Talk About It!

We need to expose children to, learn about, and assimilate concepts of mental health and mental illness early through the years. Children need to be comfortable talking about mental health problems, and we will see mental health discussions just as common place as nutrition, lung, or cardiovascular health. Children will know that to be in good health means good mental health as well as good physical health.

Healthy Mind Healthy Body curriculum supplements took years to develop and are being taught in Nova Scotia and Ontario classrooms. The material is delivered by students' own classroom teachers, mainly from Grade Primary to 9.  It is the first time in Canada, that this sort of education has been rolled out to such a broad audience.

Reducing the perceived shame of mental illness is the focus of the materials. When pilot testing the materials, there was a shift in the frankness of students as they aged. Children up to Grade 3 were not shy about discussing mental health issues, but older students, Grades 4 and over were more reluctant. They were still receptive in learning about mental health but less willing to talk about their feelings. We can't say for sure if it is stigma that makes that shift, but this could be one of the factors. One way to address the problem is to start the discussion about mental health while children are still young.