Lesson video

Hello, my name is Miss Willow, and I'm going to be your teacher for today's lesson.

Today's lesson is called "Impacts of poor mental health," and it fits into the unit Mental health: How might my mental health change? During this lesson, we are going to be talking about mental health issues and some other sensitive content.

So for this lesson, we require you to have an adult with you.

If you don't have an adult with you at the moment, please come back to this lesson when you do have one with you.

And if at any point during this lesson you feel worried or uncomfortable, it's important that you stop this lesson and that you speak to a trusted adult.

Okay, let's make a start.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to evaluate the impacts of poor mental health on individuals, families, and communities.

Before we get started with today's lesson, we need to go over some ground rules.

These help to make sure that everyone feels safe and comfortable during today's lesson.

Laura says that we need to listen to others.

It's okay to disagree with each other, but we should always listen properly before we make any assumptions or before we decide how to respond.

When we disagree with someone else, it's important to challenge the statement and not the person themselves.

Next, Andeep says that we need to respect each other's privacy.

We can discuss examples, but we shouldn't use any names or descriptions that could identify anyone, including ourselves.

Next, Izzy says that we can choose our level of participation.

Everyone has the right to choose not to answer a question or to join in with discussion.

We should never put anyone on the spot.

And finally, Jacob says, "No judgment.

We can explore any beliefs and misunderstandings that we have about a topic without fear of being judged by others." We're now going to take a look at the keywords for today's lesson.

Our first keyword is quality of life.

This is how good and satisfying someone's life feels overall, including their health, relationships, and happiness.

And next, we have withdrawal.

This is pulling away from people or activities, often because of feeling low or struggling with mental health.

Today's lesson is split into two learning cycles.

Our first learning cycle is called How can poor mental health affect quality of life? And our second learning cycle is called How can poor mental health affect other people? Let's make a start on our first learning cycle, How can poor mental health affect quality of life? Mental health is how well we feel emotionally, psychologically, and socially.

Dr.

Elsie says that poor mental health impacts the way a person thinks, feels, or behaves.

It can severely impact a person's quality of life, including their ability to work and maintain healthy relationships.

Poor mental health can happen to anyone any time of their life.

It's not a sign of weakness, and it doesn't mean that someone is broken or damaged.

Poor mental health can be triggered by any number of things.

Dr.

Elsie explains that mental health is extremely complex and it can be negatively impacted by a variety of different factors, such as big life events, substance abuse, or harmful online content.

However, social isolation and experiencing discrimination can also lead to poor mental health.

Additionally, genetic factors, physical health conditions, and prolonged stress can contribute to poor mental health.

Sometimes there may not be an obvious trigger at all.

Let's do a check for understanding to see how you are doing.

What do you think of this statement? Is it true or false? Poor mental health does not impact a person's quality of life.

What do you think? Is this true or false? Pause the video, talk to the people around you, or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that this is false, but why? You might have said that poor mental health can severely impact a person's quality of life, including their ability to work and maintain healthy relationships.

Well done if you said the same thing.

Poor mental health can be difficult to spot because some people become very good at hiding how they're feeling.

This can be due to a variety of reasons, for example, because they're worried about being judged or they don't want to feel like a burden to others or that they find communicating their feelings difficult.

Some people can also find it hard to identify what emotions they're feeling.

Additionally, it can also be difficult to notice because mental health affects everyone differently.

Whilst one person might withdraw socially, others might become overly busy or irritable.

This is why it's really important to check in with people regularly, even when they seem fine on the surface.

Poor mental health can affect a person's quality of life in many ways, including having a feeling of persistent low mood or feelings of sadness.

They might say something like, "I just feel so desperately down lately.

I feel teary all the time, and just have this relentless sense of hopelessness." They might experience overwhelming feelings of worry.

They might say something like, "I get easily panicked about things that don't seem to worry other people around me.

I end up feeling anxious and catastrophize about stuff all the time." This means always thinking of the worst case scenario.

Someone can also experience social withdrawal, so they might say something like, "I don't want to see anyone.

I would rather just shut myself away in my bedroom.

I don't think anyone would want to spend time with me right now anyway." Let's do another check for understanding.

Why might poor mental health be difficult to spot in some people? Can you explain your ideas to your partner? Talk to your partner or have a think to yourself.

You might have said that some people become very good at hiding how they're feeling and that mental health affects everyone differently.

