Concepts in mental health

Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to

cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and
work well, and contribute to their community. It is an integral
component of health and well-being that underpins our individual and
collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the
world we live in. Mental health is a basic human right. And it is crucial
to personal, community and socio-economic development.
Mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders. It exists
on a complex continuum, which is experienced differently from one
person to the next, with varying degrees of difficulty and distress and
potentially very different social and clinical outcomes.
 Determinants of Mental Health
Throughout our lives, multiple individual, social and structural determinants
may combine to protect or undermine our mental health and shift our position
on the mental health continuum.
Individual psychological and biological factors such as emotional skills,
substance use and genetics can make people more vulnerable to mental health
problems.
Exposure to unfavorable social, economic, geopolitical and environmental
circumstances – including poverty, violence, inequality and environmental
deprivation– also increases people’s risk of experiencing mental health
conditions.
 Determinants of Mental Health
Risks can manifest themselves at all stages of life, but those that occur during
developmentally sensitive periods, especially early childhood, are particularly
detrimental. For example, harsh parenting and physical punishment is known to
undermine child health and bullying is a leading risk factor for mental health conditions.
Protective factors similarly occur throughout our lives and serve to strengthen
resilience. They include our individual social and emotional skills and
attributes as well as positive social interactions, quality education, decent
work, safe neighborhoods and community cohesion, among others.
Mental health risks and protective factors can be found in society at different
scales. Local threats heighten risk for individuals, families and communities.
Global threats heighten risk for whole populations and include economic
downturns, disease outbreaks, humanitarian emergencies and forced
displacement and the growing climate crisis.
 Determinants of Mental Health

Each single risk and protective factor has only

limited predictive strength. Most people do not
develop a mental health condition despite
exposure to a risk factor and many people with
no known risk factor still develop a mental health
condition. Nonetheless, the interacting
determinants of mental health serve to enhance
or undermine mental health.
Improving Mental Health
1. Exercise 13. Learn new skills
2. Sleep 14. Nourish your body
3. Healthy diet 15. Seek help
4. Social connections 16. Stop smoking
5. Mindfulness 17. Ask for help
6. Avoid drugs 18. Balance work and life
7. Community and relationships 19. Be mindful
8. Connect with others 20. Deep breathing
9. Express gratitude 21. Engage in a hobby
10. Reduce stress 22. Goals and plans
11. Eat well 23. Help others
12. Healthy routine 24. Move Your Body
 Importance of Teacher Mental Health
Teachers are superheroes because of their commitment and dedication to
ensuring that all children can learn and have a bright future. However,
teachers are human too; they get tired from long hours of teaching, busy
schedules, preparing modules, and interacting with different types of students.
Being a teacher is not an easy task, with heavy workloads and frequent job-
related stress, the sad truth is that teachers are prone to mental health crisis
too.
 Importance of Teacher Mental Health
Teachers’ mental health is the condition or state of a teacher’s
emotional, psychological, and social well-being. A teacher’s
mental health has an impact on their thoughts, feelings, and
actions. It also influences how they respond to pressure, interact
with others, and make decisions. In other words, teacher mental
health is a state of mental wellness that helps teachers manage
life’s stressors, develop their potential, study and work
effectively, and give back to their communities. It is a crucial
element of health and well-being that supports their capacity to
decide, form connections, and influence the world we live in.
 Mental Illness of Teachers
Mental illness can develop if a teacher’s mental state is in poor condition.
Mental illnesses, also known as mental disorders, are ailments that affect
emotion, thought, and behavior (or a combination of two or more). Distress
and/or difficulty coping with daily tasks at work, family issues, or social
situations can be symptoms of mental diseases. Examples of mental illness
that a person can develop include:
• Depression
• Anxiety disorders
• Schizophrenia
• Eating disorders
• Addictive behaviors
 The Impact of Stress on Teacher Mental
Health
It is true that stress is common for teachers. Teachers
are more likely to suffer stress because they work long
hours, often don’t have enough support to do their job
properly, and importantly, may not have enough
mental health resources and other support. As a result,
the stress teachers are under can harm their mental
state. Some stress is natural, but too much stress can
negatively impact the life of a teacher and their
family.
