From stress to strength: How schools can lead the mental health conversation

In recent years, growing awareness around mental health among students has brought a spotlight onto a new set of challenges. Children and adolescents today navigate an increasingly complex world, with academic pressures, social expectations, and the uncertainties of life acting as key stressors. Adolescents and youth constitute nearly 30% of India’s population, a group that shows considerable mental health and well-being concerns – school-based estimates indicate 23.3% prevalence of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders. The data emphasize the need for educational institutions to address mental well-being as a foundational part of student success.

Students today face an array of new stressors that can affect their mental health. While academic pressure is the most common, with an increasing emphasis on high achievement, competitive exams, and balancing demanding schedules, growth of technology and social media has amplified these as must-have parameters in life, creating new dynamics around peer comparison, self-image, and acceptance that were far less pronounced in past generations.

Social dynamics also contribute to mental strain of students. Friendships, relationships, and navigating peer interactions can be challenging, especially in environments where young and adolescents feel pressure to conform or ‘fit in’. Life transitions, such as moving between educational stages or preparing for post-secondary paths, add further to this stress. At each stage, students face a unique set of challenges that demand adaptive support systems within their schools.

Schools as mental health champions

Schools hold a unique and pivotal role in this landscape, serving not only as places of learning but also as spaces where students spend significant portions of their formative years. By prioritizing mental health and establishing supportive frameworks, schools can help students navigate challenges and build resilience, ensuring they feel valued, understood, and equipped to thrive. They are increasingly investing in mental health programs tailored to student needs. From one-on-one counseling to peer support initiatives, schools are reshaping the mental health narrative to normalize seeking help and emotional expression.

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is essential for fostering and enhancing a child’s emotional intelligence, improving interpersonal skills, and overall well-being. At thedevelopmental stage, children are beginning to understand themselves and their relationships with others. By prioritizing SEL, young learners are equipped with the skills they need to navigate their emotions, build strong relationships, and thrive both socially and academically. Its four aspects are:

I. Self-Awareness: Schools must encourage students to recognize and understand their emotions, and plan activities like feeling charts tohelp children identify and express their feelings.

II. Self-Regulation: It is important to nurture children and enable them tomanage their emotions and behaviors with mindfulness practices, such as deep breathing and calming techniques.

III. Social Awareness: As a social being, students must understand and empathize with others’ feelings. Inculcating group activities and story sessions about emotions help promote empathy and building perspectives.

IV. Relationship Skills: Learning engagements to teach effective communication and collaboration with peers are an integral part of SEL.To foster collaboration, encourage sharing, and conflict resolution, schools can plan Friendship Bench, role-playing and cooperative games.

Other than that, the following are a few measures by which schools can promote mental health of students:

• Counseling Services: On-campus counselors offer students a safe and confidential space to discuss their concerns, often focusing on academic and personal stressors. Counseling can provide tailored strategies, offer an empathetic ear, and help students develop resilience. Schools can also offer group counseling sessions, allowing students to feel less isolated and understand that their peers may share similar struggles.

• Peer Support Programs: Peer-led mental health initiatives are proving effective in destigmatizing mental health and creating a culture of empathy. Students trained in mental health advocacy can help their peers navigate issues, provide advice, and offer a level of relatability that some students may find easier to engage with than traditional counseling services.

• Wellness Workshops: Schools are implementing wellness workshops that cover a broad range of topics, from mindfulness to stress management. These workshops help students understand and cope with the pressures they face, equipping them with tools to maintain mental balance. Topics might include breathing exercises, goal-setting techniques, and emotional intelligence training.

• Mindfulness and Mental Health Education: Teaching mindfulness and mental health awareness as part of the regular curriculum is becoming more popular. Some schools integrate these topics into subjects like health or life skills, ensuring all students learn about emotional regulation, the importance of mental well-being, and practical ways to manage stress.

Promoting well-being through activities and infrastructure

Research shows that reading and outdoor activities play an essential role in reducing stress and enhancing mental well-being, making schools take note of these elements and providing students with outlets to manage their stress.Reading encourages empathy, expands worldviews, and provides a sense of escapism that can be therapeutic for students. By setting aside designated reading times or hosting book clubs, schools can help students discover the mental health benefits of reading. Engaging students in storytelling and literature discussions fosters emotional connection, enhancing their sense of community and self-expression.

Physical outdoor activity is essential for managing mental health, and spending time outdoors has a unique impact on mood, focus, and anxiety reduction. Schools are creating more opportunities for students to engage in outdoor activities, from organized sports to nature excursions. Outdoor learning programs or simple unstructured time in green spaces help students de-stress and reenergize, equipping them with the mental stamina to face academic challenges.

(The author is Co-CEO, Crimson Schools)