Why students should have mental health days | Hailey Hardcastle

Transcriber: Leslie Gauthier Reviewer: Joanna Pietrulewicz

譯者: Pui-Ching Siu 審譯者: Lo Hsien Huang

When I was a kid,

我小時候，

my mom and I made this deal.

母親跟我達成協議，

I was allowed to take three mental health rest days every semester

只要繼續在學校表現出色，

我每個學期就能於精神上 休養生息三天。

as long as I continued to do well in school.

This was because I started my mental health journey

這是因為，當我才六歲的時候，

when I was only six years old.

便踏上了心理健康的旅程。

I was always what my grade-school teachers would call "a worrier,"

我一直都被小學老師 稱為經常發愁的小孩，

but later on we found out that I have trauma-induced anxiety

後來發現我患有創傷性焦慮症

and clinical depression.

和臨床憂鬱症。

This made growing up pretty hard.

這為我的成長帶來困難。

I was worried about a lot of things that other kids weren't,

我經常擔心其他小孩不擔心的事，

and school got really overwhelming sometimes.

有時學校也令我感到難以應付。

This resulted in a lot of breakdowns,

這導致了許多次精神崩潰，

panic attacks --

恐慌症發作——

sometimes I was super productive,

有時候，我做事非常有效率，

and other days I couldn't get anything done.

有時候，我卻什麼也無法完成。

This was all happening during a time

在那段時間，

when mental health wasn't being talked about

對於心理健康的探討並不普遍，

as much as it is now,

especially youth mental health.

特別是青少年的心理健康。

Some semesters I used all of those rest days to the fullest.

有些學期，我充分利用了 這些精神健康休息日；

Others, I didn't need any at all.

而其他學期，我完全不需要。

But the fact that they were always an option

由於它們總是一個選項，

is what kept me a happy, healthy and successful student.

我成為了一個快樂、 健康、成功的學生。

Now I'm using those skills that I learned as a kid

現在，我使用小時候所學到的技巧

to help other students with mental health challenges.

來幫助其他被心理健康困擾的學生。

I'm here today to offer you some insight into the world of teenage mental health:

今天，我來到這裡幫助你們 更深入了解青少年心理健康：

what's going on, how did we get here and what can we do?

正在發生的事、我們怎樣走到今天、 還有，我們可以做什麼？

But first you need to understand

但是，你首先需要明白，

that while not everyone has a diagnosed mental illness like I do,

儘管不是每個人都像我一樣， 被診斷出心理健康疾病，

absolutely everyone --

絕對全部人——

all of you have mental health.

在座各位都有心理健康。

All of us have a brain that needs to be cared for

每個人都有一個需要被照顧的大腦，

in similar ways that we care for our physical well-being.

就像我們照顧身體健康一樣。

Our head and our body are connected by much more than just our neck after all.

畢竟我們的大腦和身體 不僅是透過我們的脖子相連而已。

Mental illness even manifests itself in some physical ways,

心理疾病可以在身體上表現出

such as nausea, headaches, fatigue and shortness of breath.

噁心、頭痛、疲勞 和呼吸急促之類的症狀。

So since mental health affects all of us,

既然我們都會被心理健康影響，

shouldn't we be coming up with solutions that are accessible to all of us?

為什麼我們不想出一些 大家都能使用的解決辦法呢？

That brings me to my second part of my story.

我們來到故事的第二部分。

When I was in high school

當我在高中的時候，

I had gotten pretty good at managing my own mental health.

我把自己的心理健康管理得很好。

我是一個學業有成的學生，

I was a successful student,

and I was president of the Oregon Association of Student Councils.

並且是俄勒岡州學生會的主席。

But it was around this time that I began to realize

但當時我開始意識到，

mental health was much a bigger problem than just for me personally.

心理健康是個更大的問題， 並不只是我個人而已。

Unfortunately, my hometown was touched by multiple suicides

不幸的是，在我高中的第一年，

during my first year in high school.

我的家鄉有多件自殺事件。

I saw those tragedies shake our entire community,

我目睹這些悲劇震撼了整個社區。

and as the president of a statewide group,

身為一個全州性組織的主席，

I began hearing more and more stories

從來自其他市鎮的學生身上，

from students where this had also happened in their town.

