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The Greek philosopher Heraclitus expressed the idea that “in life there is only constant change.” Sometimes, this change is more permanent than others.
Your teenage years are a time of intense, never-ending transition, filled with all kinds of challenges. Yes, hormones are swirling, but things are legitimately flying fast and furious at you: academic stress, family dynamics, navigating friendships, relationships, and your identity. Knowing where to go in, where to sit at lunch. Not to mention trying to decide what comes after high school.
In the wider world, social media challenges you with images of what you are “supposed” to look, act, and act like.
And in the past two years alone, we’ve experienced political upheaval, the collapse of systemic racism, the impact of climate change, and the very real loss and collective damage caused by the pandemic, which has profoundly changed our social lives and school experiences. .
If it sounds like there’s a lot going on, it’s because there is. So, as you return to campus this fall, here are four things to keep in mind.
1. Mental health challenges are incredibly common.
If you are struggling with your mental health, you are not alone. Far from it. The World Health Organization states that one billion people suffer from mental health problems. one billion. Including one in seven young people.
In the US, the number is even higher. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that the prevalence of “any mental disorder” among young people is 49.5%. One for two. That’s you or someone next to you.
This was before covid. Global rates of anxiety and depression have risen by 25 percent during the pandemic, prompting the U.S. Surgeon General to issue an urgent public warning about the youth mental health crisis. The American Academy of Pediatrics has declared a national emergency.
So it’s no wonder if you’re having a hard time. And you’re in good company.
2. Mental health issues are part of being human.
Mental health is health. Your brain is part of your body—an incredibly complex and unusual part of you, but a part of you nonetheless.
Mental health advocacy organization Inseparable explains: “The health of our minds cannot be separated from the health of our bodies. Because we all go through difficult times. We worry and worry. For some of us, it’s clinical. It is important for all of us.
There is a strange perception that mental health, as opposed to physical health, is somehow shameful or taboo to talk about. But where is the shame of being physically ill?
In May, celebrity quarterback Steve Young opened the Child Mind Institute as part of the “Courage to Share” campaign. He describes his long struggle with depression and how finally talking to a coach led to life-changing treatment.
“Of course, when the park ranger comes, I see him lost in the woods,” Young said. “Would you be embarrassed to ask him for directions?”
3. Mental health conditions can be treated.
If you have diabetes, insulin is a lifesaver. If something biological is missing in the brain, drugs are available. The brain is so complex that there is an element of trial and error in finding the treatment that works for you. But for many people, medicine makes all the difference in the world, allowing them to feel like themselves again. Many people wonder why they didn’t seek help sooner.
If you’re stuck in a thought pattern that’s getting you nowhere, remember that thoughts can change. Ideas are not facts. Neither are feelings. Both can come into line to support and build the real, authentic you.
Some people invest their passion, intelligence, and education in learning to help people identify their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. They are called therapists. Their work is powerful and valuable. Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, who won eight gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics, later moved down to “a very dark place.” He says the treatment saved his life and helped him learn to be his “real self.”
4. Mental health struggles can be the beginning of something new.
What if the difficulties you face and the ways you struggle to cope do not indicate that there is something wrong with you, but that you deserve to be heard? That deep down, are you important?
What’s it like to let someone in and know they won’t judge you? That you don’t have to carry that burden in secret? At CASSY (Youth Counseling and Support Service) we believe that everyone struggles, but no one should struggle alone. That’s why our therapists are on campus so they can be seen and known where you are. We all need someone in our corner.
So when you go back to school this fall and face a new set of circumstances, remember: it matters. We are here. Our door is open. We are saving a seat for you.
Los Gatos City Council Member Mariko Sayok is executive director of CASSY, which provides professional mental health services to students and their families on campuses in Los Gatos, Saratoga, Campbell, Milpitas, West San Jose and Palo Alto. Sayok originally wrote this article for the August/September issue of The Outlook, a publication of the Saratoga Area Senior Coordination Council.
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