The struggle with mental health is an unseen battle that many youth today are fighting alone. I feel there is a serious lack of attention toward youth in our community who are struggling with mental health issues. I know that this may seem like a very cliche topic that many have heard before and may think there is nothing new to say. But mental health should not be a cliche topic. It is a very serious issue that many young people are struggling with.
Most people who do struggle, do so alone. I know I did. Being a youth in this community who has struggled with mental health issues all my life, I feel that treatment and help should be more accessible then it is.
It is disappointing to know that the help that is provided is little to none and often is unsatisfactory, in my experience. I think the reason that many people struggle with this issue alone is that the majority of society doesn’t understand it, and people are scared of what they don’t understand so they turn a cold shoulder to it.
I’m not saying that the majority of society that doesn’t understand it hasn’t suffered from it themselves in their own way, I’m just saying those people who don’t understand mental health issues in teens are just unaware of the fact that there are more significant issues than exam stress and post break-up sadness. Some think that mental health is just an excuse for us to get attention. What they don’t know is that when we reach out, it is because we have been fighting this internal war with ourselves, and can’t do it alone anymore, and we need someone to lean on.
I think a step in the right direction would be for someone to be available locally to talk to on a day-to-day basis.
Instead, I see pamphlets describing specific categories of issues, and I know from reading those myself it is very frustrating because I feel that if I don’t fit into the categories, then there won’t be help for me. That’s why I internalize things. So, instead of trying to categorize all the different aspects, why not raise awareness on how to be there and support someone who has reached out.
Also, there should be more awareness for the fact that not everyone who struggles with mental health issues needs medicine or professional counselling — sometimes the best help is just listening to what teens have to say.
