PART III- INTRODUCTION TO MENTAL HEALTH

WHERE CAN
YOU GET
SUPPORT IF
YOU NEED IT?
• Image courtesy of Alessia Cesario

• You can teach the curriculum in ways beyond

formal lessons.

• ES1: They describe the different emotions people

experience. Students practise interpersonal skills
to interact positively with others.
• S1: They recognise and demonstrate positive ways
to interact with others and identify how emotional
responses have an impact on others’ feelings.

What other examples can you provide of supporting the syllabus that is NOT through formal lessons?
WHAT
STEREOTYPES DO
YOU KNOW ABOUT
MENTAL ILLNESS?
WHAT IMPACT CAN THESE
STEREOTYPES HAVE ON AN
INDIVIDUAL’S HEALTH?
What is the difference
between mental health
and mental illness?
 We ALL have Mental Health the same as we have Physical Health, it is important that we take care with our use of
terminology connected to this subject and understand the impact that incorrect use may have to an individual.

Mental Wellbeing is how we look after our minds, and that which impacts our minds, on a daily basis.

Someone has a Mental Illness on receiving a clinical diagnosis of: Stress, Depression, Anxiety Disorders, Psychosis (or
versions of).

http://wmhp.cmhaontario.ca/workplace-mental-health-cor
e-concepts-issues/what-is-mental-health-and-mental-illnes
s
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/topic/mentalhealth.htm
http://www.himh.org.au/__data/a
ssets/pdf_file/0020/2396/General-
Key-concepts1.pdf
MENTAL HEALTH
OR MENTAL
ILLNESS?
• It’s estimated that one in 14 children and young people experience anxiety, which can result from a range of contributing factors
including difficult life experiences (BeYou)

• Research suggests girls as young as five who are exposed to music videos or women’s magazines are more likely to be aware of diet
practices and cultural pressures to be thin. Concerns about personal appearance seem to emerge around the age of six or seven.

• The rates for depression, self-harm and thoughts about suicide in teenagers are particularly worrying, with approximately one in ten
indicating that they have engaged in self-harming behaviour. Three quarters did so in the previous 12 months. For teenage girls aged
16-17 years, nearly one in five were found to meet the clinical criteria for depression based on their own report. Around one quarter
of teenage girls in the 16-17 year age range reported deliberately injuring themselves at some point in their lives.

• The rates for depression in 11-17 year olds were found to be higher when young people provided the information themselves (7.7%)
than when their parents and carers did so (4.7%). This is an important signal to all parents who are faced with the challenging task of
helping their children navigate the transition from childhood to adulthood.

• Promotion of social, emotional, behavioural, and cognitive skills is now viewed as playing a crucial role in prevention (Graetz et al.,
2008).

• Stats on the following slides come from The Mental Health of Children and Adolescents (Report on the second Australian Child and
Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing) (Australian Government, 2015)
https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/9DA8CA21306FE6EDCA257E2700016945/$File/child2.pdf
OVERALL PREVALENCE OF MENTAL DISORDERS
IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS
IMPACT OF FAMILY TYPE
IMPACT OF INCOME
IMPACT OF PARENT / CARER EDUCATION
Based on the previous slides, if I asked you what are some

of the factors that can influence the prevalence of mental

disorders of children, what would you say?

 • Self-harm
• Self-harm refers to people deliberately hurting their bodies. It is
usually done in secret and on places of the body that may not be
ACCORDING seen by others.
TO BEYOND
• Anxiety
BLUE… • Anxiety is more than just feeling stressed or worried. While
stress and anxious feelings are a common response to a situation
where a person feels under pressure, it usually passes once the
stressful situation has passed, or ‘stressor’ is removed.

• Depression
• While we all feel sad, moody or low from time to time, some
people experience these feelings intensely, for long periods of
time (weeks, months or even years) and sometimes without any
apparent reason. Depression is more than just a low mood – it's a
serious illness that has an impact on both physical and mental
health.

