Essay On Mental Illness In Schools

One in five people in America suffer from a form of a mental health disorder (Mental health). Many people, especially children, develop severe mental illnesses which are usually left untreated for a very long time. Mental illness is becoming more and more common in today’s society. With more younger kids becoming vulnerable to possible mental health disorders, schools should be taking note. Schools in the United States should require mental health screenings; mental health problems can start very early on in life, school violence could be prevented, and suicide rates could go down. A staggering number of children are being diagnosed with severe mental health disorders each year. From 2012 to 2015 “Rates of youth with severe depression increased from 5.9% ...to 8.2%... 76% of youth are left with no or insufficient treatment” (MHA). Mental illness is becoming much more common; people should start recognizing it and

As of 2015, 5 in 100,000 girls and 14 in 100,000 teenagers commit suicide (Lewis). Teenagers are becoming more vulnerable and schools seem to be taking no notice. If these lives could be saved, it would help so many families across the united states. The National Institute of Mental Health states that there “are as many as 25 attempts of suicide to every one that is actually committed” (Eco Child’s Play). Suicides can be prevented by treatment of the illness. Undiagnosed people are failing to receive proper treatment and this could lead to suicide due to the constant negative thoughts that come with many mental illnesses. According to studies, "the suicide rate for girls ages 15 to 19 doubled from 2007 to 2015" (Holmes). Suicide rates are the highest they have been in 40 years. People seem to look over this simple yet astonishing fact. This is not only the wellbeing of students, their lives could be on the line. Schools should be aware of the increasing number of suicides and be taking