

The rate of adolescents experiencing major depression surged nearly 40 percent from 2005 to 2014,
according to a study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, rising to an
estimated 2.2 million depressed children ages 12 to 17, according to the most recent federal data.
Teen suicides also have spiked. According to the CDC, the suicide rate among boys ages 15 to 19
increased by nearly a third between 2007 and 2015; the suicide rate among girls the same age more
than doubled.

But that only accounts for the deaths. Nearly 9 percent of youths in grades nine through 12 attempted
suicide in the past year, according to the CDC’s 2015 Youth Risk Behaviors Survey.

In response, many states have increased funding for school counseling and added psychologists to their
health staffs. Others are thinking of doing the same. Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott this month
recommended adding more counselors to schools following a mass shooting at a Santa Fe school. His is
one of 20 states that don’t require school counselors.

And most states have adopted so-called mental health first aid programs to train first responders,
primary care physicians, teachers and other school personnel to detect the signs of mental illness and
addiction and provide preventive measures including referral to treatment.

In addition, a slim majority of states mandate suicide prevention training for school personnel, and close
to a dozen states require annual courses. More than a dozen states encourage and facilitate training, but
do not require it.

In New York, it was a nonprofit mental health group that came up with the idea of requiring schools to
educate students about mental illness in all grades. That was seven years ago.

The Legislature was immediately interested, said John Richter, the public policy director for the Mental
Health Association in New York State Inc. “The problem was finding a way to cut in line ahead of dozens
of other competing educational issues.”

It was the opioid crisis and its strong connection with mental illness that ultimately allowed the New York
Assembly’s education committee to bring the mental health bill to a vote in 2016, Richter said. Armed
with research showing that people with mental conditions often self-medicate with drugs and alcohol,
the chairman found an eager audience of lawmakers who wanted to do everything they could to quell
the overdose epidemic, he said.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, people with a mood or anxiety disorder are more
than twice as likely to develop an addiction to opioids and other drugs.

New York’s law doesn’t prescribe a specific classroom curriculum for mental health, leaving the details
up to the board of education. But the state is giving $1 million a year to the mental health association to
offer an online mental health resource center and free training services for teachers starting in July.

In the fall, New York public school teachers will be encouraged to incorporate the topic of mental illness
into subjects such as science, literature, history and social studies whenever possible, according to
Richter. And health teachers will be called on to develop lesson plans that describe the disease of mental
illness, methods of treating it, and healthy coping techniques students can use to protect themselves
and their friends from the mounting pressures of school life.

“The life students live today is very different from what it was just 10 years ago,” Clifton’s Verga said.
“Technology and social media have taken over. Kids are getting cellphones at an earlier age and facing
escalating academic expectations and standardized assessments starting in third grade.”

In Virginia, the path from idea to statute was much shorter.

The new law was the brainchild of three students who attended summer classes on political leadership
at the University of Virginia. For them, the biggest political issue for high school kids was an urgent need
for more mental health resources.

With that in mind, they decided that the best approach would be a statewide educational program that
would explain the brain science behind mental illness, help students learn how to improve their own
mental well-being, and reduce the stigma around mental health.

They found a receptive legislative sponsor in state Sen. Creigh Deeds, a Democrat from Charlottesville
whose son stabbed him and later killed himself after being denied emergency psychiatric services in
2013.
Their bill flew through the Legislature and Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam signed it into law in March. It
is set to take effect in the fall.

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New York Schools Now Teach About Mental Health As Part Of Health Education, & It's A Big Step Toward
Busting Stigma

ByCAROLYN DE LORENZO

3 weeks ago

Norman01/Fotolia

A new law that took effect in New York state on July 1, 2018 means that schools will now teach about
mental health as part of health education classes, according to NBC. Not only does the new curriculum
promote greater understanding of various mental health conditions, but classes also include exercises in
describing feelings, and developing increased emotional intelligence over time. NBC further reports that
New York is the first U.S. state to require that mental health education be part of health class curriculum,
and that the new guidelines could go a long way towards helping eradicate stigmas associated with
mental illness.

