School of Thought 2.0 (Logo by Parkersburg South High School student Rayna Short)
STUDENT PRESENTATION: School of Thought was written by Parkersburg South High School sophomore Riley Kerns. Riley is a member of the creative writing team and enjoys drawing, reading, traveling, and spending time with family.
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Mental health is a subject that has not always been easy to discuss. It’s just within my generation that we’re starting to recognize mental health and talk about it. Twenty, forty, and even sixty years ago, people didn’t take talking about issues like depression or anxiety seriously. Many people don’t realize it because it’s still not a very easy topic to talk about, but children struggle with mental health issues every day. More than 2.7 million children live with severe or major depression. 60% of young people suffering from major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.
Depression and anxiety can take a toll not only on the brain, but also on the body. These things can drain a child’s energy. They may put less effort into school than before and even completing small tasks may seem like too much effort. These kids seem lazy or give up easily, but in reality, it’s their body and brain telling them they’ve done too much and are truly exhausted. Sometimes, by not taking the child seriously or not noticing the signs, they mistake him for being lazy or a troublemaker. Several factors can lead to depression or anxiety in children. Traumatic events or poor parenting are the main causes of depression, and most of the time, such things are ignored.
Bullying is a huge problem for today’s generation because of the internet and the resources we have access to. People can single-handedly ruin a person’s reputation just by saying or posting things online. Children who are bullied are two to nine times more likely to commit suicide than those who are not bullied. Most children tend not to talk about what is bothering them, leading them to put aside their feelings and not respond to them.
People have this preconceived image in their heads of what people with depression are supposed to look like. Sad, not taking care of herself, crying all the time, having suicidal thoughts, etc. But sometimes depressed people smile all the time, they laugh and know how to have a good time, take care of themselves and act as if nothing is happening. Although every person is different, it’s important to not just dismiss someone because they don’t look the part.
Let’s talk about men and mental health for a moment. Like everyone else, men and young boys also suffer from depression, but they are often looked down upon and labeled as weak because of such feelings. Stereotypes say men are supposed to be tough and have no feelings, but that’s far from the truth. It’s terribly sad that people refuse to normalize men’s mental health. It is estimated that in 2022, 19.7% of men in the United States suffered from some type of mental illness. The most common mental health problems among men are anxiety. In a study reported by the Newport Institute, 77% of men surveyed reported experiencing symptoms of typical mental health problems such as sadness, stress or anxiety. 40% of men have never discussed their mental health with anyone. 20% say there is “negative stigma” around the subject, and 29% say they are “too embarrassed” to talk about it. These men have been taught that feeling emotions, like being sad, is embarrassing and unacceptable, but I’m here to tell you that it’s okay to not be okay. Stand up for yourself and get the help you need and deserve.
Although there is no evidence yet to support this hypothesis, some people say that depression goes through stages similar to grief. Millions of people around the world suffer from depression and other mental health conditions that should be taken more seriously. Children commit suicide every day because of something they cannot control.
Make a difference in someone’s life by making sure they are okay and not hiding behind closed doors. To all the children struggling with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, and the thousands of other mental health issues, if you are reading this, you You’re not alone.