• Get educated- remove stigma, increase your understanding,

maintain an open mind, be supportive and non-judgemental
MENTAL HEALTH
• At school or in your studies (or in your life), have you
ever felt:
• Stressed?
• Anxious?
• Worried?
• Disappointed?
• Left out?
• Incompetent or not any good?
• Embarrassed?
• Ashamed?
 Where
Where has
has Be
Be You
You come
come from?
from?

Be
Be You
You provides
provides educators
educators with
with knowledge,
knowledge, resources
resources and
and
strategies
strategies for
for helping
helping children
children and
and young
young people
people achieve
achieve their
their
best
best possible
possible mental
mental health.
health.

Beyond Blue

MindMatters

Headspace

ResponsAbility

KidsMatter

Every Mind
WHAT ARE THE
THINGS YOU
NEED TO LOOK
OUT FOR?
BE YOU MENTAL HEALTH CONTINUUM
HTTPS://BEYOU.EDU.AU/RESOURCES/MENTAL-HEALTH-CONTINUUM

You’re in a unique position to support the mental health of children and young people, as educators have frequent and regular
connection with children and young people and their families.
When considering where a child or young person’s mental health may sit on the continuum, it’s important to consider what’s happening
or what is of concern within the context of:
• age and stage of development
• pervasiveness of how many different parts of a child or young person’s life are being affected
• the environment and situation where the concern is present (immediately before, during and after)
• frequency of what’s happening
• persistence (how long the concern has been present)
• severity of the concern or resulting effect (severity also relates to how much these behaviours are influencing day-to-day experiences
and how behaviours compare to others within the same age group).
 Behaviour
(often the first sign of a mental health issue to observe)

BE YOU Emotions
(how the child is feeling)
MENTAL
HEALTH Expressed thoughts

CONTINUUM (verbal or non-verbal inferences based on behaviors or emotions)

Learning (how a child is able to take in, understand, and remember

information. How well they communicate & interact with others, ask for
help, and use their physical skills)

Social relationships
(a child’s ability to form relationships with others)

Physical health
FACTORS OF CONTROL

• There are things that impact mental health that

are both within your control and beyond your
control.
Think, pair, share

• You can make a difference to the mental health

and wellbeing of your students, regardless.
 Volunteers???

• Think about the main “stressors” that affect

students.

• What is it that impacts on your mental health?

• E.g. health, money, uni, relationships, family,

time, commitments, pressure, etc.
 WHAT CAN YOU DO?

• Use appropriate resources

• Provide language that can help children express

themselves

• Create a safe environment

• Provide activities that are relevant and can help

children develop skills to enhance their own MHWB

• Challenge stigma

• Look after yourself!

 What else can you do?
• Communicate (with students and parents)

• Think about the language you use and allow to be used

• Ask “Are you ok?”

• Show that you care, and that you notice

• Take action

• Be a positive role model

• Use appropriate pedagogy

• Be empathetic and kind

• Be informed (subscribe to Headspace and Beyond Blue newsletters)

• Understand that your actions will mean a lot to your students!

Useful resources

• Beyond Blue
• Mind Matters
• Headspace
• Kids Help Line
• Reach Out
• Blue Earth
TEACHER WELLBEING

• It is important to keep yourself safe when teaching so that you can be

the best role model and support for students.
• You are NOT a counsellor, so refer students to support services rather
than tackling issues on your own.
• Do not disclose personal information or experiences to students.

• Observe yourself for warning signs and seek support for yourself.

• Ask for guidance, mentoring and support within your teaching

environment.
• Look after and prioritise your own health to avoid burnout.
What helps you to be happy?
• The mental health of your students is very important, but so
is your own mental health.

• Think about all the things that promote positive mental

health for you.

• Strategies?
HEALTH
GOAL
CHECK IN
TAKE HOME MESSAGES

• You need to know signs you should look out for

• You need to know factors of control
• You need to know some examples of appropriate
resources you could use as the teacher and resources
you can use with your students.

• You need to know how to look after yourself and

promote your own MHWB
• You need to know how/where to seek support.