Why students should have mental health days | Hailey Hardcastle

Summary

A young individual shares their journey of managing mental health from a young age, emphasizing the importance of mental health days in schools. They highlight how personal experiences and community tragedies led to the creation of House Bill 2191 in Oregon, allowing mental health days off from school. This initiative aims to reduce the stigma around mental health and promote early intervention. The speaker advocates for equal treatment of physical and mental health and calls for better mental health education and support, encouraging self-care and societal awareness.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Mental health days: The speaker's mother allowed them to take three mental health rest days each semester as long as they continued to do well in school, which was crucial for their well-being.
• 👶 Early mental health struggles: The speaker began their mental health journey at six years old, dealing with trauma-induced anxiety and clinical depression, which made growing up difficult.
• 😟 Mental health in schools: The speaker noticed that mental health wasn't talked about as much in their childhood, especially youth mental health, which led to frequent breakdowns and panic attacks.
• 🏫 Community impact: Multiple suicides in the speaker's hometown during high school highlighted the broader mental health crisis among teenagers, prompting action.
• 🗣️ Student forum: A forum with 100 high school students revealed that mental health crises were common across different towns, leading to the creation of the Students for a Healthy Oregon committee.
• 📜 House Bill 2191: The committee successfully lobbied for House Bill 2191, allowing students to take mental health days off from school, similar to physical health days.
• 🗂️ Tracking and support: Schools can now track mental health absences, ensuring students taking too many are referred to counselors for support, helping catch struggling students early.
• 🌍 Expanding impact: Inspired by Oregon's law, students in other states like California and Colorado are working to pass similar legislation, aiming to provide better mental health support.
• 🏥 Equal treatment: The bill emphasizes that physical and mental health are equally important and connected, advocating for mental health care training similar to CPR training in schools.
• 💖 Self-care message: The speaker encourages taking breaks and pacing oneself in life to prevent burnout, emphasizing that it's always okay to not be okay and to prioritize mental health.

Q & A

What deal did the speaker have with their mom regarding mental health days?

The speaker was allowed to take three mental health rest days every semester as long as they continued to do well in school.

What mental health conditions was the speaker diagnosed with?

The speaker was diagnosed with trauma-induced anxiety and clinical depression.

How did mental health challenges affect the speaker during their school years?

The speaker experienced a lot of breakdowns, panic attacks, and fluctuating productivity, sometimes feeling overwhelmed and unable to get anything done.

What significant mental health event occurred in the speaker's hometown during high school?

The speaker's hometown was touched by multiple suicides during their first year in high school.

What was the main outcome of the 2018 forum held by the Oregon Association of Student Councils?

The forum led to the formation of the committee Students for a Healthy Oregon and the creation of House Bill 2191 to allow students to take mental health days off from school.

What does House Bill 2191 entail?

House Bill 2191 allows students to take mental health days off from school in the same way they would take physical health days, enabling schools to track and support students' mental health.

How did the speaker contribute to the passage of House Bill 2191?

The speaker, along with other students, lobbied, researched, and campaigned for the bill, which was signed into law in June 2019.

What is the core concept behind House Bill 2191?

The core concept is that physical and mental health are equal and should be treated as such, emphasizing the interconnectedness of mental and physical well-being.

What analogy does the speaker use to describe the importance of pacing oneself in life?

The speaker compares life to a long-distance race, suggesting that pacing oneself and taking breaks are crucial to avoid burnout and ensure long-term success.

What message does the speaker want the audience to take away regarding mental health?

The speaker wants the audience to understand that it's always OK to not be OK, to take breaks when needed, and to look after each other and themselves, especially focusing on the mental health of children and teens.