Why Mental Health Is Important To Overall Health Among Teachers

KEY POINTS
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental health is who we are. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Mental health and soundness are the definitions of how “human” we are and it largely shapes our destiny.
We rarely talk about mental health and accord it the seriousness that it deserves. It is easy for people to notice certain changes in people but rarely do they get to notice when one is going through a mental breakdown.
Cases of mental illness have been on the rise in Kenya. A day does not pass without news flushing both online and offline of someone having committed suicide, of someone having killed someone, someone losing a lucrative job because of drug and substance abuse, someone “in good health” stripping naked and vanishing from their homes, among others.
The truth is that mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental health is who we are. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.
Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Mental health and soundness are the definitions of how “human” we are and it largely shapes our destiny.
There is a need to realize that mental and physical health are equally important components of overall health. For example, depression increases the risk for many types of physical health problems, particularly long-lasting conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. At the same time, the presence of chronic conditions can increase the risk for mental illness.
When it comes to the teaching profession, mental health has everything to do with their well-being and how they will determine the future of so many lives. Teachers are the only human being who turn boys into real men and girls into real women in terms of thinking, reasoning, and taking care of themselves and those around them.
If there are people, who cannot afford to have any mental issues, are teachers. Teachers are always in contact with our children, both at the primary and secondary levels. They are expected to guide our children to have a better future. They are the engineers and the compass that guides present and future generations socially, economically, and politically.
Some of the triggers of mental illness among our teachers may include too much work, especially when the teacher has a class of many learners to handle. Imagine a teacher expected to teach, issue assignments, and manually mark every book/script of more than 100 learners. Stressing, right?
According to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), employee wellbeing is a critical factor in the success of any organization. Maintaining a healthy and motivated workforce in a safe work environment is a key challenge that the Commission must overcome in order to realize its constitutional mandate and enhance service delivery.
It is on this premise that Minet introduced its toll-free counseling services, especially with the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2019 (Current scheme period 2019-2022) to date in total, we have attended 268 cases through the Employee Assistance Program. The top Cases are Stress & Anxiety, Loss and grief, Marital Issues, CDM, Mental Health issues, Financial issues, and Child Therapy
Did you know that help is a phone call away? As a TSC member, you and your dependents qualify for free counseling services by reaching out to us through a toll-free Helpline on 0800720029.
Related Content: Breaking Down of Mental Health, Causes And What Kenyan Teachers Should Do
About Juma
Juma is an enthusiastic journalist who believes that journalism has power to change the world either negatively or positively depending on how one uses it.(020) 528 0222 or Email: info@sokodirectory.com
- January 2025 (119)
- February 2025 (120)
- January 2024 (238)
- February 2024 (227)
- March 2024 (190)
- April 2024 (133)
- May 2024 (157)
- June 2024 (145)
- July 2024 (136)
- August 2024 (154)
- September 2024 (212)
- October 2024 (255)
- November 2024 (196)
- December 2024 (143)
- January 2023 (182)
- February 2023 (203)
- March 2023 (322)
- April 2023 (298)
- May 2023 (268)
- June 2023 (214)
- July 2023 (212)
- August 2023 (257)
- September 2023 (237)
- October 2023 (264)
- November 2023 (286)
- December 2023 (177)
- January 2022 (293)
- February 2022 (329)
- March 2022 (358)
- April 2022 (292)
- May 2022 (271)
- June 2022 (232)
- July 2022 (278)
- August 2022 (253)
- September 2022 (246)
- October 2022 (196)
- November 2022 (232)
- December 2022 (167)
- January 2021 (182)
- February 2021 (227)
- March 2021 (325)
- April 2021 (259)
- May 2021 (285)
- June 2021 (272)
- July 2021 (277)
- August 2021 (232)
- September 2021 (271)
- October 2021 (304)
- November 2021 (364)
- December 2021 (249)
- January 2020 (272)
- February 2020 (310)
- March 2020 (390)
- April 2020 (321)
- May 2020 (335)
- June 2020 (327)
- July 2020 (333)
- August 2020 (276)
- September 2020 (214)
- October 2020 (233)
- November 2020 (242)
- December 2020 (187)
- January 2019 (251)
- February 2019 (215)
- March 2019 (283)
- April 2019 (254)
- May 2019 (269)
- June 2019 (249)
- July 2019 (335)
- August 2019 (293)
- September 2019 (306)
- October 2019 (313)
- November 2019 (362)
- December 2019 (318)
- January 2018 (291)
- February 2018 (213)
- March 2018 (275)
- April 2018 (223)
- May 2018 (235)
- June 2018 (176)
- July 2018 (256)
- August 2018 (247)
- September 2018 (255)
- October 2018 (282)
- November 2018 (282)
- December 2018 (184)
- January 2017 (183)
- February 2017 (194)
- March 2017 (207)
- April 2017 (104)
- May 2017 (169)
- June 2017 (205)
- July 2017 (189)
- August 2017 (195)
- September 2017 (186)
- October 2017 (235)
- November 2017 (253)
- December 2017 (266)
- January 2016 (164)
- February 2016 (165)
- March 2016 (189)
- April 2016 (143)
- May 2016 (245)
- June 2016 (182)
- July 2016 (271)
- August 2016 (247)
- September 2016 (233)
- October 2016 (191)
- November 2016 (243)
- December 2016 (153)
- January 2015 (1)
- February 2015 (4)
- March 2015 (164)
- April 2015 (107)
- May 2015 (116)
- June 2015 (119)
- July 2015 (145)
- August 2015 (157)
- September 2015 (186)
- October 2015 (169)
- November 2015 (173)
- December 2015 (205)
- March 2014 (2)
- March 2013 (10)
- June 2013 (1)
- March 2012 (7)
- April 2012 (15)
- May 2012 (1)
- July 2012 (1)
- August 2012 (4)
- October 2012 (2)
- November 2012 (2)
- December 2012 (1)