Teaching Mental Health Lessons to Young Learners

Amabelle M. Lapira

Nowadays, health classes are not only limited to physical health. Delving into mental health issues has become part of health classes.

Today’s generation of young people experience various kinds of stress and pressure. We all know that these situations have driven some to take their own lives. Thus, discussing mental health issues is of utmost importance.

Stress caused by peer pressure can easily be dismissed by adults, but not for children and teenagers alike. Stress is a major issue that they are facing in their life. Bullying can psychologically damage young people, so that it results in certain selfimage scars which they carry with them until adulthood.

Peer pressure is another important topic to discuss. Discussing peer pressure should include ways to manage stress through activities that could be as simple as unwinding through reading books or listening to music. Students should also remember that their family is their top support system. Students should not hesitate to tell their parents or siblings about the stresses or pressures they are going through. The siblings and parents in turn could give out some helpful advice.

How the media works to hype images of beauty should be discussed during health classes, as well. The teacher may help the students to debunk how the media portrays beauty as perfection by pointing out that some of the celebrity photos that they see in magazines are altered through a computer program. Students should remember that in reality, everyone has some imperfections. These are very important lessons that can be learned especially when students reach puberty and experience some awkward changes in their body.

These are some of the mental issues that students should learn in their health classes.

The author is Teacher

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III at Becuran High School, Sta Rita, Pampanga