 The Impact of Teacher Mental Health on the
Classroom
The environment that the teacher sets heavily influences student
behavior and their overall experience in a classroom. The teacher’s
attitude directly affects how well students learn and to what extent they
will enjoy school. Although there are many factors that contribute to a
student’s experience, teachers have tremendous influence and their own
mental wellness can make a huge difference in how they interact with
students.
In addition, what students learn and develop in school will be brought
outside the school — into the home. In other words, what a student can
learn and who they become inside and outside the school are affected by
the teacher’s examples in many different ways.
 Teaching Quality
A teacher can carry out their obligations as educators effectively if
they feel emotionally strong. Although being a teacher can be
demanding, if they can manage their stress and maintain healthy
boundaries, they will be able to think clearly and teach their
students well.
With excellent self care, they know what to do and what to teach.
They will also be aware of the needs of the students and how to
address them. They can effectively employ techniques to effectively
educate their students. Most have similar goals of delivering the
finest educational instruction to for their students.
 Discipline Issues
Teachers with facing a personal mental health crisis may experience
problems with student discipline. Symptoms such as:
• Feeling depressed or down
• Having extreme mood swings between highs and lows
• Having trouble understanding and responding to people and situations
Such symptoms can result in poor relationships with students and
discipline problems, which in turn can cause distractions and shorten
learning time.
Students’ ability to study and their behavior outside of school may suffer
if a teacher is unable to maintain appropriate order and discipline within
the classroom. The students’ attitudes can affect the school and their
families at home. Plus, every disciplinary problem cuts into productive
learning time, which limits the student’s ability to learn and grow.
 Unmotivated Students
A teacher’s poor own mental health impacts their interactions with
students and their students’ desire to attend class and learn more.
Students will be unmotivated and uninterested in attending school
and studying hard to retain their grades if their teachers are unable
to give them a positive learning experience.
A teacher can keep students interested and motivated to learn if they
have strong and effective teaching techniques. When students have
good experiences, they’re more interested in learning and will want
to attend classes. When students don’t enjoy class, they may fall
behind and be unable to catch up to their peers.
 Activity 01: Sharing Stressors and Coping
Strategies
Objective: To allow teachers to openly discuss the specific stressors they face in their profession
and share successful coping mechanisms with each other.
Procedure:
• Divide participants into small groups of 4-5.
• Each participant takes turns sharing one major stressor they experience in their teaching role
(e.g., workload, classroom management, parent expectations).
• After each participant shares, the group discusses coping strategies that have worked for them
or brainstorms new solutions together.
Facilitation:
• A facilitator helps guide the conversation, ensuring everyone has an opportunity to speak and
that the discussion remains constructive.
• Introduce reflective questions, such as: “What resources or support have you found most
helpful?” or “How do you maintain balance outside of work?”
Outcome:
• Teachers will feel heard and understood, and they may walk away with practical strategies to
manage stress. The activity also fosters a sense of community and support among participants.
This activity creates a safe space for teachers to express challenges and encourages collaboration in
addressing mental health issues.
 Activity 02: Mindful Breathing and Progressive
Muscle Relaxation (PMR)
Objective: To introduce teachers to simple mindfulness and relaxation techniques that they can
incorporate into their daily routines to reduce stress and improve mental clarity.
Procedure:
• Start with a brief introduction to mindfulness and its benefits, particularly for managing stress.
• Lead the group through a Mindful Breathing Exercise:
• Encourage participants to sit comfortably, close their eyes, and focus on their breath.
• Guide them to inhale deeply through the nose, hold for a moment, and then exhale slowly through the mouth.
