Crusading for Better Mental Health Care: Mental Health Education in Schools

[wish_me_luck]

Hey,

So, everyone already knows I am all for an over haul in mental health care. I am going to be so busy in January, but in mid February, I want to try and get something started (after all my training is finished and gre is taken).

I really think that mental health education should be taught in schools (K-12) and in colleges, if they accept it. Does this have to be made into law to happen? Is this something that I need to write my legislature about? Do I ask the VDH? I did go to the VDH website and the program they have in regards to mental health is Suicide Prevention. That's what I am getting ready to embark on, if all goes well. But, I really think we need more.

Not all cases, but some cases, suicide attempts/completed suicide are a result of underlying mental illness.

I think like basics for elementary school:

--what is mental health

-- how do you know when something is wrong

--basic coping skills/de-stressing/how to deal with conflict (this could even go for middle school)

Middle School/High School

--Conflict management/coping skills

-- mental illnesses (i.e. depression, anxiety, personality disorders, bipolar, schizophrenia)

--Tx/options for getting help

--substance abuse education

--Community Outreach/resources (this would depend on the community resources in an area)

* Something else I think should be added, but probably no one else would agree with at all is maybe a wellness class/healthy habits for kids already on psych meds.

So, how do we get mental health education in schools? Any ideas?

[ZenLover, MSN, RN, NP]

I am not sure what is out there either, but from the research I did on sex ed it is probably the same. Grossly inconsistent and not being wholly taught to the individual or community's best interest. There are federal guidelines that serve to interfere more than guide or assist.

I had a friend who's son (about 7 at the time) was told by his teacher to take him to "X" doctor and have him put on Ritalin. The teacher didn't know that this child had been going through some hard times. His parents divorced, he had been moved around and lived with this grandmother for a few years and finally his mother had him back. Very situational and he probably needed help, but not that kind. I was not in a position to do anything about it, but was very angry that the teacher took it upon her self to diagnose and give medical advice rather than speaking to my friend about the real issues she was actually witnessing. I knew nothing about the doctor, but strongly advised my friend against it. Instead she opted for family counseling and that worked much better for all of them, no drugs needed. The teacher had no interest in that...simply drug the student...and that was a magnet school.

The mental healthcare situation in this country is sad. We don't cage people like animals anymore physically, but there are those uneducated people that prefer to cage them in their head with drugs. Very much the same, just easier to ignore and much more insidious. Educating our communities about mental health in more responsible manner would hopefully end this and for those kids that are mentally healthy they will learn how to interact with others or recognize symptoms in others that need to be recognized...without running around screaming drug him, drug him...but do so safely and respectively for everyone involved. For those that need to be on drugs, they obviously would do well to have additional support in the community as well since compliance is such a big issues. It won't cure every ill the world has, but an educated community is less likely to fall prey to myths and lies, which is what I think we suffer from now. My 2 cents anyway.

[sno963]

Empathy training too. This would help with criminal behavior and bullying.

[elkpark]

A) The schools are already overloaded and overwhelmed by all the non-academic content that has been added to their mandate over the years.

B) I've been in child/adolescent psych for nearly 20 years, and, IMO, we have far too many kids in "treatment" that don't need to be already. The last thing we need is some school program drumming up more business for the child psych medication "educational-medical complex." Believe me, schools are doing a great job of pushing kids into treatment without any help from those outside the system.

C) The idea about the special group/class for kids on psych drugs would never fly because it would identify and stigmatize kids who are on psych meds, information which is private/protected and no one else's business (not that there are that many kids in school any more who aren't on psych meds ...)

D) I agree with the earlier comments about targeting poor neighborhoods and schools. I've observed for many years in the the US (and so have many of my psych provider colleagues) that, if you're poor (and have some kind of problem), you're "crazy" and need to be coerced/forced into treatment; if you're affluent (and have the same problems, or worse), you're just "eccentric," and are free to go about your business and cause as much damage to yourself, others, and society as you like.

[Vishwamitr]

Ref: You don't understand they target low income people trying to make them think they have mental problems just because they are poor. These children were targeted for their parent's situations which weren't even their fault or even their parent's faults.

Whoa Jolie,

That is a pretty serious and unfounded allegation. Can it be proved beyond reasonable doubt? I doubt it. By the way, who are "they"?

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

I don't know about anyone else, but I personally am not talking about herding kids into doctors' offices and putting them on medications to make them conform to a school's idea of "normal".

Years ago, when my now-24-year-old was in elementary school, there was more than one school official who told me I needed to get him on Ritalin to calm him down. He wasn't hyperactive, but he had a mouth on him and he was often noisy, angry, whiny, nervous, and fidgety. I steadfastly refused to do so, and took him to counseling for his anger issues and general lousy attitude toward life.

