Fourth Edition, September 2011

Talking about Mental Health Problems in the Classroom
In spite of the fact that mental health problems aff ect one in fi ve young people, less than 15% of those 
young people ever receive any help. Many parents and young people say that stigma about mental health 
problems is the main reason they don’t seek help.
Teachers can play an important part in reducing the stigma of mental health problems. The Mental Health 
Commission of Canada recognizes this, and has made anti-stigma programs aimed at children and youth 
one of their two priority areas. They are working with a number of groups to develop eff ective programs, 
some of which are designed to be delivered in the classroom.
Teachers can help reduce the stigma about mental health problems by discussing them in class, and help-
ing students to fi nd and use high-quality information about these problems. You will fi nd a list of these 
resources in Section L, “Provincial and National Resources”.

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L1
Promoting Good Mental Health in the Classroom
Making a Diff erence: An Educators’ Guide to Child and Youth Mental Health Problems
www.cymhin.ca
Promoting Good Mental Health in the Classroom
Mental health is a continuum. When we talk about physical health, we understand that good physical 
health is not just the absence of disease. Good health includes eating well, exercising regularly, and get-
ting enough sleep. These habits all combine to make us physically healthy, and better able to resist illness 
and disease.
In a similar way, we understand that good mental health is not simply the absence of mental illness. We 
can work to improve our mental health through constructive thoughts and actions, including building 
supportive social networks, involvement in meaningful activities, and management of stress and confl ict 
in our lives.
Just as nutrition, exercise, and sleep don’t guarantee good physical health, friends, personal interests, 
and managing emotions don’t automatically lead to good mental health. They will, however, increase the 
odds in your favour.
So, how do we promote good mental health in the classroom, and how do we teach the social and emo-
tional skills that help students develop and maintain good mental health? We need to focus on class-wide 
strategies that improve classroom climate and on teaching students the social and emotional skills that 
will help them to get along and form relationships with others.