1. Welcome to RHS+
This short programme of lessons (6 in total) is designed to continue your PSHE lessons and help prepare you for being a young adult post school. There may be some over lapping with learning you’ve done before- this will be a chance to embed this learning. We will also be looking at new issues. Your participation in these lessons will further your own learning. The more you put in the more you will get out. As this is a short programme it will be faster and more intense than usual- please see your teacher if you wish to discuss these issues further.

2. THE DREADED ICE BREAKER- GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER!
Complete the form/ question sheet by finding someone whose name you can write next to each statement. Try and speak to everyone in the class.
Feedback your results and discuss as a class.

3. Why is it hard being a teenager/ young adult?
Kevin becomes a teenager
Is this what it was like for you? Do you ever feel like Kevin?!
Why is it hard being a teenager?

4. Mental Wellbeing- How to recognise if you have a mental health issue and what to do.
Statistics and experts tell us that teenagers are suffering more than ever from mental health illnesses
What do we mean by mental health?
Why is there still a stigma attached to mental illness? Discuss and feedback
Why do we still use insults like ‘you’re mad’ or ‘you’re mental’? Can you think of any others?
Is this use of language helping society to accept mental illness?
What's so funny about mental illness?

5. Types of Mental Illness and how to recognise the signs
In your pairs discuss what types of mental health illnesses there are i.e. OCD- feedback to the class
There are many different types of mental illness- it can take people up to 10 years of living with this illness to ever mention it to the Doctor- why do you think this?
A recent in depth survey by Stem4 (a UK charity set up for teenage mental wellbeing)found the following;
One in 12 UK teenagers self-harms- more than anywhere else in Europe. Depression is a reality for 1 in 10. Between 2010 and 2014, the number of girls aged between 10 and 14 admitted to hospital in England for self-harm increased by 93%
What do you think has caused this rise in mental health illness in the UK? Discuss with your partner and feedback.
Leading clinical psychologist Dr Nilhara Krause identifies the following as the main causes; familial relationship issues (this is the number one cause of anxiety) pressure to perform well at school (the largest area of pressure is from exam performance) body shaming/ image, cyberbullying, sexting and popularity on social media- the number of likes.

6. Different types of Mental illness
Anorexia/ bulimia
Anxiety- what do we mean by this?
Status Anxiety
Stress- identify the main causes of this in young people
How stress can affect the brain
Depression- what are the differences between this and both stress and anxiety?
What is depression?
OCD- what does this stand for? How can OCD effect someone’s life?
Debunking the myths of OCD

7. Suicidal Feelings Suicide
Most people know of someone who has killed themselves or attempted to.
However, suicide remains one of the most taboo subjects to discuss in our society- why do you think this is? Is this a helpful approach to the problem?
The Samaritans is the UK’s leading charity set up to help people with suicidal thoughts and feelings. According to them;
Suicide is complex. It usually occurs gradually, progressing from suicidal thoughts, to planning, to attempting suicide and finally dying by suicide.
The female suicide rate is currently at it’s highest in the UK
Suicide is the bigger killer of young men (aged20-34) in the UK- 3 times more than women of a similar age. Why is the rate significantly higher amongst men?
Let’s read through the information on Suicide from CALM;
Help with Suicide
Dear You

8. Where to go for help
MOST IMPORTANTLY- there is help available for all mental health issues
What is the first thing you should do if you are worried about mental health?
Talking to someone you trust or a GP and of course School- we are here to help you.
The following are all excellent websites to visit for further details/ support/ advice;

9. FINALLY… Be kind to yourself Practise Mindfulness Headspace
Mini meditation
Watch clips of cute animals- this has been scientifically proven to make you happier and more productive!!
Cute animals