Fast-forward 15 years, and that "hyperactive" and "disruptive" fourth-grader is now an honorably discharged U.S. Army veteran who still has trouble controlling his emotions, but is kind and loving. And I find it almost amusing that the teachers and school counselors who 'diagnosed' him way back when were 100% wrong: he doesn't have ADHD, he has bipolar disorder, a condition for which Ritalin could have had catastrophic results. Thank God I stuck to my guns and refused to have him medicated for something I knew he didn't have (although nobody knew then that he and I both were suffering from BP).

No, what I want to see is a turning away from stigmatizing mental illness the way our society still does, and while it's too late for our generation, it isn't for today's school-age children. JMHO.

[Vishwamitr]

I don't know about anyone else, but I personally am not talking about herding kids into doctors' offices and putting them on medications to make them conform to a school's idea of "normal".

Years ago, when my now-24-year-old was in elementary school, there was more than one school official who told me I needed to get him on Ritalin to calm him down. He wasn't hyperactive, but he had a mouth on him and he was often noisy, angry, whiny, nervous, and fidgety. I steadfastly refused to do so, and took him to counseling for his anger issues and general lousy attitude toward life.

Fast-forward 15 years, and that "hyperactive" and "disruptive" fourth-grader is now an honorably discharged U.S. Army veteran who still has trouble controlling his emotions, but is kind and loving. And I find it almost amusing that the teachers and school counselors who 'diagnosed' him way back when were 100% wrong: he doesn't have ADHD, he has bipolar disorder, a condition for which Ritalin could have had catastrophic results. Thank God I stuck to my guns and refused to have him medicated for something I knew he didn't have (although nobody knew then that he and I both were suffering from BP).

No, what I want to see is a turning away from stigmatizing mental illness the way our society still does, and while it's too late for our generation, it isn't for today's school-age children. JMHO.

Dear Vivalasviejas,

I commend you for sticking with your gut feeling; no wonder they say, "mother knows best". I can imagine how vindicated you must feel for refusing to be bogged by the "common knowledge" at the time. I admire mothers like yourself. By the way, what is JMHO?

[wish_me_luck, BSN, RN]

I think all of you missed my point. There is nothing I want with drugs. What I am suggesting is education. Telling children about it, generally. For example:

BPD: Tx is talk therapy/DBT

schizophrenia: antipsychotics

and on and on (Bipolar: mood stabilizers/antidepressants). That's it--not anything in depth on meds. I am not saying someone should go and assess kids at all. I am saying educate them and if little John or little Jane comes to their parent, school nurse, etc. and says "hey, I don't feel right mentally". Then, you can get a more accurate assessment and look at the family dynamics. If you are properly doing these things, it's fairly easy to figure out whether it's situational (i.e. divorce, death, etc.) or someone is mentally ill. There is no assessing in educating. However, I do think all kids K-12 need to learn coping skills. That is something everyone needs to learn.

I actually think the number of true mentally ill (as in solely genetically mentally ill vs situational circumstances) is very low. We, as a society, do not have coping skills, we don't know how to communicate anymore, we tend to work long hours, more stress and expectations, etc., yet be composed and act like everything is peachy.

Maybe I am not using the correct terminology for what I am suggesting. But, it has nothing to do with drugging kids nor does it have anything to do with assessing them in anyway. It's more educating them and correcting any misinformation that is out there and let them know that if they aren't feeling right or something is amiss, there's help. They don't have to keep it to themselves or deal with it alone.

PS I was one of those kids who they said needed ritalin. My mom said no, I am still hyper as all get out, but it's fine. It's me. Some kids grow out of it, some people it's their personality and I am not harming anyone with my hyperness.

Also, Inf, I am not from a low income family (middle class) and I have mental illness or was "tagged" as having mental illness. Maybe it's just where you are.

[wish_me_luck, BSN, RN]

JMHO= just my honest opinion

[ZenLover, MSN, RN, NP]

I think I get it. It should have been a part of general health education all along really. Basic coping, we are not all the same, this is what mental illness looks like and generalizations on treatment so that if you see it or need it yourself it isn't some big scary thing.

I agree with the others on how some schools and their children are abused in the name of Mental health. There has been way too much pushing for "convenience" and in all reality the teachers probably need to be taught so that they understand why what they do is so incredibly dangerous. Guaranteed some fool has told them how they are the only ones saving these poor kids by pushing their parents to put them on Ritalin. I can't imagine teachers would injur their kids intentionally, but ignorance is a dangerous thing, add lies to it and you have a cocktail for disaster.

Coping skills in regards to bullying and getting along is obviously needed...heck, this board could use it sometimes. LOL It might help to teach these concepts early and hopefully avoid workplace harrassment, etc later down the road.

[wish_me_luck, BSN, RN]

Inf, I am curious. What exactly are your opinions on the subject? Like are you against MH education in schools? Do you have a suggestion that hasn't been thrown out there yet?

[nursedanny614]

It would benefit. Just like physical health, mental health is important. I think yearly screenings would help.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Our schools have taught health education for years. Including 1 hour on Mental Health illnesses and community resources could be a boon. Just like some people with diabetes or hypertension can be managed with diet and exercise others need medications, often life long. Same with serious mental illness needing life long meds. Include message re not sharing medications!