This can mean that poor mental health can be difficult to spot in some people.

Well done if you said the same thing.

Poor mental health can also cause changes in appetite.

Someone might say something like, "I've been so stressed and down lately that I'm eating for comfort.

I'm not choosing healthy snacks.

I just go for sugary treats that make me feel better in the moment." Or they might say something like, "Since feeling low, I've gone off my food completely.

I don't want to eat, and when I try, I can't finish a meal." Poor mental health can also cause changes in sleep patterns.

Someone might say something like, "At the moment, I don't want to see anyone or do anything.

When I'm not at school, I sleep for hours on end as I just can't face things right now." Or they might say something like, "I feel so anxious, it's keeping me up at night.

Sometimes I can't fall asleep for hours.

Other times I wake in the middle of the night worrying.

I feel completely exhausted." Someone who's experiencing poor mental health could also experience difficulty focusing.

They might say something like, "When I'm sat in lessons at school, my mind is elsewhere and I really struggle to concentrate on my work, so now I'm starting to fall behind." Or they might say something like, "I used to love playing chess with my friends, but I can't focus for long enough, so I don't bother playing anymore.

Things that used to interest me simply don't these days." Someone who's experiencing poor mental health can also experience some physical symptoms too.

They might say something like, "I've been getting headaches and feeling sick a lot.

My doctor says there's nothing physically wrong, but I realize these symptoms get worse when I'm feeling stressed or anxious." Or they might say, "My stomach always hurts before work now, and I feel really tense in my shoulders.

I didn't connect it to my anxiety at first." Let's do another check for understanding.

Which of the following might be signs and impacts of poor mental health? A, overwhelming feelings of worry; B, social withdrawal; C, improved focus and concentration; or D, unexplained physical symptoms. Which of those might be signs and impacts of poor mental health? Pause the video, talk to the people around you, or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that A, B, and D are correct.

Some of the signs and impacts of poor mental health are overwhelming feelings of worry, social withdrawal, and unexplained physical symptoms. Well done if you got this right.

We're now moving on to our first practice task, and well done for your hard work so far.

I'd like you to answer the following questions.

Number one, what is poor mental health? Number two, what could trigger poor mental health? And finally, number three, what are some of the ways in which poor mental health can affect a person's quality of life? Pause the video, and we'll go through some model answers in a few minutes.

Okay, let's see what you might have said.

For question one, "What is poor mental health?", you might have said that poor mental health is when the way a person thinks, feels, or behaves is negatively affected.

It can severely impact a person's quality of life, including their ability to work and maintain healthy relationships.

Poor mental health can happen to anyone at any time of their life.

For question two, "What could trigger poor mental health?", you might have said that mental health can be negatively impacted by a whole variety of different factors, such as big life events, substance abuse, or harmful online content.

However, social isolation and experiencing discrimination can also lead to poor mental health.

Genetic factors, physical health conditions, and prolonged stress can also contribute, and sometimes there may not be an obvious trigger.

For the last question, "What are some of the ways in which poor mental health can affect a person's quality of life?", you might have said that poor mental health can cause persistent low mood or feelings of sadness, overwhelming feelings of worry, social withdrawal, changes in appetite and sleep patterns, and difficulty focusing.

Well done if your answers were anything like this.

We're now moving on to our second learning cycle, How can poor mental health affect other people? Poor mental health doesn't just affect the individual, but can also impact the lives of those around them.

Social worker Natalie explains that understanding this helps us to recognize the importance of supporting both the person experiencing poor mental health and those close to them.

First of all, we're going to talk about family.

This person says, "It's really hard watching our child live with poor mental health, and my partner and I feel emotionally drained sometimes.

We often feel guilty that we didn't spot the signs sooner, and we sometimes question whether it's something that we did wrong as parents." This person says, "A lot of my friends don't know that my mom struggles with depression.

I don't tend to talk about it as there's a bit of a stigma around poor mental health, so I worry that they won't understand.

Some days are harder than others as I don't know how she'll be feeling when I get back from school.

I tend not to go out much as I feel I should look after her at home." We're now going to talk about how poor mental health can affect friends.

This person says, "Recently I felt a real disconnect between me and my best friend.

Since he lost a family member, he's had poor mental health and has withdrawn socially.

