Health-related topics have been at the forefront of people’s minds recently due to COVID-19, ranging from the use of facemasks to the administration of the vaccine. Despite all of this, it is still important to make sure that one of these health issues does not fade into obscurity: mental health.
Mental health, along with mental illness, is an issue that is surrounded by stigma. Teaching students about issues surrounding mental health and illness may allow this stigma to be lessened, along with giving them a better understanding of how people who struggle with these issues live life.
Patty Arzenti, a health teacher at Penn-Trafford High School, stated that mental health is “just as important as physical health.” She is currently addressing mental health issues in her classroom.
Arzenti noted, “It seems more and more people and teenagers are experiencing high levels of anxiety and depression.” A national poll from C.S. Mott’s children’s hospital gathered that 46 percent of parents reported their teens showing signs of either a new or worsening mental health conditions since March 2020.
With so many people suffering from these issues, it would seem that most would be trying to help. Unfortunately, Arzenti said that due to how mental health has been treated throughout history, there is a stigma surrounding the subject. P-T school nurse Lisa Popovich said that society has gotten better at dealing with the subject, but she agreed that history created this stigma
Popovich said that the first step is to acknowledge the issue. Students need to be “willing to talk about it … instead of talking about it like the plague.”
If any students feel like they are having trouble dealing with mental health issues or mental illness, Popovich said they should “talk to a counselor, the nurse, the principal, or a SAP Team member.” Popovich said that PTHS
has an Active Minds club, which is dedicated to raising mental health awareness.
“The school has many supports to help students who are dealing with mental health issues. Especially this school year,” Popovich explained. ”Our staff has had in-service programs to help teachers understand and help students with mental health.”
If you are someone who struggles with mental wellness, know that PTHS is happy to help you with your troubles. Many staff members such as Arzenti, nurse Popovich, and the guidance counselors are there to assist you.