The new mental health education classes aren’t just your typical intro to psychology courses; students
will be learning valuable life skills that they can apply in practical ways. According to state guidelines,
learning to practice self-care is an important part of the new curriculum, as is addressing stigmas as
barriers to treatment. Students will also learn how to access resources if they or someone close to them
is experiencing a mental health crisis.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) says that "Schools provide a unique opportunity to
identify and treat mental health conditions by serving students where they already are." NAMI also
states that many mental health conditions start in adolescence. Half of all those living with mental illness
start experiencing symptoms by age 14, while 75 percent of mental illnesses begin by age 24. One in five
young people live with a mental health condition in the U.S. alone, but less than half receive treatment.
NAMI further suggests that school-based mental health services are crucial to providing support and
resources for young people, who might otherwise feel isolated if they or a loved one are facing a mental
health crisis.

Fiona Goodall/Getty Images News/Getty Images

But the new legislation aims to help bridge this gap. According to Governing, the new education law
comes not a moment too soon: teen suicide rates have doubled in girls, and risen by 30 percent in boys
in recent years. Governing further states that Virginia also has plans to integrate mental health education
into the public school curriculum, and will introduce mental health classes at the ninth and tenth grade
levels soon — when half of mental health issues start to show up among young people.
According to NBC, stigmas associated with mental illness are still common. Many people who need
mental health treatment avoid it because of fears of what others in their communities might think.
Meredith Coles, PhD., told NBC that the purpose of the new curriculum standard is “to give students the
knowledge they need to recognize in themselves and others when they need help."

The new mental health curriculum aims to empower students to understand the crucial links between
mental and physical health.

New York State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia told NBC that the state passed this legislation in
order to give students the tools they need to navigate any mental health problems they might encounter,
and learn to recognize when a friend or loved one might be struggling.

“When young people learn about mental health, and that it is an important aspect of overall health and
well-being, the likelihood increases that they will be able to effectively recognize signs and symptoms in
themselves and others and will know where to turn for help — and it will decrease the stigma that
attaches to help-seeking,” Elia told NBC.

In short, the new mental health curriculum aims to empower students to understand the crucial links
between mental and physical health, and how to get help when help is needed.

22 Celebrity Quotes About Mental Health From Women Who Are Helping To Break Stigma

ByLAUREN DANA

11 days ago

Jean Baptiste Lacroix/Jesse Grant/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

With increased awareness and education, talking about mental health is becoming more normalized
across the United States. A lot of this work is done in our conversations with our friends and family, but
when you hear celebrities talking about mental health on a national stage, it can be a really impactful
way to destigmatize mental illness.
According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five Americans (approximately 44
million individuals) live with a mental illness. What's more, 9.8 million Americans a year experience a
serious mental illness that "substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities," as
NAMI wrote.

Fortunately, in 2018, there are more resources than ever before dedicated toward helping people who
live with mental illness, or who cope with stressors on a day to day basis. Further, the conversation
around mental health has shifted significantly towards destigmatizing mental illness and encouraging
people to take advantage of the mental health resources that do exist.

Nonetheless, it's still no easy feat to speak candidly and openly about mental health challenges and
obstacles, no matter how rich or famous one may be. These 22 celebrities have spoken out about mental
health in seriously impactful ways — check out these quotes from them to learn more.

1Kerry Washington

Roy Rochlin/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

“I think it's really important to take the stigma away from mental health.... My brain and my heart are
really important to me. I don't know why I wouldn't seek help to have those things be as healthy as my
teeth. I go to the dentist. So why wouldn't I go to a shrink?” Glamour, May 2015.

2Lili Reinhart

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

“I had so much anxiety booking work, and I spent almost five months holed up in this bedroom in this
house just feeling anxious, waiting for my next audition, and not doing anything else. It was the most
miserable time of my life.” W, September 2017.

