May is Mental Health Month. Mental health is a state of cognitive or emotional well-being. It is how an individual handles stress and copes with life. It is also the absence of a mental illness.
In the United States, mental disorders affect approximately one in five families. Effective treatment for mental illnesses can involve both psychotherapy and prescription drugs. One type of mental illness is depression, a mental condition characterized by extreme feelings of sadness, worthlessness or hopelessness, fatigue, irritability, loss of appetite, inability to concentrate, insomnia, or excessive sleeping. It may have physical or emotional causes and may require long-term treatment.
Depression is a leading cause of disability in America, and it is sometimes accompanied by alcohol or drug abuse. Mental illnesses such as depression and substance abuse are responsible for 90% of suicides.
Learning Activity
Assign students to address the essential question for critical thinking for either the Pro or Con position for one of the three Mental Health issues listed in the pathfinder below.
Students should write a report of at least 150 words (or a presentation of at least seven slides) that cites at least three resources.
Research Pathfinder
Click the Visual Browse link > Drugs, Health, and Wellness > Mental Health > Select one of the three issues: Mental Depression, Suicide, or Teenagers--Suicidal Behavior
Click the "Research Guides" link in the tool bar located inside the issue after opening it to see the choices:
Writing a Research Paper
Writing a Mini-Research Paper (student and teacher management versions)
Creating a PowerPoint Presentation
Creating a Mini-Debate (student and teacher management versions)
Make students aware of the 21st Century research tool--NOTES ORGANIZER (see icon next to Research Guides) that is available in this and all issues after opening them. This unique tool helps students to organize their thoughts using the selected parts of the information that they access on this issue.
