Over the years, as the mental health profession has advanced, we have come to understand that mental health is really just health, but stigma has stopped individuals from getting the help they need to live a fulfilling life. Part of addressing this means teaching young people to understand their feelings, learn healthy ways to cope, know what to do if they are facing a crisis, and teach them that it is safe to share their feelings and struggles.
Teaching the Whole Student
A growing number of schools are teaching emotional intelligence, or the skills needed to identify one's feelings, learn to control one's emotions, learn to solve problems appropriately, learn how to ask for help if one is in a crisis, and other useful skills.
Mental health impacts hundreds of thousands of people in Alabama and spans across all demographics. As with most health issues, earlier identification and treatment facilitate a better prognosis. This proves true with mental health as well. Being able to identify and address mental health needs early on and address the child’s emotional well-being will allow for skill acquisition that will facilitate their growth into adulthood.
The mental health focus of Alabama schools includes teaching the whole student, not just core academic classes reflected on standardized tests. Our students are learning coping skills, perseverance, conflict resolution, what to do in a crisis, how to be kind, drug prevention, how to identify trustworthy adults, what a healthy relationship looks like, and more.
Many school systems in Alabama employ social workers and Mental Health Coordinators, such as myself. I am a master’s-level social worker with over 15 years of experience in the world of child and adolescent mental health. Mental Health Coordinators help educate students, families, and staff about various mental health topics.
This can include services such as assisting students in crisis, educating students, families, or staff about mental health needs, brainstorming and formulating plans to assist with success, helping families find resources, teaching prevention and mental well-being, and advocating for mental health awareness.
How to Break the Stigma
Mental Health has historically been a topic steeped in stigma and rarely talked about openly. This stigma has kept individuals from accessing help and inhibited their ability to live a full life. So, what is stigma? Stigma is a set of negative beliefs held by a group of people about a particular topic.
In my professional tenure, I have witnessed how stigma and lack of resources have negatively impacted families. I strive to assist families with resource access and personalized options, and I follow up so they know they are not alone. I connect them to providers that will meet their needs and remain fluid in my ability to assist and advocate as needed. The joy it brings when you can witness a child realize their diagnosis does not define them, nor limit their abilities, is amazing.
Examples of Mental Health Stigma Include:
- Calling someone with a mental health diagnosis “crazy”
- Believing a person struggling with anxiety is “weak”
- Invalidating the need for support with phrases like: “Pull yourself up by your bootstraps.”
- Dismissing someone’s needs and struggles with phrases like: “What do they have to be sad about?” or “They just need to get outside more.”
- Shaming someone for taking mental health medication
- Refusing access to professional help: “You don’t need to tell our family business to a therapist.”
- Rejecting children’s mental health needs: “What do children have to worry about?” or “Kids can’t have anxiety issues.”
What Can You Do?
Let’s break the stigma and normalize mental well-being as an extension of one’s overall health. If your child is struggling with their mental health, you can contact their pediatrician for further assessment, their school counselor for assistance, or your school system’s Mental Health Coordinator–if one is on staff.
If you are struggling with your mental health, do not be afraid to ask for help. You can start this by talking to your primary care physician or calling your insurance company to find in-network therapists near you.
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