The number of young Australians experiencing psychological distress is increasing. The implications for COVID-19, the stress on training, and availability psychologists will likely add to mental health challenges.

The COVID-19 has contributed to the decline of mental health in Australian youth. Our research and Other studies found that young people do not feel equipped to manage mental health. It is alarming that mental illness can begin as early as 14.5 years old and that about one out of seven Australian teenagers experience mental illness.

At present, schools are addressing mental health and wellbeing through a curriculum for social and emotional learning. Some schools have school psychologists or counselors who offer individual or group support to students.

research reveals that more than one-third of young people who have mental health issues do not seek professional assistance. It is a result of a lack of mental health awareness and knowledge, as well as a negative attitude towards mental illness.

There is a requirement to address youth mental illness by using preventive measures such as programs for mental health literacy. Mental health literacy includes knowledge, awareness and behaviours that promote positive mental health. Mental Health Literacy programs are designed to improve skills in order to maintain and achieve good mental health.

Such programs can be based in schools. The school environment already supports learning and development for most young people during their childhood and adolescence.

We used group discussions to allow young people to express their opinions on the current mental health education within the curriculum, and whether or not it meets their mental literacy needs. Thirteen Australian youths participated in the 2021 discussions.

What did students tell you?

Participants to our study expressed concern about not receiving enough information on mental health at school. Also, they find it hard to identify the right help sources. We heard from them:

I haven’t liked how little […] talks about mental health.

It’s hard to help friends when they don’t talk about mental health.

The most common way to seek help was through informal sources such as friends, family and the Internet. The young were less likely than older people to seek help from formal sources, such as mental health professionals or general practitioners.

Fear of saying or crossing a line is preventing young people from supporting a friend with mental health issues.

Read more: Climate change, mental health services, a better education system: what marginalised young people told us needs to be fixed

Stigma is still a big problem

Mental illness is still stigmatised and there are negative attitudes towards it despite the many campaigns and initiatives to normalise this condition.

The young people often refer to mental health as an “hush-hush” topic, with the language used in relation to it being negative.

Lack of knowledge about mental health was seen as contributing towards stigma. One young person stated:

When people do not understand something […], they are afraid of it.

Our study found that educating youth about mental health and normalising mental illness in schools can help reduce stigma.

Although mental health is a sensitive subject, many young people feel it’s important to learn and understand it in school from experts.

Mental health education is best taught in schools

The young people are asking schools to help them recognize mental health issues and to provide practical strategies for coping. The students observed that mental health discussions in schools are usually triggered by crises or stressful times such as exams. These discussions are often rushed and incomplete.

It is important to talk about mental illness with students at all stages of their education. As one student told us, this will help them develop their mental health literacy.

If you have the knowledge to help you overcome this issue, you can better deal with it and bounce back in the future.

All levels of education should include mental health information for youth. Some felt frustrated because they hadn’t learned appropriate coping strategies before entering secondary education.

Students view schools as safe places to support their mental health. This suggests that schools have a responsibility to provide a comprehensive education, which includes mental health.

Mental health should be a topic of discussion in this second home.

Read more: Youth anxiety and depression are at record levels. Mental health hubs could be the answer.

A good education includes mental health literacy.

According to the youth in our study, more needs to be achieved in schools to improve mental literacy.

There is proof preventive mental health approaches are effective. School-based mental health literacy programs are one way to combat the lack of mental education in Australia.

The purpose of schools is to promote the development and learning of children and young adults. This should include improving mental health and mental literacy.