The House of Commons Library reports that 57% of UK students suffer from a mental health issue, and 27% of them have already been diagnosed with mental health conditions. The consequences of these issues range from poor performance and dropping out of school to suicide and self-harm.
According to the UK Parliament, the most effective way to help students is by resourcing and funding vital mental health resources and services. While the conversations about the importance of the mental health of students have peaked after COVID-19, there are still a number of reasons why schools do not actively teach it. In this article, we will explore the six statistical insights about why mental health education is not taught in schools.
Continue reading to learn the facts in further detail.
6 Reasons Mental Health Education Not Taught in Schools
While the mental health of students remains a top element of concern for many educators, it is still not taught enough in schools. Many schools have just one mental health professional expert to deal with hundreds of thousands of students. That itself is a recipe for further burnout.
One effective way to ease this burden is by getting assistance from custom assignment writing services provided by professional writers. By assisting with homework, these services alleviate stress while helping students focus on their well-being and academic success, ultimately contributing to better mental health.
Let’s now go back to the discussion of why schools do not actively impart mental health education to students.
1. Too Much Academic Pressure
The school systems of today are incredibly forced on the academic achievements of students. Their test scores, grades and related things are often the elements of top priority for schools. This academic pressure leaves very little room for other topics. With their emphasis on meeting the academic benchmarks and improving the standardised test scores, mental health education gets neglected and ignored.
According to Research.com, around 45% of American students experience more than average stress, which hampers their academic productivity. Furthermore, schools are too busy improving the academic performance of students, and they forget to keep up with the mental health of the learners.
2. Lack of Funding and Resources
There is an immense lack of funding for mental health services in the UK. It is such a complex problem and must be solved on an immediate basis. According to The King’s Fund, the NHS spent around 8% of the total NHS budget, i.e., £12 billion on mental health services in the UK. The funding for mental health has been increasing, but not enough to keep pace with the need and demand for it.
The NHS practitioners should be improving their services to ensure the provision of therapeutic environments for the provision of care. Historically, funding for the mental health of general people and students has been insufficient relative to the needs of the population. Students should request more funding for this purpose.
3. Lack of Understanding of Mental Health
For many years, the issues related to the mental health of students were widely misunderstood, ignored and often stigmatised. Many people, including several educators at school, still do not fully understand the importance of mental health and its effect on the well-being of students. It is considered something that people with ‘serious’ problems have to deal with.
Since there is still a lack of understanding about mental health, it is challenging for students to talk about it openly. As per the Mental Health Foundation, around 75% of people with mental health problems may not receive quality treatment in the UK. For many parents and educators, this concept is not seen as a priority; hence, they do not include mental health topics in the curriculum. Students keep showing clear signs that they need help with assignments and academic workload, but all of it gets ignored by the school.
4. Cultural Stigma Around Mental Health
The cultural attitudes about the concept of mental health play an important role in knowing why this education is not facilitated in the schools. In many societies, mental health education is considered a taboo topic, and it is seen as something which is too uncomfortable to discuss. People and students are afraid of being labelled as ‘crazy’ if they open up about their struggles.
According to News-Medical, 75% of Europeans and Americans do not get help with mental health issues due to their fear of shame, treatment and embarrassment. Similarly, schools do not prioritise mental health education because there is still so much stigma around the discussion of these mental health disorders.
5. Focus on Mental Health During Crises Only
Many schools in the UK only address mental health problems when there is some sort of crisis. For instance, a student may have to suffer from a breakdown first, or a high-profile incident such as suicide or mass shooting may arise. The reactive measures of schools are important, but they do not do much to solve mental health problems.
A report by The Wave Clinic shows that 52% of UK students claim that their university does not provide active access to mental health and well-being services. UK universities need to ensure that all mental health support is accessible to all students at all times. They should redirect enough funding towards this purpose.
6. Ignoring it As an Irrelevant Factor
As we have been generally discussing this trend above, most UK schools ignore the factor of mental health as it’s highly irrelevant. As per the Harvard Department of Health Care Policy, around 60% of people with mental illnesses tend not to seek help or treatment. Many people and students ignore their symptoms because they are afraid of being brutally stigmatised.
The same goes for schools. They don’t want to even remotely associate themselves with any kind of mental health care or concerns. Management and administration ignore it as an irrelevant element in the academic environment. This avoidant behaviour discourages students from taking their mental health seriously and getting help with it.
Why Mental Health Should Be Taught in Schools
It’s important to teach mental health in schools because it helps students develop resilience skills. According to Mindful Health Solutions, educating the students on topics such as depression and anxiety can help them but also save many lives. It also makes them understand how to cope with challenges and succeed academically.
Following are the reasons why schools must discuss different aspects of mental health in schools:
- Coping with Challenges: Mental health education can help students cope with daily academic challenges in a better way.
- Suicide Prevention: Students commit suicide due to mental health issues. As per RTOR, 90% of people who die by suicide have mental illnesses; timely education can prevent it.
- Resilience: Good mental health management strategies assist students in developing into resilient adults.
- Seeking Help: Students can also know where and how they can seek mental health help from experts, knowing who to talk to in school about their issues.
- Academic Success: The institutes that promote mental health can significantly improve the school engagement, peer relationships, and classroom behaviour of students. It all leads to academic success.
Why Is School Bad for Mental Health?
As per EDPSY UK, 52% of kids openly admitted that school is having a negative impact on their mental health. The stress, worry and fear they experienced in school had an overwhelming effect on them. School can be bad for the mental health of students for a number of reasons, including the following:
- Academic Pressure: Demanding coursework and excessive homework pressure to get good grades on tests can cause significant academic pressure.
- Relationships: Stressful relationships with peers or teachers can be bad for mental health.
- Social Pressures: Mental discomfort can also be caused by social isolation, peer pressure and bullying.
- Fear of Failure: Fear of failure is one of the most important factors that negatively impact the mental health of students.
- Workload: The effort to balance school and multiple activities together can also affect the mental health of learners.
- Classroom Needs: Classrooms that lack the resources for fulfilling the learning and developmental needs of students are also insufficient.
- Lack of Sleep: Meeting the school expectations can lead to poor appetite and lack of sleep in students.
Conclusion
Now, you are aware of all the statistical insights on why mental health education is not taught in schools. Good mental health is essential for students to learn effectively, cope with daily academic challenges, and develop strong personalities. If you are suffering from mental health issues due to academic workload, you can get help from reliable assignment writing platforms in the UK. Professional writers know their craft and can take the academic stress and burden off your shoulders.
Lastly, if it’s getting too overwhelming for you, ensure to immediately contact a mental health specialist or the professional expert appointed by your school. They aim to help the students with their issues so that they can take forward into a lifetime of positive growth and wellness.
