Mental health is a vital part of our students’ overall well-being, yet it’s often overlooked or misunderstood. It's time to change that. Prioritising mental health can improve our lives in ways we might not even realise.
Mental health affects how you think, feel, and act. It influences our relationships with friends and family, and it can impact our students’ schoolwork. Mental and physical health are closely linked. Poor mental health can lead to physical issues like low energy, headaches, or even illness.
Unfortunately, stigma surrounding mental health often prevents people from seeking the help and support they need.
Spending time on hobbies, listening to music, exercising, and practicing self-care are all effective ways to support your mental health. Stay connected with friends and family who make you feel good about yourself. Try mindfulness, deep breathing, or journaling your thoughts. Reframe negative thoughts: ‘I can’t’ becomes ‘I can’t do this yet’, ‘This doesn’t work’ becomes ‘This doesn’t work yet’, and ‘I’m not good at this’ becomes ‘I‘m not good at this yet’.
Research shows that sharing your feelings reduces stress. Putting emotions into words -what researchers call ‘labelling’- can reduce the intensity of your negative emotions, and help you feel calmer. Sharing with someone creates connections in your brain that help regulate your emotions better over time. Talking to someone can also help you gain new perspectives. What feels overwhelming alone may seem more manageable with someone else’s support. Being open about your struggles builds trust and deeper connections with others.
What is the biggest barrier to accessing mental health support? Stigma is often cited as a major one, but what does that actually mean?
At its core, it’s the fear of asking for help or sharing our inner thoughts and feelings. It stems from the worry that showing our vulnerabilities makes us seem imperfect or weak in the eyes of others. There’s often shame attached to the idea of not being ‘perfect’.
On the other side of this shame is vulnerability, i.e. taking the emotional risk of trusting someone with our thoughts and feelings. This can feel incredibly hard. When it backfires, it may be followed by thoughts like ‘I knew it’ or ‘I shouldn’t have shared’. However, unspoken thoughts and feelings are like a coiled spring and the more you push them down the harder they bounce back. The only way forward is to engage with them and share them.
Stigma, self-stigma, and bias surrounding mental health often push individuals into the fight-or-flight response, either denying or avoiding their struggles for fear of judgement. This leads to isolation and prevents people from getting the help they need. When people feel they must hide their vulnerability, they cannot flourish.
To counter this, we must challenge these biases and create an environment where mental health is treated as part of the human experience, as something that requires support, not shame. In doing so, we empower individuals to flourish, not just survive.
This month, take a small but powerful step: open up to someone you trust. Whether it’s a friend, teacher, school counsellor, or family member, talk about what’s been weighing on you. It might feel scary at first, but it could be the beginning toward healing and feeling better. You don’t have to have everything figured out, nobody does. What matters is that you’re choosing to care for your mental health, one step at a time.
Let’s break the stigma together and create a world where asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
At BIS Abu Dhabi, our student Mental Health Champions have already taken action. On 25th April, 2025, they hosted a Mental Health Exhibition to raise awareness, break stigma, and lead by example.
Finding the right school for your child is a big decision. Whether you’re new to Abu Dhabi, transitioning from another school, or simply looking for the best fit, we know it can feel overwhelming. At The British International School (BIS) Abu Dhabi, we’re here to make that journey as smooth and reassuring as possible. From your very first enquiry to your child’s first day (and beyond), we’ll be with you every step of the way. This article tackles the key concerns families face when transitioning to a new school, offering clear insights into our admissions process to ensure a smooth and informed journey.
At The British International School (BIS) Abu Dhabi, we are committed to developing creativity, curiosity, compassion, collaboration, commitment, and critical thinking- also known as the Nord Anglia Education’s ‘6 Cs or ‘key learner ambitions’- in our students. As a pilot school in Nord Anglia Education’s Metacognition Research Project, we are exploring how metacognitive practices can strengthen these essential qualities. To truly develop these learner ambitions, children must first learn to think in these ways. These qualities are embedded in our Star of the Week rewards and shape the way we support children’s learning, helping them grow both academically and personally.
This follow-up article delves deeper into three of the 6Cs – curiosity, critical thinking, and compassion – offering practical ways for parents to nurture these transformative skills at home.
Right from an early age, parents often imagine great futures for their children, built around their interests and talents. The journey to adulthood, though, is anything but straightforward. While we all aspire to see our children succeed in fulfilling careers, the reality is nuanced, requiring a holistic approach to education and career preparation. This guide offers advice on how parents can empower their children to explore diverse interests, make informed educational choices, and develop essential skills for future success.
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