PITTSBURGH (100.1 FM and AM 1020 KDKA) Should K-12 students be able to take "mental health days" from school? Some Pennsylvania state lawmakers are pushing that kids get more time off.
Child psychologist Dr. Gregory Jantz says anxiety, depression, addiction, and suicide are all on the rise with school students.
“Anxiety is the number one diagnosis,” Dr. Jantz said. “Depression is number two. Addiction rates have never been as high.”
Beyond just diagnoses and addiction, Dr. Jantz says that the last few years have left a more severe side effect on many across the nation.
“Kids have been suffering greatly from what we did to them during COVID,” Dr. Jantz said. “Suicide is the second leading cause of death for the 12-to-17-year-olds.”
While there are real numbers that show a decline in mental health with school students, Dr. Jantz says there's a physical difference between true anxiety and typical stress over exams or other work.
Experts say there needs to be some sort of effort put into rehabilitating one’s mental health, not just time off without a plan.
There is a worry that mental health days could be misused by kids and turn into wasted time.
“A mental health day is not a day to stay in bed,” Dr. Jantz said. “I need to do something that represents caring for myself.”
A dozen other states already allow K-12 students to take time off for mental health, but with a note from a doctor or parent.