INTRODUCTION

Depression resulting to suicide cases is very rampant nowadays. This alarming issue

has always been redirected to the importance of mental health. Not sure if someone you

know is living with mental health problems? Experiencing one or more of the following

feelings or behaviors can be an early sign of a problem: eating or sleeping too much or

too little, pulling away from people and usual activities, having low or no energy, feeling

numb or like nothing matters, having unexplained aches and pains, feeling helpless or

hopeless, feeling usually confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried, or scared,

yelling or fighting with family and friends, experiencing severe mood swings, having

persistent thoughts and memories you can’t get out of your head, thinking of harming

yourself or others, and inability to perform daily tasks like in school. Mental health

includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think,

feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make

choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and

adolescence through adulthood. Over the course of your life, if you experience mental

health problems, your thinking, mood, and behavior could be affected. Many factors

contribute to mental health problems, including biological factors such as genes or brain

chemistry, life experiences such as trauma or abuse, family history of mental health

problems. Mental health problems are common but help is available. People with mental

health problems can get better and many recover completely. With the alarming evident

signs of unhealthy mental health conditions, there is a need to further study and conduct

researches for the purpose of developing a progressive nation with mentally healthy

citizens. Mental health awareness is important for all educators, who are often the first
line of defense for their students. Education professionals have recognized the impact

that a student’s mental health on learning and achievement, and they realize that there

is a great deal that can be done to help students with mental health issues. The national

alliance on Mental Illness estimates that one in five people live with some sort of mental

disorder or disease. Despite the fact that the average age of early signs of mental

illness is 14, many individuals don’t seek help until adulthood. Underlining the

seriousness is the fact that 60 percent of high school students with mental illness don’t

graduate. Until mental health education is a mandatory aspect of all schools, teachers

and administrators can work to promote awareness with their students. Key elements to

shine light include the concept of self-care and responsibility for one’s own mental

health and wellness, with an emphasis on the fact that mental health is an integral part

of health, and the concept of recovery from mental illness.