Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Mental health and an awareness of it should be included in the national curriculum for schools. The Young People's Mental Health Advisory Group which is part of the National Health Service, NHS, clinical research network recently recommended this in the United Kingdom. We should do the same here. The rationale is that prevention is better than cure and that if problems present in later years, they can be dealt with more effectively. Others have mentioned the stigma attached to mental health as a first obstacle. What better way to tackle this than in early education about mental health while young people are still learning?

The NHS indicates that to have maximum access to young people, it is best done through schools. School is also where many young people start to experience mental health problems first. We have had some advances in educating young people about their mental health. MindOut and the Jigsaw mental health project are services that have been very successful. Youth Work Ireland has been offering an excellent service for young people with mental health difficulties across the country. They take up the slack in the State system and prevent even more people from joining waiting lists. However, a more sustained and school based approach is warranted.

A host of international, peer-reviewed literature on the subject suggests a multi-level, school based intervention on adolescents' emotional well being is effective. The Oireachtas Library and Research Service also produced a very good spotlight document on promoting mental health in schools. It suggests mental health, rather than being seen as a problem, should be seen as something which requires maintenance and protection. I could not agree more. It is not a problem to be solved but part of who we are, like a limb or an organ.

Some mental health difficulties are lifelong. While there may be no cure, in the majority of cases there are ways to enable people to live their lives. It is ongoing and we should not think it is in any way a problem. Our discussions should be about ways to enable people who suffer from mental health difficulties to lead the most fulfilling lives possible. We should be concentrating on promoting physical fitness, exercise and a balanced diet, on developing our mental health awareness and knowledge and on ongoing support and treatment, where necessary.

I will make a point which I picked up from a recent social media post and talking to people. Some people, when they hear that a friend or acquaintance is taking anti-depressants to treat depression or anxiety, have a tendency to be critical of the use of anti-depressants. The point was made that some people benefited enormously by taking them. I recently spoke to a person who was infuriated by the suggestion the use of medication was something to be criticised. While the person would prefer not to be taking it, it enables them to avail of non-medical treatments. Medication is often taken as part of an holistic treatment for anxiety or depression which may involve exercise and cognitive behavioural therapy.

There is no golden rule. People's mental health issues are complex and multifaceted and require knowledge and understanding. That brings me back to my original point. Where better to impart that knowledge and understanding than in school? The research indicates that mental health promotion programmes are effective in equipping people with the necessary skills to avoid or deal with mental health difficulties. There are great benefits to be had from school-based programmes. They include positive effects on behaviour, social and emotional skills, the ability to learn and achieve academically and increased levels of problem solving in social settings.

The World Health Organization estimates that 20% of children and adolescents worldwide experience mental health problems. The OECD reports that 4.5% of Europe's population suffer from depression, with an associated cost of more than €118 billion. In Ireland the cost of poor mental health was estimated to be 2% of GDP, or €2 billion, two years before the economic crisis struck in 2008. Major costs are associated with poor mental health. While there would be a cost involved in placing mental health in the education system curriculum, it is very much warranted, both practically and financially. It would be the right thing to do.

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