After many of my speeches at schools around the country I often receive emails from students who are dealing with various mental health issues, often a result of being bullied. I always try to provide support and guidance and at times work with the school so the child receives adequate professional help. But it is clear that many children around the country are still experiencing psychological impact from bullying. It is a serious issue that requires continued attention.
It is also very clear that there is still a lot of stigma around someone having to deal with a mental health issue. I can relate to that very well since I had kept my own mental health issue a secret for five years. Now I encourage everyone to open up and talk about any mental health issues that they might be struggling with so they can receive proper treatment.
Children often do not open up about their mental health issues simply because they are not sure that the adults around them would be supportive and helpful. When I speak at a school setting, children get the message that I would be someone who would certainly understand what they might be going through and that’s why they reach out to me.
Both the school staff and parents have a significant role in this. It is critically important for school staff to provide adequate attention to children being bullied at school. There are times when I have been able to speak to parents about this. I try to make the point that parents should be careful not to minimize these issues, and instead, take it seriously and seek out adequate professional help for their children.
We need to continue our work in this area to remove this stigma all around so more and more adults will become receptive and understanding when it comes to dealing with mental health issues.