High school students have to meet a varied set of requirements before they are able to graduate. They are made to take certain classes, some even have required service projects. These requirements are set in order to prepare students for their future, whether that’s college, employment, or any other routes. High school serves as a practice for real life. One thing that is often forgotten from all of these requirements is education on how to maintain one’s mental health. High schools should require their students to take a class on mental health to help them deal with any mental health issues they may face.

There isn’t nearly enough emphasis placed on mental health in high school curriculums. Most schools make students takes some form of a health class. Health classes are important and teach students important lessons they’ll need in life, but unfortunately those classes don’t give enough attention to teaching students how to understand and deal with mental health issues. The stigma surrounding illnesses such as depression and anxiety prevents these classes from teaching kids how to maintain one’s mental health. Discussing mental illness causes people to get uncomfortable. Unfortunately, that is playing a part in the lack of education students get about mental health. It’s important to overcome that stigma in order to inform kids about the reality of mental illnesses.

While mental illness is stigmatized, it still has an immense impact on society. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for people ages 15 to 24 and the fourth leading cause of death among kids ages 10 to 14. These are extremely concerning statistics. A class on mental health would not just prepare students for the future, but also equip them to seek help during their adolescence. There are many aspects in life that could take a toll on a teenager’s mental health; family issues, friends and classmates, school stress, and other daily struggles. A class that focuses on mental health would teach students about varying mental illness. It would provide them with the language to identity their feelings and be able to express them to others. Just like every high school student knows the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell, they should know what depression is and how to recognize its signs. Lessons like this could greatly improve the lives of the students and quite literally save lives.