May 20, 2023
By Yahir Perea
Staff Writer
Mental and emotional health and wellness is addressed for about a month in LHS’ ninth grade health curriculum, but that is not enough. LHS should also offer a half-year elective open to students of all grades focusing on mental health. This elective’s curriculum could go into more depth than the health classes, as mental health is a complex topic that requires further time and attention.
A mental health class should be a priority for students since it can teach them skills that can benefit them and others.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in 2021, 44% of high school students said they felt sad or hopeless over the past year. Even before the pandemic, mental health among young people was a concern, with the CDC reporting that one in five American children ages three through 17–about 15 million–had a diagnosable mental, emotional or behavioral disorder in a given year.
Due to the prevalence of mental disorders and mental instability, states across the United States, including New Jersey, have passed legislation to teach about mental health in school curricula. Nonetheless, some schools only focus on the subject in health classes, when it should be a class in itself.
Even before the pandemic, mental health among young people was a concern, with the CDC reporting that one in five American children ages three through 17–about 15 million–had a diagnosable mental, emotional or behavioral disorder in a given year.
Since the pandemic, schools have implemented a variety of programs and methods to aid people and teens who struggle mentally. One of these is Mental Health First Aid for Teens. This program is aimed at students in grades 10-12 to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among their friends and peers. This type of program is necessary because the information students learn about mental health during their freshman year needs to be reinforced during the upcoming years of high school to be retained long-term.
Mental health classes can equip students with a variety of skills and tools such as the 5-4-3-2-1 method for addressing anxiety. This method is meant to calm and relax a person by making them focus on what they see, hear, feel, smell and taste, so they only focus on what is around them.
Breathing is another skill to practice, as focusing on the center of the body through belly breathing allows a person to focus on how they are feeling.
Learning how to keep and write in a journal is also important for mental health because it can help a person identify and express their emotions on paper. Being able to articulate one’s feelings is a fundamental aspect of mental health.
Furthermore, good sleep habits should be addressed in a mental health class, considering that sleep is calming and alleviates stress, but only if the quality of sleep is good, which is why students need to learn and practice solid sleeping techniques.
A mental health elective would prove useful to students during high school and beyond in a variety of ways. Even after students graduate from LHS, the lessons they learned could aid them in handling the stress of college, the workforce, relationships and adult life in general. Whenever they encounter hardships, they would know how to respond to the situation and assist those around them. Particularly during Mental Health Awareness Month, it is essential to consider the benefits of and advocate for this important course.
