Background of study:

There is no health without mental health.

Promoting mental health is a vital key to improvement of the standard of living of the society, on the whole. The mental health of a person depends upon various parameters & it is difficult to point out cause contributing to poor or average mental health. Amongst the various strata of society, students population in India seem to be neglected regarding provision of mental health awareness.

"A solid family, environment is essential in paving the way for the realization of dreams & aspirations of rend." -Nelson Mandela

Adolescence is a critical age group as this is a period to develop specific expertise & to develop individual skill to enter the mainstream workforce and contribute to the economic productivity. It is also a period when major changes in health and health related behaviors such as smoking and substance abuse, unsafe sexual practices, poor eating of lack of exercise occur which may be substantially impact health outcomes in later the life. Often, because of misconceptions about mental health & mental fitness, students group often suffer in silence and their conditions go untreated.

Mental health awareness can help them to understand the symptoms, find professional treatment and perhaps most importantly, break the mental health stigma that leaves so many people suffering in secret.

Although calls have been made for a greater application of research & clinical resources & mental health services to reduce longer term distress & disability.

Multiple factors affect mental health. The more risk factors students are exposed to, the greater potential impact on their mental health. Factors that can contribute to stress during adolescence include exposure to adversity, pressure to conform to peers and exploration of identity. Media influence and gender norms can exacerbate the disparity between students’ lived reality and their perceptions or aspirations for the future. Other important determinants include the quality of their home life and relationships with peers.

Violence (especially sexual violence and bullying), harsh parenting and severe and socioeconomic problems are recognized risks to mental health.

Some students are at greater risk of mental health conditions due to their living conditions, stigma, discrimination or exclusion, or lack of access to quality support and services. These include students living in humanitarian and fragile settings; with chronic illness, autism spectrum disorder, an intellectual disability or other neurological condition; pregnant students, students’ parents, or those in early or forced marriages; orphans; and students from minority ethnic or sexual backgrounds or other discriminated groups.

Many risk-taking behaviours for health, such as substance use or sexual risk-taking, start during adolescence. Risk-taking behaviors can be an unhelpful strategy to cope with emotional difficulties and can severely impact student’s mental and physical well-being.

Perpetration of violence is a risk-taking behavior that can increase the likelihood of low educational attainment, injury, involvement with crime or death. Interpersonal violence was ranked among the leading causes of death of older students boys in 2021.

§  Globally, one in seven 10-19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 13% of the global burden of disease in this age group.

§  Depression, anxiety and behavioral disorders are among the leading causes ofillness and disability among students.

§  Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15-19-year-olds.

§  The consequences of failing to address students mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults.

One in six people are aged 10-19 years. Adolescence is a unique and formative time. Physical, emotional and social changes, including exposure to poverty, abuse, or violence, can make students vulnerable to mental health problems. Protecting students from adversity, promoting socio-emotional learning and psychological well-being, and ensuring access to mental health care are critical for their health and well-being during adolescence and adulthood. Globally, it is estimated that 1 in 7 (14%) 10-19-year-olds experience mental health conditions, yet these remain largely unrecognized and untreated. Students with mental health conditions are particularly vulnerable to social exclusion, discrimination, stigma (affecting readiness to seek help), educational difficulties, risk-taking behaviours, and physical ill-health and human rights violations.

Adolescence is a crucial period for developing social and emotional habits important for mental well-being. These include adopting healthy sleep patterns; exercising regularly; developing coping, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills; and learning to manage emotions. Protective and supportive environments in the family, at school and in the wider community are important.

Materials and methods: The Research Method adopted for the present study was Quasi-experimental Approach, which was quantitative research design. Non-probability convenient sampling technique was used. A study aimed to assess the effectiveness of planned mental health teaching program on the awareness of mental health among the students in selected junior college of the city and determining its effectiveness statistically. This approach would help the investigator to evaluate the effect of planned mental health programme on knowledge Sample size was 60. Self-structured questionnaire was used as tool.