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Understanding Mental Health

Mental health: How we think, feel, and act, just like our bodies need care to stay healthy, so do our minds. ( as long as one has a brain)

Symptoms; pay attention to the mood, behavior, thoughts, persistent sadness, anxiety, changes in sleep patterns, difficulty concentrating
Feeling sad, worried, or scared sometimes is normal, but when those feelings become persistent, overwhelming and interfering with daily life, it’s important to seek help.

Emotional Awareness: recognize and name your feelings, and express them in healthy ways, e.g. through talking, exercising, or writing.
School life balance: Managing School demands like exams, but also being involved in co-curricular activities plus relations outside school.

How to care for our mental health?

1. Time Management and Organization: Learn to manage your time effectively, setting goals, and staying organized. Ensure to balance responsibilities with leisure activities it helps you reduce anxiety

2. Building Resilience: Ability to bounce back from challenges- Share stories of times when you or others faced difficulties but found ways to overcome them. Encourage a positive outlook and problem-solving skills. (more on this)

3. Mindfulness and Relaxation: Introduce mindfulness activities like deep breathing exercises, meditation, or yoga to help them stay present and calm. Practice these techniques regularly.

4. Healthy Coping Mechanisms: strategies we can use when we are feeling overwhelmed or upset, such as deep breathing, counting to ten, going for a walk, or listening to music, or meditation. Practice these techniques together so they become familiar and comfortable using them

5. Digital Well-being: it is important to balance screen time with other activities like exercise, taking a walk outside, reading, or spending time with family and friends. Set limits on device use and model healthy technology habits yourself.

6. Bullying and Peer Pressure: identify bullying behavior and how to respond assertively or seek help from a trusted adult. Be mindful of dangerous situations- (ways to stand up for themselves and others in a safe manner).

7. School-related Stress: Academic pressure and other stressors commonly experienced in school settings
8. Set realistic goals
Practice mindfulness and relaxation e.g. meditation or Yoga or doing things that you like
seek support from teachers or school counselors forming study groups.
Other coping strategies like – (Grounding, unhooking, ref to SH plus)……………..
8. Depression: Practice positive thinking, talk to friends or family, seek help from a counselor, share your thoughts and feelings

9.Suicide Prevention: thoughts of worthlessness or wanting to end your life should never be taken lightly. It’s okay to talk to a trusted adult or a friend or write about these feelings. Call the helplines. Tel: 0200923340 MoH toll free line Tel: 0800100066

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