EMILIO AGUINALDO COLLEGE
Gov. D. Mangubat Ave., Brgy. Burol Main, City of Dasmariñas, Cavite 4114, Philippines
Tel. Nos. (046) 416-4341-42 www.eac.edu.ph
ISO 9001:2015 CERTIFIED
QUALITY MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS IN SCHOOL
(MODULE FOR GRADE 12)
Overview
Did you know that the average age that people start showing early signs of mental illness
is 14 years old? This is one of many reasons why schools need to be involved in mental illness
awareness. Students are impacted by mental illnesses in a number of ways. Some students
experience their own mental health problems; some have friends who are struggling with mental
health issues, and some may be impacted by a family member’s mental illness. No matter how a
student is affected by mental illness, they need information and resources in order to deal with it.
The importance of mental health awareness in school is limitless and immeasurable. It is
extremely essential and important to raise mental health awareness in schools considering
young people are seriously affected by mental health issues every day. They need a system
they can rely on and a source of information to guide them through the process of dealing with
their inner issues.
In this module, students will be able to understand what are mental health and mental
illness and some factors that contribute to it. They will also have knowledge about the nature of
stigma, its impact on the lives of people suffering from mental illness and some ways of
combating stigma. They will also able to address the issues in seeking help, its importance and
where and with whom to seek help and assistance within the school and beyond. They will also
learn about the impact of stress and identify appropriate and effective strategies to deal with
stress and lastly, students will be able to explore and analyze the impact of mental health on
overall well-being.
Topic 1: Understanding Mental Health and Mental Illness
Learning Objectives: In this lesson, students will be able to:
Understand the difference between mental health and mental illness
Identify the factors affecting mental health
Distinguished the signs and symptoms of Mental Illness
Required Time: 15 minutes
Place/Venue: Students Classroom
Target Participants: Grade 12 Students
Activities/Needed Materials: Handouts/Brochure
Preparation: After checking the attendance of the students present, a prayer will follow. There
is a topic-related ice breaker for students to listen to and collaborate on with a prize before the
introduction of the topic. They will be given a brochure about mental health as their handouts for
their reference. After the discussion, students will be encouraged to ask questions.
Topic 2: # Break The Stigma
Learning Objectives: In this lesson, students will be able to:
Understand the meaning of stigma in mental health
Understand its impact on the lives of people with mental illness
Determine some ways to withstand stigma
Required Time: 15 minutes
Place/Venue: Students Classroom
Target Participants: Grade 12 Students
Activities/Needed Materials: Handouts/Video Presentation
Preparation: A video presentation about fighting stigma and how it affects the people battling
with mental illness will be played. After the presentation, students will be asked what they have
learned in the video followed by a brief discussion about how to cope up with the stigma of
mental illness.
Topic 3: Seeking Help and Finding Support
Learning Objectives: In this lesson, students will be able to:
Understand the importance of seeking help
Determine where and with whom to seek help and assistance
Required Time: 15 minutes
Place/Venue: Students Classroom
Target Participants: Grade 12 Students
Activities/Needed Materials: Handouts/Activity Cards
Preparation: There will be a discussion about the importance of seeking assistance and support
to deal with some very stressful life events and situations. After the discussion, there will be an
activity for the students, giving them different scenarios in which they will think what the best
thing to do in each situation. After the discussion, students will be encouraged to ask questions.
Topic 4: Positive Mental Health
Learning Objectives: In this lesson, students will be able to:
Understand the importance of having a positive mental health
Identify stress, its impact to an individual
Learn when to apply stress reduction techniques and what kinds of stress reduction
techniques can be helpful
Required Time: 15 minutes
Place/Venue: Students Classroom
Target Participants: Grade 12 Students
Activities/Needed Materials: Handouts/Activity Cards
Preparation: There will be a discussion about the importance of having a positive mental health.
Stress and its impact on people lives will also discuss and the different techniques and ways to
do to handle stress. An activity will be given to the students for them to identify the positive
coping and negative coping. After the discussion, students will be encouraged to ask questions.
References:
*Aferrigno. “What one update to national mental health policy would you like to see instituted in
the next five years, and why?” IMHRO. N.D.Web. 22 July 2015.
*Serani, D. “The Importance of Health Awareness Days.” Psychology Today. 6 Oct 2013. Web.
20 July 2015.
*NAMI. “What is Mental Illness: Mental Illness Facts.” NAMI. N.D. Web. 21 July 2015.
*www.albertahealthservices.ca/amh/amh.aspx
*www.aacap.org
*www.mindmatters.edu.au
*www.nimh.nih.gov/