我聽見越來越多一樣的故事。

So in 2018 at our annual summer camp,

因此， 2018 的年度夏令營，

we held a forum with about 100 high school students

我們和大約一百位高中生舉辦一場 討論青少年心理健康的論壇。

to discuss teenage mental health.

What could we do?

我們可以做些什麼呢？

We approached this conversation with an enormous amount of empathy

我們以極大的同理心 和誠實對待這場討論。

and honesty,

and the results were astounding.

結果令人驚歎。

What struck me the most

對我來說印象最深刻的是，

was that every single one of my peers had a story

所有的同輩學生，

不管來自俄勒岡州東部小鎮 還是波特蘭的市中心，

about a mental health crisis in their school,

no matter if they were from a tiny town in eastern Oregon

都有關於學校心理健康危機的故事。

or the very heart of Portland.

This was happening everywhere.

這事到處發生。

We even did some research,

我們甚至做了一些研究，

and we found out that suicide is the second leading cause of death

我們發現自殺是俄勒岡州

for youth ages 10 to 24 in Oregon.

10 歲至 24 歲青年的第二大死因。

The second leading cause.

第二大死因。

We knew we had to do something.

我們必須要行動。

So over the next few months,

因此，接下來的幾個月，

we made a committee called Students for a Healthy Oregon,

我們成立了一個委員會， 稱為「健康俄勒岡州學生團體」，

and we set out to end the stigma against mental health.

我們開始要去除對心理健康的污名。

We also wanted to prioritize mental health in schools.

同時，我們想讓學校 優先考慮心理健康。

With the help of some lobbyists and a few mental health professionals,

在一些說客和心理健康專家的幫助下，

we put forth House Bill 2191.

我們提出了美國 2191 號眾議院法案 。

This bill allows students to take mental health days off from school

這項法案允許學生因心理健康休假，

就像為了身體健康的休假一樣。

the same way you would a physical health day.

Because oftentimes that day off

這是因為那一天的假

is the difference between feeling a whole lot better

是讓你感到更好，或更糟的關鍵——

and a whole lot worse --

就像是小時候母親給我的休假一樣。

kind of like those days my mom gave me when I was younger.

So over the next few months,

之後的幾個月，

we lobbied and researched and campaigned for our bill,

我們為了這個議案進行 遊說、研究和發起運動。

and in June of 2019 it was finally signed into law.

在 2019 年的 6 月份， 它終於被簽署生效。

(Applause and cheers)

（掌聲和歡呼聲）

This was a groundbreaking moment for Oregon students.

對於俄勒岡州的學生來說， 這是一個開創性的時刻。

Here's an example of how this is playing out now.

這個例子將會說明 接下來事情會怎麼發生。

Let's say a student is having a really hard month.

假設一名學生某個月非常難過。

They're overwhelmed, overworked,

他覺得難以承受、工作過度、

they're falling behind in school, and they know they need help.

學業落後，並且需要幫助。

Maybe they've never talked about mental health with their parents before,

也許他從未跟父母討論過 心理健康的話題。

但是，現在這一條法例 可以幫助他們開啟對話。

but now they have a law on their side to help initiate that conversation.

The parent still needs to be the one to call the school and excuse the absence,

家長仍需要給學校打電話通知缺席，

所以，這不是給小孩的免費通行券。

so it's not like it's a free pass for the kids,

but most importantly,

最重要的是，

now that school has that absence recorded as a mental health day,

學校把那個缺席記錄為精神健康日，

so they can keep track

這樣他們就可以記錄 多少學生休了多少次假。

of just how many students take how many mental health days.

If a student takes too many,

如果有學生請太多假的話，

they'll be referred to the school counselor for a check-in.

他們將被轉介給學校輔導員。

This is important because we can catch students who are struggling

這一步很重要， 因為可以趁悲劇發生前，

before it's too late.

找出遇到困難的學生。

One of the main things we heard at that forum in 2018

我們在 2018 論壇所聽見 其中一個最重要的事情是，

is that oftentimes stepping forward and getting help is the hardest step.

