Over the past few year’s students and people all over the world have been struggling with their mental health. It can be hard to cope with the struggles of mental health but according to Mrs. Hilty, our mental health and counseling teacher, a healthy way to cope is to
“Encourage the practice of positive self-talk and self-compassion to boost self-esteem and resilience. YOU are beautiful. YOU are brave. YOU are WORTH IT. You are ENOUGH! These types of things are easy to say to yourself every day when you look in the mirror. Even if you might not believe it, someday you might.”
Many people don’t know who they can talk to whenever they need help. Mrs. Freeman, one of our school counselors, says
“Students have a lot of resources they can go to their teachers, they can go to any adult in the school, they can go to their counselor. I think sometimes adults have a harder time asking for help or who they could reach out to because they’re not sure, so that’s when I’d go to those other resources for adults, but hopefully a trusted friend or family member they can reach out to for help.”
For some individuals it can be difficult to recognize and reach out for help. Mrs. Hilty says this is due to
“There is a ton of stigma surrounding mental health and mental illness. Stigma is the fear of being judged or categorized for having mental health concerns that can prevent individuals from seeking help. Some people may not recognize or acknowledge that they need help, as they may attribute their struggles to personal weakness.”
According to Mrs. Freeman, the best way to help someone who is going through a hard time is to
“Just listen. If you know somebody who is upset, or notice that they’re withdrawing themselves or they’re upset, just listen instead of just asking questions like ‘are you okay?’ or ‘do you need help?’ If you don’t have the resources, ask somebody who has the resources to get the help they need.”
If you or anyone you know is struggling with their mental health, please visit the mental health resources on our website.
