Students of the Tema Presbyterian Senior High School have been sensitised on mental health and psychosocial support services (MHPSS) they can rely on to achieve their academic aims.
The day’s sensitisation programme was organised by the YAH-Salem Foundation, a non-government organisation focusing on promoting mental health education among young people and encouraging the adoption of management and prevention strategies to support the well-being of all individuals in the community.
The students were educated on the signs of mental illness, the types, causes, and habits to adopt to improve mental health.
Ms. Mary Adu Sarfo, Co-founder of the foundation, said her outfit was a child rights protection organisation that seeks to ensure the safeguarding of children from neglect, abuse, exploitation, and violence.
Ms. Sarfo noted that the programme aimed to provide a safe space for children to confide in and seek help for their challenges, stating that it was important to address these issues to prevent children from becoming irresponsible adults.
She advised the youth to seek help from qualified professionals, such as clinical psychologists, rather than relying on peers when they see signs of mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.
She urged schools to establish programmes like guidance enhancement centres, where the students could easily access professional help.
She added that the foundation’s vision was to create community-based centres, where children can walk in and receive support from professionals to address issues like mental health, anxiety, and depression among them.
Mr. Innocent Funn, the National Clinical Psychologist at SOS Children Village, in a presentation, said it was important for individuals to prioritise good mental health, stressing that it was essential for making vibrant decisions that benefited the community and socio-economic development of the country.
Mr. Funn explained that mental health encompassed various aspects, including emotional, psychological, social, cognitive, and behavioural well-being, which collectively impacted how individuals think, feel, and act.
Mr. Funn mentioned that some mental health conditions included mood disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, seasonal affective disorder, and anxiety disorders.
He said the anxiety disorders comprised generalised anxiety disorder, panic, social anxiety, phobia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
He noted that mental health was not madness and could be effectively treated by professionals.
Mr. Funn encouraged students to report unusual behaviours among their peers to school authorities while calling for the intensification of education among the populace to prevent mental illness in Ghana.
He stressed the importance of self-care, compassion, help seeking, building strong relationships, and social connections in promoting mental wellness.
