This document discusses the importance of promoting mental health among young people. It defines mental health and explains that factors like physical trauma, psychological events, social problems, and poverty can influence mental health. Consequences of poor mental health include anxiety, depression and deliberate self-harm. The document recommends various interventions to promote mental health such as early childhood programs, skills building, socioeconomic empowerment, and mental health promotion in schools. Counseling, guidance, support from professionals and peers can help reduce instances of mental illness among young people.

1. Mental Health
Learning objectives
By end the topic
participants would have
learnt the following:

2. Learning objectives
 Definition of mental health
 Why is mental health of particular importance
among young people
 Consequences of poor mental health
 Promoting mental health among young
people

3. Definition of mental health
 Mental health is an essential dimension in
the definition of health according to WHO
 Mental health can be conseptualized as a
state of well being in which the individual
realises his or her own abilities, can cope
with normal stresses of life, can work fruitfully
and is able to make a contribution to his or
her community.

4.  Mental health also relates to a person’s
ability to manage and cope with feelings that
may arise as a result of their understanding
or experience of social, physical or
psychological events.
 Young people are dynamic and energetic , as
such, their mental health is very important.

5. Why is mental health of particular
importance among young people?
 Keeping young people health will translate to
a vibrant nation contributing towards
development of the nation.
 This means less juveniles,less mental illness
cases and disorders, less violence.
 Good mental health among young people
means more young people finishing school,

6. Importance of mental health to YP
More young people will be able to manage their
own businesses; but there will also be a
reduction in incidences of HIV associated
with abuse of drugs and substances .

7. Factors influencing Mental health
 Physical factors – brain injuries/ trauma,
accidents, birth injuries/ developmental
disorders.
 Psychological factors – These events are
so traumatic that YP feel incapable of
handling the events and they become
compromised.

8. Social factors
 Social problems especially those that cause
stress are recognised as a cause of mental
health eg poverty, failure in shool, abuse ,
unemployment, violence , high incidence of
HIV and substance abuse

9. Consequences of poor mental health
 Anxiety and stress
 Depression
 Deliberate self harm
 Eating disorders
 Obsessive compulsive behaviours
 Psychosis

10. Promoting mental health
 Interventions of promoting mental health
among young people
 Early childhood interventions eg home
visiting for pregnant women , pre school
psycho social interventions etc
 Support to children (eg skills building
programmes, child and youth development
programmes)

11. Interventions cont’d
• Socio-economic empowerment of women ( eg
improving access to education, micro credit
schemes)
• Social support to old age populations
• Programmes targeted at vulnerable groups
• Mental health promotion activities in schools eg
child friendly schools
• Mental health interventions at work eg stress
prevention programmes

12.  Housing policies eg house improvements
 Violence prevention programmes eg
community policing initiatives .
 Community development programmes eg
intergrated rural development

13. Critical elements in promoting mental
health among adolescents and YP
 1 Power of communication
 2 Holding boundaries
 3 Asking questions
 4 Emotional literacy
 5 Exploring options vs giving advice
 6 Challenging
 7 Knowing your limitations

14.  Giving constructive criticism
Summary
 Promoting mental health among young
people is very important to prevent mental
illness
 Mental health of YP is affected by physical,
social economic and psychological fators.

15. Summary cont’d
 Counselling and guidance are very
paramount at all levels and this could be part
of comprehensive YFHS.
 Consequences of poor mental health could
be difficult to manage and could take time,
however, professionals , parents and peers
need to support YP so that we can reduce
incidences of mental health

16.  Health workers, social workers, parents
should help young people realise who they
are, be empathetic to them and offer
constructive criticisms.