“Mental health stress is the top issue facing young Queenslanders today” according to the Queensland Courier Mail (28 April, 2021) when reporting information from the 2020 Growing Up in Queensland Interim Report.
The report found that 39% of Queensland students and young people aged 4-18 years self-identified with one or more mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression or stress.
Despite the research being undertaken during the 2020 Covid Lockdown period, the tone of the ‘Growing Up in Queensland’ report was mostly positive. It found that while 56% or over half of the 4000 young people surveyed felt positive about their future, mental health was one of the main concerns of those who took part.
A major concern for parents, schools and the wider community is that the report found that teens identifying with a mental health condition – 39% of the group – were less likely to feel positive about their future than their counterparts.
Worrying quotes from the survey’s topic ‘Barriers to Achieving Hopes’ included:
“My mental health issues” – female, 16 years (survey)
“My mental health at the moment” – female, 17 years (survey)
“Held back because of mental issues and COVID-19” – male, 14, (survey)
“Giving up due to poor mental health” – male, 13, (survey)
“I don’t really have a strong mental mind and it brings my confidence down, and it prevents me from doing things to succeed in life” – female, 13 (survey)
“Mental health is not taken seriously and no one cares to understand … the stigma around it needs to end” – teen, (survey)
“Getting professional help for mental illnesses like depression and anxiety is not easy” – 16, (survey)
Another survey topic ‘Big Issues’ received many similar responses:
“Mental health and free therapy” – female, 12 (survey)
“Mental health … lack of support” – male, 17, (survey)
“Mental health issues in school […] Schools should have more information supplied for students” – female, 15, (postcard)
“Identity, acceptance and mental health” – female, 16 (survey)
“Depression and anxiety” – female, 16, (survey)
The report shows that all parents, teachers and community leaders need to understand more about the mental health concerns and conditions of our teenagers and young children.
Not only are these young Queenslanders our future, they’re tomorrow’s leaders.
We must be able to support them now so they can support others when their turn comes.
Laughter Education supports and promotes positive mental health for students by providing the opportunity for sustained and intentional laughter in a safe and supportive environment. This is demonstrated by the October 2021 article ‘No joke! Top girls’ school is running laughter lessons to help pupils combat stress and anxiety’. While laughter lessons were initially introduced for 11 to 12 year olds, Brighton Girls’ School in the UK plans to extend the laughter classes to its older students, teachers and parents.
This is because one of the immediate physical reactions to the sustained and intentional Laughter Yoga exercises is the release of powerful neurochemicals from the brain.
Moods rapidly improve as endorphins, oxytocin, serotonin and other natural chemicals work their magic on our bodies, minds and emotions.
And, importantly, schools introducing Laughter Yoga for students know that alleviating anxiety, depression and stress is another positive reaction from its intentional and sustained laughter.
Resilience grows and becomes stronger after Laughter Yoga. By immediately ‘feeling better’ our energy increases, our resourcefulness improves and this helps face all kinds of challenges more confidently.
Laughter Yoga improves student mental health and wellbeing as it gives participants a more positive and optimistic outlook on the present and the future. This is an important factor when considering the 39% of students who identified mental health stress as a major concern.
These benefits of Laugher Yoga have been proven to last up to 14 days. To sustain and build on them, it is recommended that Laughter Yoga be practised regularly.
While there are decades of medical and scientific research supporting Laughter Yoga’s mental and physical health and wellbeing benefits, it should never take the place of medical supervision and care.
If you’d like to know more about Laughter Education sessions to support and improve mental health and wellbeing in your school, community group or workplace please contact me.