3Chrissy Teigen
Jean Baptiste Lacroix/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

“I had everything I needed to be happy. And yet, for much of the last year, I felt unhappy. What basically
everyone around me — but me — knew up until December was this: I have postpartum depression. How
can I feel this way when everything is so great? I’ve had a hard time coming to terms with that, and I
hesitated to even talk about this, as everything becomes such a ‘thing.’” Glamour, April 2017.

4Britney Spears

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

"I moved to Los Angeles when I was very young. I was so under scrutiny. If a hair was out of place, I’d be
so anxious. I would get very anxious about so many things." Marie Claire UK, October 2016.

5Shannon Purser

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

“Everybody hears OCD and they think, ‘OK, you like to clean or be organized.’ That’s really not what it is,
especially not for everybody.”

“In my case, it was me being super self-conscious, to the point where it was debilitating. I didn’t feel
comfortable talking to people. It’s incredible, but I will sing the praises of therapy. I think everybody
should be in therapy. It helps so much to have somebody educated you can talk to.” People, August
2017.

6Kristin Stewart

Sonia Recchia/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

"Between ages 15 and 20, it was really intense. I was constantly anxious. I was kind of a control freak. If I
didn't know how something was going to turn out, I would make myself ill, or just be locked up or
inhibited in a way that was really debilitating." Marie Claire, July 2015.

7Dakota Johnson

Michael Tullberg/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

“Sometimes, I panic to the point where I don’t know what I’m thinking or doing. I have a full anxiety
attack. I have them all the time anyway, but with auditioning it’s bad.” AnOther Magazine, September
2015.

8Amanda Seyfried

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

“A mental illness is a thing that people cast in a different category [from other illnesses], but I don’t think
it is. It should be taken as seriously as anything else. You don’t see the mental illness: It’s not a mass; it’s
not a cyst. But it’s there. Why do you need to prove it? If you can treat it, you treat it. I had pretty bad
health anxiety that came from the OCD and thought I had a tumor in my brain. I had an MRI, and the
neurologist referred me to a psychiatrist. As I get older, the compulsive thoughts and fears have
diminished a lot. Knowing that a lot of my fears are not reality-based really helps." Allure, November
2016.

9Lady Gaga

Jeff Spicer/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

“For me, with my mental-health issues, half of the battle in the beginning was, I felt like I was lying to the
world because I was feeling so much pain but nobody knew. So that’s why I came out and said that I have
PTSD, because I don’t want to hide — any more than I already have to.” Vogue, October 2018.

10Nina Dobrev
Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

"I don’t think people give enough time to themselves, me-time is almost non-existent anymore. So in
that 30 minutes, 45, however long you’re in the workout class you’re focusing on you and you’re doing
something for yourself and to make yourself feel better. Not only does it change your body and make you
look better, it also makes you feel better." Teen Vogue, July 2017.

11Emma Stone

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

“After first grade before I went into second grade, I had my first panic attack. It was really, really
terrifying and overwhelming. I was at a friend's house, and all of a sudden I was convinced the house
was on fire and it was burning down. I was just sitting in her bedroom and obviously the house wasn't on
fire, but there was nothing in me that didn't think we were going to die. I am very grateful I didn't know
that I had a disorder … I wanted to be an actor and there weren't a lot of actors who spoke about having
panic attacks." Interview with Dr. Harold S. Koplewicz for the Child Mind Institute, October 2018.

12Demi Lovato

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

"[If there's anything] I could tell anybody that's thinking about taking their own life, is to reach out to
people. Don't hold it inside, don't isolate. Reach out to people, whether it's close friends, family. If you
feel like you don't have anybody, look within yourself and try to find that resilience that will ultimately
get you through whatever it is you're going through. Every single person on this planet is worth life."
Interview with Dr. Phil, March 2018.

13Ariana Grande

Jesse Grant/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

"Mental health is so important. People don't pay enough mind to it because we have things to do. We
have schedules, we have jobs, kids, places to be, pressure to fit in, Instagram Stories, whatever facade
you're trying to put on, trying to keep up. People don't pay attention to what's happening inside."
Interview with Beats 1, August 2018.

