Nieshel Fall is an inspirational leader and effective communicator living and working in the greater Birmingham area of Jefferson County, Alabama. A respected voice in decision making, strategic planning, and community outreach, Nieshel earns a seat at the table wherever she serves. She has held numerous leadership roles throughout the Southeastern United States and volunteers her time consistently with local organizations. Currently engaged as the Executive Director for the Smithfield Community Development Inc, Nieshel oversees the mission to empower the community through collective resources, transformative programs, and inspiring opportunities.
Introduction
1 in 5 teenagers suffers from a mental health disorder. This is a staggering statistic, considering nearly one-third of them show signs of depression. Mental health disorders can harm relationships, disrupt school academic performance at school, and lead to suicide. Mental health disorders can be mistaken as regular anger or irritability. Social withdrawal, major changes in appetite and sleep are also signs of a mental health disorder. Mental health still carries a stigma with it, so families may not seek help for a teenager suffering from a mental health disorder. If a teen gets help for the mental health disorder after the symptoms appear, the impact on the teen will be less. Learning about mental health disorders is important because so many people do not understand them. Understanding mental health disorders will make them less scary. As a teen, you will be better prepared, to be honest with yourself and help other teens who suffer from mental health disorders. This web quest is designed to help you become better acquainted with mental health disorders.
Task
After watching Kevin Breel: Confessions of a Depressed Comic,visit various websites that contain information on various mental health states then take the "self-test" online (answer honestly). The knowledge you will obtain from the video, the websites, and the personal online analysis will provide you with insight into how mental health is stigmatized in today's society and how it can truly affect an individual's life. This WebQuest will give you a deeper understanding of mental health and will allow you to relate the information back to your personal life to see if depression is something you, or someone you know, may be dealing with. You will be asked to take what you have learned from the video, the websites, and the self-evaluation, to answer the questions given to you in this WebQuest.
Goals for this activity are:
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To understand key characteristics of mental disorders.
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To understand different types of mental disorders.
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To understand treatments of mental is disorders.
Process
Everyday life, as well as traumatic events, can have varying effects on an individual's short-term and long-term mental, social, and emotional health. 50% of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14 and 75% by age 24. Some may experience anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and severe depression. This onset of mental illness(es) can change someone's personal interactions with others as well as how they view themselves.
1. Watch Kevin Breel's TEDTalk:
2. Visit and Analyze these websites :
- Teen Depression-- http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/teen-depression/index.shtml
- Trauma - https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/impact-traumatic-events-mental-health
- Teen Bipolar Disorder--http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder-in-children-and-teens-easy-to-read/index.shtml
- Teen Social Phobia-- http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/social-phobia-social-anxiety-disorder/index.shtml
- TeenHealth: http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/depression.html
3. Take the Self Assessment:
Evaluation
- Define stigma.
- What are some types of mental disorders?
- Who can have a mental disorder?
- How is it treated?
- What are some of the complications?
- How can I help someone who has a mental disorder?
- Why should someone seek treatment for their illness?
- What are some ways that a person can get help?
- What are the positive effects of treatment?
- What are the negative effects/risks of living a life with untreated depression?
- How does getting/not getting help positively/negatively affect the surrounding people in a person's life?
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have completed this WebQuest. Now that you have more knowledge on mental health and depression, you can use what you have learned to help others address their illness with your support and knowledge of various treatment methods and also help educate others in your community about the stigma associated with mental illnesses. Good luck!