Team-Ghana, Oct. 11, CDA Consult – Students and teachers of the Tema Methodist Day Senior High School (Medass) have been educated on mental health issues to mark the 2023 Mental Health Day observed on October 10th.
The Team Metro Health Directorate, which organized the mental health education as part of a month-long public education campaign, charged the students to create awareness among their colleagues and families.
Mr. Pious Tay, Mental Health Coordinator for the Tema Metro Health Directorate, mentioned in an interaction with the students that mental health is the outward manifestation of sound interpersonal and intrapersonal interaction with environmental implications.
Mr. Tay said the Tema Metro Health Directorate, working in collaboration with the Yah-Salem Foundation, decided to mark the day with mental health empowerment education to equip the students with basic knowledge on mental health.
He stated that having a positive self-image and self-acceptance helps improve mental health because they will not be bothered or worried about what people say about them. He added that being able to move in groups and converse among their peers is a sign of good mental health.
“Most students, after school or even during lunch hours, move in groups with their friends and converse with whoever. When you notice that that one person is always isolated and does not converse with friends, don’t ignore the person but rather advise the person to see the school counsellor or mental health professional”, he said.
He also encouraged the students that a clean and serene environment improves their mental health, so they should do well to keep their environment tidy and stop stigmatization among themselves to enable healthy mental health growth.
He explained that the behaviour one exhibited can be used to improve the mental health of a person. For one to exhibit good mental health, they need to show the 360 effect, which means being able to express joy in times of happiness and sadness in times of unpleasant situations.
Mrs. Mary Adu Sarfo, the co-founder of the Yah-Salem Foundation, stated that the foundation, which is a child rights protection, seeks to ensure that children are protected from violence, abuse, and expectations and also helps with child issues such as child abuse and teenage pregnancy while helping to promote the upbringing of children.
She stated that it was important that they create awareness and educate the children about their mental health.
She said, “Today being mental health day, it was an opportunity to collaborate with Tema-Metro Health to create awareness and educate the students on their mental well-being and issues surrounding their mental health that help improve their academics”.
Mr. Williams Okanta, the Senior House Master, noted that the engagement had been educative and urged the Tema Metro to do their best possible to occasionally engage students on issues about their health.
Mr. Prince Atsu Dortumor, a student, also noted that issues such as drugs and bad company affected their mental well-being and therefore urged his colleagues and other students in senior high schools to take their mental health seriously in order for them to excel academically.
He also called on the Tema Metro Health Directorate and stakeholders in health fields to often visit them and engage them in activities that will improve their physical and mental well-being.