14Gisele Bündchen

Michael Loccisano/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

“Sometimes we feel alone, as if there is no way out, but that is not true. My panic attacks were difficult,
and I sought help from my family, specialists, teachers, and friends. Asking for help is never a sign of
failure but a sign of strength because your life is worth saving.” Instagram, October 2018.

15Mindy Kaling

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

"[Working out is] such a powerful tool for me mentally. ... Working out is a way for me to have mental
strength, and now, with a kid, it's also time that I have just for myself and to focus on my body," Shape,
June 2018.

16Selena Gomez

Christopher Polk/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

“I wish more people would talk about therapy. We girls, we’re taught to be almost too resilient, to be
strong and sexy and cool and laid-back, the girl who’s down. We also need to feel allowed to fall apart.”
Vogue, April 2017.

17Mariah Carey

David Becker/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

“Until recently I lived in denial and isolation and in constant fear someone would expose me. It was too
heavy a burden to carry and I simply couldn’t do that anymore. I sought and received treatment, I put
positive people around me and I got back to doing what I love — writing songs and making music.”
People, April 2018

18Kristen Bell

Neilson Barnard/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

“Here’s the thing: For me, depression is not sadness. It’s not having a bad day and needing a hug. It gave
me a complete and utter sense of isolation and loneliness. Its debilitation was all-consuming, and it shut
down my mental circuit board. I felt worthless, like I had nothing to offer, like I was a failure. Now, after
seeking help, I can see that those thoughts, of course, couldn’t have been more wrong. It’s important for
me to be candid about this so people in a similar situation can realize that they are not worthless and
that they do have something to offer. We all do.” Time, May 2016.

19Mandy Moore

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

"I’m a big proponent of therapy. It’s something that I find in my own life to be incredibly helpful ... during
many different junctures of my life, it’s been a common through line. I feel like it’s most beneficial at
times when I don’t think that I need it, like when there’s not a ton going on that feels stressful. I find that
I get the most benefit out of it sometimes when I feel like I’m doing okay." Huffington Post, October
2017.

20Halsey

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

"I have bipolar disorder. I've never talked about that in an interview before. I never brought it up. A lot of
people I work with probably don't know it. I think this a good time to talk about it. It's just like, I was
diagnosed when I was 16 or 17. My mom has it, too. ... I'm entitled to my emotions and, unfortunately,
because of the circumstance that I deal with, it's a little more than other people." Elle, June 2015.

21Kendall Jenner
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

“I have such debilitating anxiety because of everything going on that I literally wake up in the middle of
the night with full-on panic attacks. Where do I even start? Everything is so horrible, it’s hard to name
one thing. I just think that the world needs so much love. ... You go online and you see everyone saying
the worst things to each other, and it’s hard to stay positive. It’s hard not to get eaten alive by all the
negativity.” Harper's Bazaar, February 2018.

22Olivia Munn

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

"I have lived with anxiety and sporadic bouts of depression for most of my adult life. [Ten] years ago I
tackled it, learned to fully understand it and haven’t felt the dark depths of depression in about a
decade. But before that, thoughts of suicide crossed my mind more than a few times." Instagram, June
2018.

Speaking candidly and honestly about how mental illness impacts you is an important tool in breaking
down the stigma around mental health. When celebrities speak out about their mental health journeys,
it helps provide a vocabulary for everyone to talk about it, too.

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention
Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741. You can also reach out to the
Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860 or the Trevor Lifeline at 1-866-488-7386, or to your local suicide crisis
center.

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government Our reply to the government’s response

Why mental health education needs to be compulsory in all UK schools.

Educating the next generation about the importance of mental health will have a long-lasting, positive
effect on our society. The UK can become a world leader in fighting mental illness, so that it no longer
blights the lives of children, adults, and families. We can stop mental health issues putting a strain on our
NHS, industry and economy. We will only achieve this, however, if it’s made a compulsory in our schools,
and not a box ticking exercise.

Maintaining good mental health is an absolute life skill. It is just as important a tool in understanding the
body as physical education and biology.

We acknowledge the government’s response to our petition – “Make mental health education
compulsory in primary and secondary schools”. But they are still falling drastically short of delivering an
effective preventative strategy, something that is vital if we are to tackle the mental health epidemic that
is facing three children in every UK classroom.

