Mental illnesses affect 19% of the adult population, 46% of teenagers and 13% of children each year. People struggling with their mental health may be in your family, live next door, teach your children, work in the next cubicle or sit in the same church pew. However, only half of those affected receive treatment, often because of the stigma attached to mental health. Untreated, mental illness can contribute to higher medical expenses, poorer performance at school and work, fewer employment opportunities and increased risk of suicide (Holthaus, 2020).

Suicide incidents rose by 25.7% in 2020 compared to the previous year. Self-harm death cases increased in the Philippines, as the economy struggled to reopen amid a failed pandemic response. Latest figures from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that suicide incidents rose 25.7% in 2020, making it the 27th leading cause of death in 2020 from 31st in 2019. Intentional self-harm cases recorded in 2020 were 3,529 cases, which was higher than the 2,808 deaths recorded in 2019. From 2015 to 2020, the average number of deaths caused by suicide was at 2,630 (Rivas, 2021).

Many people have described how their depression or anxiety began in their school years, frequently as a result of bullying or stress, and how lack of awareness of developmental or learning issues like autism kept others from receiving the diagnosis and help that may have transformed their life' trajectory. Students may feel more supported and be more willing and able to seek help if lessons or schemes are introduced to improve students' awareness of this, and perhaps by boosting teachers' knowledge of the subject through mandated courses.

Every day, people in our community are struggling and hurting. We have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in someone's life by raising awareness of these concerns in schools.