Educate Ourselves to Have a Better Emotional Wellbeing
BY: Neighbors’ Consejo|
When we talk about mental health, many of us get defensive because we relate the concept to madness, illness, distance, sadness, among other erroneous negative imaginaries. This is due to the perceptions that people have formed from their culture, education and false information.
Therefore, educating ourselves about this topic is vital to understand the importance of the emotional health of others and ourselves and so, instead of generating rejection, seek empathy with others. “Higher levels of education have been associated with better mental health. The reasons touted are that educated people have a greater number of choices and thus more control over their lives and better security”.[1]
“Meanwhile, low education has been linked to a lack of sense of control and resilience. A corollary of low educational attainment can be lowered socioeconomic status. Lower education is associated with “a lack of psychosocial resources [2] ”.
According to the Virginia Commonwealth University [3] “education in school and other learning opportunities outside the classroom build skills and foster traits that are important throughout life and may be important to health, such as conscientiousness, perseverance, a sense of personal control, flexibility, the capacity for negotiation, and the ability to form relationships and establish social networks”.
Pearson [4] affirms that “education can also improve mental health by providing a sense of accomplishment. Some find that completing assignments and earning a degree gives them a feeling of pride and boost in morale.” Additionally, according to the clinical psychologist Dr. Stephanie Smith, “learning new skills can be great for mental health. College can allow you to achieve small successes while exploring your interest –from creative to academic to athletic [5] .”
The Bog Global Mental Health Outreach [6] affirms that “the lack of education to people can cause mental health issues, but through indirect effects. A lack of education leads to lower socioeconomic access through the cause of lack of job and income stability, stable relationships with people, and increased uptake of harmful substances. These issues often amplify each other, leading to exacerbation of mental health issues and their system. This issue can be solved by the expansion of education to many students, especially in the field of mental health.”
To achieve this, it is important to [7] :
- Educate staff, parents, and students on symptoms of and help for mental health problems.
- Promote social and emotional competency and build resilience.
- Help ensure a positive, safe school environment.
- Teach and reinforce positive behaviors and decision-making.
- Encourage helping others.
- Encourage good psychical health.
- Help ensure access to school-based mental health supports.
For this reason, we hope that this short article adds knowledge to your education around emotional health and that it allows you to break the stigma that exists around emotional wellbeing. Remember that all the professionals at Neighbors’ Consejo are ready to listen to you and help you answer any questions you have on this topic.
[4]https://www.pearsonaccelerated.com/blog/education-boosts-mental-health/
[5]https://www.pearsonaccelerated.com/blog/education-boosts-mental-health/