I try to be understanding, but because we don't see each other anymore, we've naturally lost touch and I find myself not inviting him to things as I know that he'll say no." This person says, "My friend has been struggling with anxiety, and I really want to help, but I'm not sure what to do.

Sometimes I worry I'll say the wrong thing, so I end up saying nothing at all.

I feel guilty that I don't know how to support her properly." Let's do a check for understanding to see how you're doing.

What effects did the family members and friends describe? Pause the video, talk to the people around you, or have a think to yourself.

You might have said that they find it hard to see loved ones struggle, that they feel emotionally drained or guilty, that they feel disconnected from the person experiencing poor mental health, that they worry about saying the wrong thing, and they feel like they need to stay home to care for the person.

Well done if you remembered any of these.

We're now going to talk about our community.

This person says, "As a mental health nurse, I often see the impact of poor mental health on the local community.

People with poor mental health may have to take significant time off work or school.

This can have an impact on their self-worth and their perception of how they contribute to their community in a meaningful way." This person says, "I know that my older neighbor struggles with his mental health.

He doesn't like to talk to people and can come across as reclusive.

However, I try to show empathy towards him in my actions.

I don't force him into conversation and instead try to help him by wheeling his bins back to the house after they've been emptied and by dropping shopping to him." Let's do another check for understanding.

This time, I'd like you to complete the missing words in the following sentence.

Poor mental health doesn't just affect the individual.

It can also impact their blank, blank, and blank.

Which words are missing? Pause the video, talk to the people around you, or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that the missing words were family, friendships, and community.

Poor mental health doesn't just affect the individual.

It can also impact their family, friendships, and community.

Well done if you said the same thing.

People do need support sometimes.

No one has to face poor mental health alone.

People can get help by talking to a trusted adult such as a parent, carer, teacher, or school counselor.

They can speak to their GP for medical advice and treatment.

They can contact free helplines like Childline on 0800 1111, or YoungMinds Crisis Messenger.

To access this, text YM to 85258.

They can also reach out to friends or family who can listen and help them to find support.

They can also use online resources from trusted organizations like Mind or the NHS.

Josephine, who's a charity helpline worker, says that remember, asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Mental health conditions can be treated, and with the right support, people can go on to live contented and meaningful lives.

Recovery looks different for everyone, and many people successfully manage their mental health and thrive.

Getting help early improves the chances of recovery and helps people to regain their quality of life and improve their wellbeing and confidence.

We're now going to do another check for understanding.

This time, I'd like you to decide if the statement is true or false.

If a person suffers with poor mental health, they're unlikely to recover.

What do you think? Is this true or false? Pause the video, talk to the people around you, or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that this is false, but why? You might have said that mental health conditions are treatable, and recovery is possible with the right support.

Well done if you said the same thing.

We're now moving on to our final practice task, and well done for your hard work in this lesson.

I'd like you to write one paragraph to explain how poor mental health doesn't just affect the individual, but how it can also impact the lives of those around them.

I'd like you to include examples of impacts within your answer.

Pause the video, and we'll go through what you might have said in a few minutes.

Okay, let's see what you might have said.

You might have said that poor mental health doesn't just affect the individual, but it can also impact the lives of those around them.

Family relationships can be affected because it's difficult for people to see loved ones struggle with their mental health.

Family members may also feel emotionally drained or guilty for not spotting signs sooner.

Friendships may also be impacted, especially if the individual suffering with poor mental health becomes socially withdrawn and disconnected.

Their community can also be affected, particularly if people with poor mental health take significant time off work or school, as this can impact their self-worth and their perception of how they contribute to their community.

It's always important to try to show empathy towards others.

Well done if you had any of these ideas.

We're now going to summarize the key learning from today's lesson.

In today's lesson, we've learned that poor mental health can affect anyone, no matter their age or background.

It can lead to changes in sleep, appetite, and social life, making everyday routines harder.

When someone's mental health is poor, their quality of life may decrease, making it difficult to work or to keep healthy relationships.

We've also learned that sometimes people experience withdrawal, pulling away from friends or activities that they usually enjoy.

And we've also learned that poor mental health doesn't just affect one person.

It can also impact family and friends who care about them and communities too.

During today's lesson, you might have found that you've got some worries or questions, and if you do, it's really important that you share these with a trusted adult.

There's also some resources on the screen that are there to help you too.

Well done for your hard work today.

I hope to see you again soon.