• Emphasize focusing only on the breath, gently letting go of other thoughts.
• Follow this with Progressive Muscle Relaxation:
• Have participants tense and then relax different muscle groups, starting from the toes and working
their way up to the head.
• Encourage them to notice the contrast between tension and relaxation, allowing them to release built-up
stress.
Facilitation:
• A calm, slow voice is essential to guide the breathing and relaxation exercises.
• Encourage participants to take note of how they feel before and after the session.
Outcome:
• Participants will experience a deep sense of relaxation and calm. They will also gain tools
they can use in their personal or professional life to manage stress on the spot.
Mindfulness and relaxation techniques can have long-term benefits for mental health, and this
 Activity 03: "The Stroop Effect and
Mental
Objective: Flexibility"
To illustrate how our minds process conflicting information and the importance of
mental flexibility in managing stress. This activity also reinforces how cognitive exercises can help
improve focus and mental clarity.
Procedure:
• Introduction: Explain the Stroop Effect, a psychological phenomenon where it's harder to
name the color of the word when the word itself is the name of a different color (e.g., the
word "RED" written in blue ink).
• Set-up:
• Create two sets of cards or slides:
• The first set will have color names written in corresponding colored ink (e.g., "RED"
in red ink, "BLUE" in blue ink).
• The second set will have color names written in conflicting colors (e.g., "RED" in
blue ink, "GREEN" in yellow ink).
• The Task:
• Present each card to the participants.
• In the first round, ask them to name the color of the word (e.g., "RED").
• In the second round (using the conflicting set), ask them to name the color of the ink
(e.g., for "RED" written in blue ink, they should say "blue").
• Time how long it takes for them to complete both rounds.
 Activity 03: "The Stroop Effect and
Mental Flexibility"
Facilitation:
• After the task, explain how this activity demonstrates the difficulty of processing
conflicting information and the mental effort required to stay focused.
• Relate this to teaching: educators often face conflicting demands (from students,
administration, personal life) and need strategies to handle them with mental
flexibility.
Psychological Insight:
• The Stroop Effect shows how mental interference works, which can help illustrate
why teachers sometimes feel mentally drained. Recognizing this can be empowering
and lead to discussions about stress-reduction techniques that improve focus and
cognitive flexibility.
Outcome:
• Teachers will experience firsthand how cognitive load affects performance and will
better understand the importance of self-care and mental exercises to boost mental
resilience.
This activity combines an intriguing psychological phenomenon with a deeper message about
how our minds handle stress, all while providing a fun, engaging challenge for participants!
 Activity 04: "Teacher Resilience
Toolkit"
Objective: Creation"
To empower teachers to build a personalized "Resilience Toolkit" with strategies and resources to
boost their mental health and well-being during challenging times.
Procedure:
• Start with a short introduction to the concept of resilience and its importance in managing stress and
maintaining mental health.
• Provide each teacher with materials (e.g., notebooks, index cards, or a worksheet) to create their own toolkit.
• Have participants reflect on and write down answers to key prompts, such as:
• “What are the signs that I’m feeling overwhelmed or stressed?”
• “What activities or habits help me recharge and relax?”
• “Who can I reach out to for support when I need it?”
• “What’s one small self-care activity I can commit to daily?”
• Participants can then share a few of their ideas with the group, offering inspiration to others.
• At the end of the session, each teacher leaves with a personalized set of strategies they can refer to when needed.
Facilitation:
• Encourage participants to think about both short-term (quick stress-relievers) and long-term (lifestyle
changes) strategies.
• Guide discussions to help teachers learn new ideas from each other, fostering a sense of community.
Outcome:
• Teachers will walk away with a tangible "toolkit" of coping mechanisms tailored to their personal
needs. This can serve as a long-term resource for managing stress and maintaining mental health.
This activity is interactive, reflective, and ensures each participant has practical, personalized solutions to
support their mental well-being.