Mental Health - Self - Esteem and Confidence

Many learners with difficulties face challenges that go beyond the formal academic realm. They find themselves demoralized by the constant negative feedback obtained from teachers, parents and even from peers. Learners who face difficulties are often alienated by peers their own age for being different. This can be heart - wrenching. What do young learners and teens know about being mentally tortured just because they are different? I feel this is an area that most teachers and parents  feel very uncomfortable discussing. These learners have no way of expressing their feelings. They are afraid of further ridicule from teachers. They are afraid of letting down their parents.

How many of us educators and parents have seen the signs but failed to address it in an appropriate way? Mental health is an area that most Asians still feel uncomfortable with due to the stigma attached to it within our culture - a false notion of being less than perfect. We must overcome these feelings and think of the greater good of our young. We must force ourselves to examine our own perceptions towards mental health issues and start taking positive action in dealing with it. We all have felt low and had our self - esteem challenged and self confidence diminished at one point or another in our own lives. We must strive to address these issues in a welcoming and understanding way.