PERFORMANCE & MENTAL HEALTH

CONTENTS SOME BASIC TERMS WHAT CAUSES PEER PRESSURE? YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH & ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT HOW TO COPE? FREE TELEPHONIC COUNSELLING IN INDIA

SOME BASIC TERMS

Who are Peers? Refers to  ‘equal’ “a person who belongs to the same social group as another person or group One that is of equal standing, based on age, grade, gender, interests, background, habits or status This basic ‘likeness of’ is an  essential characteristic of peer work The social group may be based on age, sex, sexual orientation, occupation, socio-economic and/or health status

Home Environment The most important institution for the existence and continuance of human life and the development of various personality traits. An ideal home environment is one where there is proper reward to strengthen the desired behavior a keen interest in and love for the child, provision of opportunities to express its views freely where parents put less restrictions to discipline the child, not preventing the child from acting independently

Common confusions within psychiatry Psychology: a science that investigates behaviour, experience, and normal functioning of the mind Psychotherapy: the treatment of psychological issues by non-physical means Psychoanalysis: a particular sort of psychotherapy, or means of exploring the unconscious mind

WHAT CAUSES PEER PRESSURE?

Knowing Peer Pressure Occurs when group of people coerce each other to go along with certain beliefs or behaviors The consequences of being rejected by one’s peers are embarrassment and shame, both very negative emotions for teens Adolescents develop a strong desire to fit in with their peers and be accepted by them This desire makes adolescent peer pressure tough to resist

Who Is Most Vulnerable? Teens with few boundaries or rules at home are far more susceptible to peer pressure than those with firm expectations and strict rules Parents have a surprisingly strong influence on teens. Setting clear boundaries, with consequences, cements this influence. Parents who are involved in their children’s lives give their children the confidence to stand up to their peers . Teens don’t expect their peers to respect them for standing up for themselves, but most who do find that they are respected

YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH & ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Youth Mental Health Nearly two-thirds of these adolescents do not receive mental health services Mental illness does not affect emotional health in isolation Known to influence and co-occur with problems in many domains of students’ lives In order to promote the best possible outcomes for students, there is a great need for early identification and treatment of mental health disorders.

What is Academic achievement? Defined by Crow and Crow as the extent to which a learner is profiting from instruction in a given area of learning Achievement is reflected by the extent to which skill and knowledge has been imparted to him Academic achievement also denotes the knowledge attained and skill developed in the school subject The level of achieving is how far a student succeeds in a particular exam

The Relationship between Mental Health and Academic Achievement Mental health plays an important role in ensuring the dynamism and efficiency of each community the issue of improving the mental health has particular importance in facilitating learning and increasing the scientific knowledge A study demonstrated a negative significant relationship between depression and academic performance

In a study conducted by Walker, the use of health services in schools increased the student academic performance There was no relationship between the mental health and gender, marital status, field of study, and residential status The mental health positively correlated with the interest in the field of study, socioeconomic status, and academic degree

HOW TO COPE

Pay attention to how you feel Pay attention to how you feel. Even if your friends seem ok with what is going on, the situation may not be right for you. Plan ahead. Think about how you will respond in different situations.  Plan what you can say or what you can do. Talk to the person who is pressuring, let him or her know how it makes you feel and tell the person stop. Have a secret code to communicate with parents

Give an excuse. It should be ok to say “no” without needing to apologize or give an explanation.  Have friends with similar values and beliefs.  It is easier to say “no” if someone else is also saying it.  Saying “no” together makes it easier for the both of you. Get support from a trusted adult such as a parent, teacher, or school counselor

FREE TELEPHONIC COUNSELLING IN INDIA

Mental health crisis services and support lines for India Vandrevala Foundation Tel: 1860-266-2345 Mental health helpline open 24/7 Jeevan Aastha helpline Tel: 1800 233 3330 Mental health counselling helpline open 24/7

National Institute of Behavioural Sciences helpline Tel: 98364 01234 6-10pm weekdays AASRA Tel: 91-22-27546669 (24/7 Suicide hotline)

Counselling and CBSE Helpline No. 1800118004 Offered by trained counsellors and Principals from within CBSE affiliated schools located across the world Voluntary, free of cost service provided by the Principals, trained counsellors from CBSE affiliated govt. and private schools

Offered twice in the year: Phase I- Pre Exam, February to April Phase II- Post Result, May to June Timings : 8 AM to 10 PM on all days. Prior to the annual counselling, feedback and training sessions are conducted regularly with the purpose to enhance the counselling skills of the participants