前進和尋求協助是最難的步驟。

We're hoping that this law can help with that.

我們希望這條法例可以有點幫助。

This not only will start teaching kids young how to take care of themselves

這不但會教育小孩如何照顧自己、

and practice self-care and stress management,

實行自我照護和管理壓力，

but it could also literally save lives.

也可以拯救生命。

Now students from multiple other states are also trying to pass these laws.

目前，其他州的學生也 正在嘗試通過這些法例。

I'm currently working with students in both California and Colorado

我正在與加州 和科羅拉多州的學生合作，

to do the same,

進行同樣的事情，

because we believe that students everywhere

因為我們相信各地的學生

值得這個令他們感覺好一點的機會。

deserve a chance to feel better.

Aside from all the practical reasons and technicalities,

除了這些實際理由和細節以外，

House Bill 2191 is really special because of the core concept behind it:

2191 號眾議院法案的特別之處 是它背後的核心理念：

that physical and mental health are equal and should be treated as such.

身體健康和心理健康是平等的， 應該受到公平的對待，

In fact, they're connected.

事實上，他們是有關聯的。

Take health care for example.

我們用醫療照護作為例子。

Think about CPR.

想想心肺復甦術。

If you were put in a situation where you had to administer CPR,

如果你碰到需要進行心肺復甦的狀況，

would you know at least a little bit of what to do?

你大概知道怎麼進行嗎？

Think to yourself --

你自己想想——

most likely yes because CPR trainings are offered in most schools, workplaces

多半應該知道，

因為大多學校和工作場所 提供心肺復甦的訓練，

and even online.

甚至網上也有。

We even have songs that go with it.

我們甚至有心肺復甦的歌。

But how about mental health care?

但是，心理健康照護呢？

I know I was trained in CPR in my seventh-grade health class.

我知道我在七年級的健康課 受過心肺復甦的訓練。

What if I was trained in seventh grade how to manage my mental health

如果我在七年級時 受過管理心理健康

or how to respond to a mental health crisis?

和應對心理健康危機的訓練呢？

I'd love to see a world where each of us has a toolkit of skills

我希望世上每個人都能使用這些技能，

to help a friend, coworker, family member

來幫助面對心理健康危機的朋友、 同事、家庭成員，甚至陌生人。

or even stranger going through a mental health crisis.

And these resources should be especially available in schools

尤其這些資源應該可在學校使用，

because that's where students are struggling the most.

因為那裡是學生最掙扎的地方。

The other concept that I sincerely hope you take with you today

另一個我真心希望你能接受的概念是

is that it is always OK to not be OK,

感覺不好沒關係，

and it is always OK to take a break.

休息一下也沒關係。

It doesn't have to be a whole day;

不需要休息一整天；

sometimes that's not realistic.

有時候那不切實際。

But it can be a few moments here and there to check in with yourself.

但是你可以花一些時間 看看自己感覺怎麼樣。

Think of life like a race ...

生命就像一場比賽——

like a long-distance race.

一場長跑比賽。

If you sprint in the very beginning you're going to get burnt out.

如果一開始就全力衝刺， 你會筋疲力盡，

You may even hurt yourself from pushing too hard.

甚至會因為過度努力而傷害到自己。

But if you pace yourself,

但是，如果你找到自己的節奏，

if you take it slow, sometimes intentionally,

有時候故意放慢一點，

and you push yourself other times,

有時候加倍努力，

you are sure to be way more successful.

這樣你會更成功。

So please,

所以，請你們互相照顧，

look after each other,

look after the kids and teens in your life

照顧你生命中的小孩和青年們，

especially the ones that look like they have it all together.

特別是看起來游刃有餘的人們。

Mental health challenges are not going away,

心理健康的挑戰不會完全消失，

but as a society,

但是我們社會能夠學習

we can learn how to manage them by looking after one another.

怎麼透過互相照顧來管理它們。

And look after yourself, too.

同時，照顧好你自己。

As my mom would say,

就像我母親所說的，

"Once in a while, take a break."

「偶爾得休息一下。」

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）