How Helen Keller’s Life Story Can Help Students Ace Mental Health & Learning Disabilities!

As we commemorate Helen Keller Day this June 27, The Telegraph Online Edugraph explores the enduring legacy of this legendary educator and crusader for overcoming life’s challenges, seeking inspiration for today's students, particularly the adolescents, who are grappling with myriad challenges in India's competitive and fast paced environment. Keller's journey from adversity to accomplishment resonates deeply in a world where terms like 'disability', 'challenge', and ‘struggle’ carry both literal and figurative weight.

Chapter 1: Why Does Helen Keller’s Story Matter Today?

Born on June 27, 1880, in Tuscumbia, Alabama, Helen Keller lost her sight and hearing when she was an infant of nineteen months due to an illness, assumed to be scarlet fever. Despite these profound challenges, her life became a potent symbol of resilience and determination. Guided by her devoted teacher Anne Sullivan, Keller learned to communicate through touch and graduated cum laude from Radcliffe College, becoming the first deaf-blind person to do so.

Keller's legacy extends far beyond her personal achievements. Undeterred by her physical impediments, she became a twentieth century humanitarian, educator, and writer. She advocated for the disabled, pioneering advancements in education and public perception. Her autobiography, The Story of My Life, remains a timeless repository of her indomitable spirit, translated into over fifty languages.

In 2024, students in India face immense pressures—from mental health issues and learning disabilities to socioeconomic barriers to the relentless pursuit of success in a competitive job market. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these challenges, highlighting the urgent need for resilience and mental well-being, especially among adolescents.

Chapter 2: Can We Take A Leaf Out of Helen Keller’s Life?

In Keller's words, "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all."

Educators and counsellors play a crucial role in nurturing students’ strength of character.

Rashi Laskari, Counselling Psychologist and Family Therapist at Inner Light Counselling Centre, Mumbai, observed, “Post pandemic, students have faced varied mental health challenges due to the disruption of routine, social isolation, and uncertainty about the future. Many teenagers were observed to be overwhelmed by the return to in-person learning and the demands of catching up academically.” Social skills were majorly impacted, with some students experiencing heightened social anxiety as they had to re-adjust to face-to-face interactions.

Anuja Roy, School Counsellor at BDM International, informed us that problems like increased screen time leading to addiction and psychological distress, game addiction, information overload, attention deficit, poor concentration, lack of physical activity, obesity, anxiety, mood swings, and sleep problems are some of the new-age challenges students are having to contend with.

Counselling Psychologist Salony Priya, Founder-Director of Ummeed, added, “Students exhibit a significant gap in writing skills these days due to excessive video consumption; which might aid comprehension but does not develop age-appropriate reading and writing skills.”

Additionally, Debjani Mitra, School Counsellor at MP Birla Foundation Higher Secondary School, emphasised that these challenges significantly add to the age-old burden of issues adolescent children face, such as identity formation, emotional turbulence, sexual awakening, and peer pressure, amongst others.

Chapter 3: How Real Are the Challenges Students In India Are Facing Today?

The article “Mental Health Interventions among Adolescents in India: A Scoping Review” published in 2022 by the National Center for Biotechnology Information states, “India is home to the largest number of adolescents globally (243 million, about a fifth of its population)... meta-analysis reports that 6.5% of the community and 23.3% of school children and adolescents have psychiatric disorders… The National Mental Health Survey (2015–2016) reported a 7% prevalence of psychiatric disorders among 13-17 year olds, with nearly equal distribution between genders.”

In order to tackle this concern, India has implemented a National Mental Health Programme at the district level (District Mental Health Programme) and the government has also initiated the National Adolescent Health Program (Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram), prioritising mental health. Yet much remains to be done to bridge the treatment gap and promote mental well-being needs of adolescents.

Chapter 4: How Can We Empower Students Through Helen Keller’s Legacy?

Just as Anne Sullivan played a pivotal role in transforming Keller’s life by teaching her the means to conquer her immense physical and emotional challenges, modern day educators and school counsellors have come to play an integral role in improving students’ lives.

Kiran Gupta, Senior Psychologist at Aditya Academy Senior Secondary, Dum Dum, enlightened us on teaching strategies effective for supporting students, especially the ones faced with learning disabilities such as dyslexia and ADHD through an approach called the ‘Chunking Technique,’ where lessons are broken into small, captivating parts to cater to shorter attention spans, ensuring concept connectivity and repetition. Another is the‘Multiple Sensory Teaching Approach,’ which addresses retention challenges by incorporating visual aids, mnemonics, audio-visual methods, and rhymes to create a significant visual impact.

Just as Helen Keller overcame her obstacles by adopting innovative solutions like Braille and the touch technique to communicate and learn as guided by her teacher-mentor Anne Sullivan, school counsellors today implement innovative psychotherapy techniques to aid students in tackling their challenges.

Anuja Roy, School Counsellor at BDM International, shared the 'Cognitive Restructuring Technique' and 'Socratic Questioning' technique in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help change negative thought patterns into positive ones, the 'Distress Tolerance' technique from Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), such as ‘STOP’ (Stop, Take a step back, Observe, and Proceed mindfully) to help manage crises by not acting/ reacting impulsively and distracting oneself until calm.

5 Quick Tips for Students to Cope with Stress

1. Mindfulness Techniques: Practices like mindfulness breathing and grounding techniques teach students to focus on the present moment rather than worrying about the future.
2. Positive Affirmations and Journals: Tools like self-care journals and reflective journals encourage positive thinking and self-awareness.
3. Physical Activities: Engage in physical activities like brisk walking, jogging, skipping, and yoga while maintaining a balanced diet.
4. Mental Detoxification: Invest time in mental detoxification through engaging in self-care and self-awareness activities.
5. Limit Screen Time: Take breaks from social media to avoid comparison and information overload and set targets for limiting screen time daily.

Last Chapter: Can We Connect Today's Students with Helen Keller's Life Story Across the Centuries?

Helen Keller's life, her unwavering determination and advocacy serve as a symbol of undying hope. By enabling an inclusive and supportive environment—akin to Anne Sullivan's pivotal role in Keller's life—we, as educators, parents, mentors, and the civil society at large, must 'educate' and 'prepare' ourselves to empower students to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth. This approach, grounded in empathy and resilience, would prepare them to take on life's adversities with confidence and determination. It is our collective responsibility to instill in today's students the belief that every challenge is a chance to learn, grow, and ultimately, to succeed!