As part of efforts to ensure that mental health gets required attention, the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) has announced a new course, Mental Health and Wellness, to provide mental health resources and knowledge to allow individuals check in with themselves and community, offering tools to recognise signs and support others.
The course, a five-part course on Mental Health and Wellness, will allow learners to explore topics about mental health and its importance to individuals and to communities.
Subjects covered include how to recognize mental health issues, identifying normal reactions to everyday life, when a normal reaction may become a mental illness and what you can do to help promote mental health awareness in your community.
The introductory module gives an overview of this course on Mental Health and Wellness as well as gives a platform to meet the authors. The course is written by Dr. Paul Bolton and Dr. Laura Murray of the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health. And it looks to define mental health and its importance, how to recognize mental health issues, identify normal reactions to everyday life, and what you can do to help promote mental health awareness in your community.
The course introduces the concept of mental health, its significance in daily life, and strategies for maintaining good mental well-being. The session highlights how mental health is foundational to personal and community well-being, productivity and resilience.
Each module has a downloadable discussion guide to allow learners have a guide that they will use to begin a conversation in their community about the importance of mental health.Â
It allows participants distinguish between normal emotional distress and mental illness. It covers common mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance misuse and how to differentiate between normal emotional responses and diagnosable mental health conditions. It also introduces professional treatment options, focusing on the importance of maintaining therapeutic relationships to treat mental health conditions.
This lesson discusses the impact of stigma on the conversation surrounding mental health, empowering young leaders to advocate for awareness, combat stigma, and implement support strategies in their communities.
Hosting a YALILearns session enables individuals to share knowledge and raise awareness about the significance of mental health.
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