Headucation infographics 3The government has outlined their plans, but these will still fail to provide
adequate mental health education to the 850,000 children aged 5-16 who suffer with mental illness.
They will not be sufficient for British 10-14 year olds who, over the last two years, have seen a 70%
increase in the number of reported cases of self-harm in their age group. They will not help the 43% of
school leaders who are finding it harder to access CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services)
for their pupils.

In their response, the government stated that they want ‘mental health to be an everyday concern in all
institutions’ – as part of the Personal, Social, Health and Economic lessons (PSHE). But PSHE isn’t taught
every day – if it is even taught at all! PSHE is a non-compulsory subject, and not given the dedication it
deserves. The PSHE Association identifying that schools often ‘lack curriculum time to teach PSHE’.

The government also wants schools to ‘be able to decide themselves how to teach their pupils about
mental health by developing their own local PSHE programme.’ They also said ‘all schools should teach
PSHE’. The onus, of course, being on the word ‘should’. This does not mean that they have to – it is not
compulsory,
teachersThe government states they support schools in developing their PSHE curriculum, and that the
PSHE Association provides guidance and age-appropriate lesson plans to teach about mental health.
However, 75% of school leaders say they lack the resources to meet the mental health needs of pupils
and cited lack of training as one of the main contributors. Providing support and ambiguous PSHE
guidance to schools is just a box ticking exercise which fails pupils and puts immense pressure on
teachers and schools. The government relies upon Ofsted to ensure that schools are teaching PSHE
(though of course this doesn’t always happen). However, in 40% of schools that do teach PSHE, Ofsted
said that the subject ‘requires improvement’ or is ‘inadequate’. PSHE is also taught to varying degrees
and throughout the country and is therefore inconsistent.

In the new common inspection framework, PSHE provision was mentioned in just 14% of Ofsted reports
in secondary schools, and in only 8% of primary school reports. PSHE was mentioned in far fewer reports
than other subjects such as sport (59%), history (36%), art (31%), music (31%) and geography (26%). If
we are placing such importance on the physical education, then it begs the question: why aren’t we
doing the same for their mental health education?

Until mental health education is made compulsory and not delivered as a ‘nice to have’ afterthought, the
alarming mental illness statistics relating to children and young people will continue to increase.

The Prime Minister announced a new green paper with the agenda of supporting children and young
people, and an additional £15m to implement a range of methods, including the offer of mental health
first aid training in every secondary school.

We don’t think an improved first aid system in schools will have any major impact on addressing mental
health issues for the country in the long term. You can invest as much money as you want into additional
teacher training and first aid for mental health, but the fact is that children are very good at hiding
mental health issues, and therefore suffer in silence. Very often young sufferers are confused and
unaware of what’s actually wrong, and so they don’t, and won’t, open up. When they do, it’s usually
because they’re beyond breaking point.

The government’s desire to ‘tackle the burning injustice of mental health problems’ so that ‘future
generations can develop into resilient, confident adults, equipped to go as far as their talents will take
them’ won’t become a reality until mental health education is made mandatory.
Evolution of a child FINALWe are doing our children an injustice if we don’t teach them about something
that will potentially affect them. We need to begin the process of normalising mental health issues so
children feel confident enough to open up to each other and to those who care for them. Compulsory
mental health education will foster a more aware and proactive society, equipped for dealing with
mental illness. Over half those who experience mental illness in childhood suffer it again as adults.
Children who can open up in childhood will feel confident enough to open up in adulthood, as they move
into the workplace and go on to have their own families.

Compulsory mental health education will help a stretched curriculum become more efficient. It will also
reduce the pressure on teachers, mental health social workers, the NHS and CAMHS. It will avert a
mental health crisis and help the UK economy to prosper. Without good mental health, we have nothing.

This is one of the most important issues of our time, so let’s lead the world in ensuring the next
generation understands the importance of mental health. Mental health education lasts a lifetime, and it
starts in our schools.