Better Mental Health Education is Coming to Schools

Here's what's happening on the HealthyPlace site this week:

• Better Mental Health Education is Coming to Schools
• From the HealthyPlace Mental Health Blogs
• Video: Bipolar Disorder in Women: 4 Challenges We Face
• Most Popular HealthyPlace Articles Shared by Facebook Fans
• Mental Health Quote

Better Mental Health Education is Coming to Schools

Kids and teens throughout the K-12 school system sometimes face mental health problems or crises. Depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-harm behaviors, ADHD, OCD, and other challenges plague students at all educational levels. Tragically, the suicide rate in adolescents is climbing. As a society, we need to do something positive about student mental health.

State education systems are beginning to act. New York and Virginia have just become the first two states in the U.S. to enact legislation that requires mental health education in schools. Both states passed legislation about two years ago, and the legislation in both states went into effect on July 1, 2018.

In N.Y., K-12 students will have an updated health curriculum that includes mental health information. In VA., 9th and 10th grade students will receive mental health education as part of the health and physical education curriculum.

The laws are designed to help students learn:

• How to deal with mental health struggles
• How to recognize problems (their own and others’)
• How to get mental health treatment
• To openly acknowledge and discuss mental health
• Recognize mental health as a vital part of overall health
• To identify thoughts, attitudes and behaviors that promote mental health and wellbeing

Mandatory mental health education in two states is a great start. Now there’s 48 to go.

Related Articles Dealing with Mental Health in Schools

• Mental Health in the Classroom
• Depression in Schools: A Student’s Trial
• Recognizing Signs of Depression in Teens and Children
• Should Mental Health Screening Be Done in Schools?

Your Thoughts

Today's Question: What type of mental health instruction do you think every school should have? We invite you to participate by sharing your thoughts, knowledge, and experiences on the HealthyPlace Facebook page and on the HealthyPlace Google+ page.

From the HealthyPlace Mental Health Blogs

On all our blogs, your comments and observations are welcomed.

• Why We Hide Our Diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder
• I Have Dissociative Identity Disorder, but I'm Not Dangerous
• Tips For Getting Out of Bed When You Feel Depressed
• Coaxing Optimum Mental Illness Support from Your Friends
• How My Binge Eating Disorder Turned Into Anorexia
• When We Need to Talk About Depression
• My Drive in the Rain: Exposure Therapy to Help Anxiety
• The World Around Me Can Make My Mood Worse
• Nine Signs You May Have an Anxiety Disorder
• An Example of Self-Care: Leaving 'Trauma! a PTSD Blog'
• A Way to Feel Sympathy for People with Mental Illness
• Talking About Verbal Abuse

Feel free to share your thoughts and comments at the bottom of any blog post. And visit the mental health blogs homepage for the latest posts.

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From HealthyPlace YouTube Channel

I'm Hannah. I Have Bipolar 2

Bipolar Disorder in Women: 4 Challenges We Face

Before I get into bipolar disorder in women, let me say that bipolar disorder is challenging regardless of gender. However, both sides face different obstacles. (Watch Hannah)

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Most Popular HealthyPlace Articles Shared by Facebook Fans

Here are the top 3 mental health articles HealthyPlace Facebook fans are recommending you read:

1. Dealing with Fatigue at Work When You Have Depression
2. ADHD and Writing: Challenges and Strategies
3. Borderline Personality Trigger: Canceled Plans

If you're not already, I hope you'll join us/like us on Facebook too. There are a lot of wonderful, supportive people there.

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Mental Health Quote

Having a mental disorder isn't easy, and it's even harder when people assume you can just “get over it”.

Read more mental illness stigma quote.

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That's it for now. If you know of anyone who can benefit from this newsletter or the HealthyPlace.com site, I hope you'll pass this onto them. You can also share the newsletter on any social network (like facebook, stumbleupon, or google+) you belong to by clicking the links below. For updates throughout the week, circle HealthyPlace on Google+, follow HealthyPlace on Twitter or become a fan of HealthyPlace on Facebook. Also, check out HealthyPlace on Pinterest and share your mental health pins on our Share Your Mental Health Experiences board.

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