Mental Health Classes Coming to a NY School Near You

When I was graduating from high school I was overwhelmed and completely unsure of what was coming next. None of what I had learned over the course of my four years could have prepared me. But, now it looks like that'll change for high school students in New York.

I'm sure you can think back to your days wandering the halls of your school at 14, 15 or 16 years old. For me it was Shenendehowa's high school east, scurrying around worried I was going to be late to 7th period. My biggest concerns being if my outfit was 'cool' enough and why they thought 10 minutes was enough time to get from one wing of the school to the other (it never was, by the way.)

I knew nothing of what this world really was. American History and my second try at Geometry didn't give me a glimpse into how challenging life could be. And honestly, it just seems to be getting more and more busy by the day for all of us, especially the next generation to which this stress is all too normal for. Learning how to handle it is so incredibly important.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has realized just this and that's why starting in 2018 it'll be a requirement to add mental health into our schools health classes. Along with educating on drugs, alcohol, tobacco and prevention and detection of cancers the new mandate will include educating on signs of mental illness not only within themselves but others. This is with the hopes that we will become better at recognizing and seeking help. This may also help those with behavioral problems ask for help rather than dropping out of high school, which many typically do.

This new law in education will go into effect for July of 2018.

Did you know that, whether it's due to life experiences and stress or chemically within ourselves that a study states roughly half of us will meet the "criteria for a mental disorder sometime" in our lives. These can begin as early as childhood and adolescence, which makes this law even more important.

For more visit here.