According to a recent survey conducted in the United Kingdom, more than half of Britain’s teachers have been diagnosed with mental health problems. These statistics are truly scary but even with such statistics, it can be argued that teachers’ mental wellbeing is not being given the attention it deserves. When we move abroad to teach, there is a lot of attention given to whether or not we are physically up to the challenge. In order to receive a residence visa in many countries, one needs to obtain a certificate of physical fitness. This is important but it is also important to pay equal attention to our mental fitness.
According to a new study in the UK, three-quarters of the teachers surveyed by Leeds Beckett University believe their poor psychological and emotional conditions could have a detrimental effect on pupils’ progress – a situation campaigners have said: “cannot go on”.
Many teachers blame “Excessive workloads” and growing financial pressures for the increase in mental illnesses among teachers. These problems do not just disappear when we move abroad. Many educators believe that moving abroad to teach will help to get rid of any mental health issues they may have been experiencing in their home countries, only to find out later on that this is not true. Teachers overseas may face less of the issues plaguing teachers in their home countries but they are certainly not completely immune from them. Work-related stress and pressure being experienced by teachers are universal and due attention needs to be paid to teachers’ mental fitness whether they are at home or abroad.
When was the last time you carried out a mental health audit? Below we outline some key questions to ask yourself when assessing your own mental fitness. These questions are by no means exhaustive, but If you find that you are answering negatively to nearly all of them, it might be time to find someone to talk to about your mental fitness:
Little interest or pleasure in doing things
I. Not at all
II. Several days
III. More than half of the days
IV. Nearly every day
Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless
I. Not at all
II. Several days
III. More than half the days
IV. Nearly every day
Trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much
I. Not at all
II. Several days
III. More than half the days
IV. Nearly every day
Feeling tired or having little energy
I. Not at all
II. Several days
III. More than half the days
IV. Nearly every day
Poor appetite or overeating
I. Not at all
II. Several days
III. More than half the days
IV. Nearly every day
Feeling bad about yourself – or that you are a failure or have let yourself or your family down
I. Not at all
II. Several days
III. More than half the days
IV. Nearly every day
Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television
I. Not at all
II. Several days
III. More than half the days
IV. Nearly every day
Moving or speaking so slowly that other people could have noticed
I. Not at all
II. Several days
III. More than half the days
IV. Nearly every day
Thoughts that you would be better off dead, or of hurting yourself
I. Not at all
II. Several days
III. More than half the days
IV. Nearly every day
If you’ve had any days with issues above, how difficult have these problems made it for you at work, home, school, or with other people?
I. Not difficult at all
II. Somewhat difficult
III. Very difficult
IV. Extremely difficult
If you’ve had any days with issues above, how difficult have these problems made it for you at work, home, school, or with other people?
I. Not difficult at all
II. Somewhat difficult
III. Very difficult
IV. Extremely difficult
Remember your mental fitness is just as important as your physical fitness so pay attention to it.
