Growing numbers of schools are teaching children to interpret normal emotional responses as potential mental health conditions, according to leading psychologists. Experts warn this well-intentioned approach may be doing more harm than good by medicalising ordinary childhood experiences.
The Rise of Therapeutic Education
Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in mental health awareness programmes in UK schools. While initially welcomed, some professionals now question whether these initiatives have gone too far in encouraging children to view everyday worries, sadness or frustration through a clinical lens.
When Does Concern Become Harmful?
Dr. Lucy Foulkes, a psychologist at University College London, explains: "We're seeing children being taught that perfectly normal feelings like nervousness before an exam or sadness after falling out with friends might be signs of mental illness. This risks pathologising normal emotional development."
The Dangers of Over-Diagnosis
Research suggests that:
- Children exposed to excessive mental health messaging may become hyper-vigilant about normal emotions
- Self-diagnosis of conditions like anxiety has risen sharply among teenagers
- Schools may be inadvertently creating a generation overly focused on their psychological state
A Balanced Approach Needed
Educational psychologist Dr. Sam Cartwright-Hatton advises: "While it's crucial to support children with genuine mental health needs, we must be careful not to medicalise the universal ups and downs of childhood. Resilience comes from learning to manage emotions, not necessarily from labelling them."
The debate continues as schools walk the fine line between raising awareness and creating unnecessary anxiety about normal emotional experiences.
