Should Students Receive Mental Health Days?

Suppose you wake up with a fever, scratchy throat and dribbling nose. You sit up in bed and are struck with a pounding headache. The assumption is you would stay home and call in sick. But if a student feels incredibly overwhelmed or  lackluster, he or she is still expected to attend school. Just like the flu or a simple cold, a weak mental state is like being sick. Although mental health is often tossed aside as an insignificant, minor obstacle, students should take mental health days to reach their full potential. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 4.4 million children between the ages of three and 17 have been diagnosed with anxiety. 74% of  those diagnosed also have depression. Yet people continue to disregard kids’ mental health. 

Without proper treatment, the consequences include  a toll on academic life. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, students diagnosed with depression are more than twice as likely to drop out of high school.

A weak mental state fogs students’ concentration and overall academic performance. With days dedicated to recuperating one’s mental health, students can perform better and achieve more in school. With days off, students can focus on regaining their mental strength and rebuilding their happiness and well-being without having the immense amount of school work looming over their heads.

Students should care for their mental health as they would their physical health. Sit back, relax and remember to put mental wellness first. Just remember not to use a mental health day as an excuse to play hooky!