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May 1st is the official day of the start of Mental Health Awareness Month, and already so many events have been taking place to spread awareness. Community events such as:
- Free 5k runs to bring awareness to Mental Health
- Free Yoga sessions
- Community events with vendors free food and music
- Wellness and support groups
- And libraries to find resources for mental health
Chicago is very involved in Mental Health Awareness, so the spread of awareness isn’t the problem, unfortunately, it’s the lack of youth involved in Mental Health efforts. This is an issue especially since up to 75 percent of mental health challenges emerge during adolescence said to the Mental Health First Aid. When I asked my peers who are 16-18 years old, they all answered they didn’t know May was Mental Health Awareness Month or that events were going on in their communities to promote it. This is unfortunate as we young people can easily promote it on social media and through people we know. There are so many benefits for young people staying informed on mental health and knowing about this month. In this article I will write about youth mental health and the benefits knowing about this month can bring for young people.
Youth Mental Health
Young adults unfortunately have so many factors that can lead to poor mental health. Social media, the stress of school, home life, community, relationships, unhealthy substances like alcohol and drugs, and other commitments outside of school.
The stress of school can even increase for high school students preparing for college, and college students have reported poor mental health as well. It’s even more upsetting to know that some of these young adults can’t afford mental health resources or in some cases, their parents don’t believe anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and etc are a real thing.
Recently, I spoke to a couple of my teachers who have been educators for more than 30 years and have seen a significant change in their students. They both said that they’ve seen their students grow significantly more stressed and even more absences due to the stress of school and other outside factors.
“You young people definitely have it harder than when I was a young adult. Technology was not as advanced so we didn’t have any worries or drama. I believe social media is definitely an underlying factor.”
Statistics by Healthline found that “In 2020, the depression rate was about 9 percent for Americans age 12 and over. However, it rose to 17 percent when they looked at teens and young adults. Depressive symptoms were most common for those between 18 and 25, with the number of people seeking help remaining consistently low.” Poor mental health is increasing in teens and the causes of this can be lack of awareness, few affordable resources, and child psychiatrists shortages in America.
Due to a study conducted by Discovery Mood and Anxiety Program, found that: “The number of suicides among young people has been on the rise in recent years, and many experts attribute this to increased pressures at home and school, financial worries, as well as alcohol and drug use. Depression is a major issue impacting 20% of adolescents.” Young people including myself, are under so much pressure. Sadly, when young people aren’t educated on mental health and the resources for it, they can go to other alternatives like self-harm, alcohol, and drugs which hurts their mental health even more.
Benefits Of Knowing The Significance Of May
There are many benefits for the youth when knowing about the significance of this month. The first is that finding resources for your mental health can be much easier. As I’ve said above, one of the events promoted in Chicago is libraries open to find resources for mental health. So with this, the hunt to find resources won’t be as stressful and difficult.
Secondly, you will be supported during this month. One of the other events going on in Chicago is Wellness and support groups. The wellness and support groups are open to everyone meaning there will be a variety of range in ages so you won’t feel lonesome. The wellness and support groups can also make you feel like being part of a bigger community, meeting new people, and getting advice on how to live healthier.
Furthermore, knowing about this month can open fitness events for you and other active events like free Yoga sessions and community events with vendors, free food, and music. This can be a lively opportunity for you and even friends to enjoy yourselves while also receiving mental health resources. Lastly, educating yourself about this month can help others by promoting it.
This can be through your school using flyers, through your peers, or through technology. We young people use technology and social media as if it was a second language. We’ve adapted easily to the new ways of technology, so promoting this important month can help many.
The Impact On Young People
Although the teenage group has one of the highest rates of poor mental health, we have persevered through many challenges like Covid-19 and can push through this challenge. We are strivers in school, business makers, and self-starters, and broken many customs that were set for adults. We have made many changes in life. And although the pressure of society and other factors can cause poor mental health. Knowing and educating yourself on the impacts of this month can be the first step to improving your mental health.