Imagine that feeling of hearing your alarm blaring, waking you up for the day. You have no motivation to get out of bed; you may need a day off or perhaps a few more hours of sleep. Well imagine that feeling over and over again but being barely able to make it through your day. That is a glimpse of what depression, one of many mental health issues, may feel like.
As a future educator, I find it crucial for teachers to be able to understand mental health issues that their students may have. Teachers spend numerous hours each week with their students, regardless of what level they are instructing at. Every day when walking into work, remind yourself why you became a teacher in the first place. Although everyone reading this article has different reasons for being a teacher, whether it is for the summer vacation or the wonderful feeling of teaching someone a new concept, we can all agree (to an extent) that we chose this career path to make a difference. We cannot fix our student’s mental health issues or even take their suffering away but we can show them love and support. Continually reminding them how much they mean will make a difference. Maybe you feel as if there is nothing you can do. Maybe it won’t make a difference, but what if it does? What if saying hi to your student makes their day? Even if you are not doing something tremendous that little boost of encouragement may be just what the student needs to get through each day in the classroom.
Perhaps you do not have the time, energy, or the ability to go that extra step and be supportive in ways for your students. If that is the case there are other options. Most schools have a school counselor/psychologist that can meet with students. There are numerous online resources where you can find student support groups or even just group activities that can help students who may be suffering from mental illness. As long as you are trying to help make a difference that is better than knowing your student(s) is suffering and doing nothing about it because you simply do not know how to help. Ask them how they are doing. Let them know your door is always open. Be there to listen to how they are feeling. Most importantly show them that you care.
It is not easy admitting you have a mental health issue, let alone talking about it to someone. However, when you tell the people around you how you are feeling there is a greater chance they will try to help. This feeling of empathy is crucial for a teacher. People are not mind readers but with someone having the knowledge that you are not doing well they will do a better job of showing you how much they CARE, LOVE, and SUPPORT you. You are never alone.