Since 1949, May has been known as Mental Health Awareness Month. Its purpose is to bring awareness to mental health advocacy globally by educating people, reducing the stigma, advocating for policies that prioritize mental wellness, and connecting individuals who are struggling to find treatment services.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, “mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act, and helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.”
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 10-34, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Approximately one in five high school students has seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year. If we compare that to the number of students who attended Richland Northeast during the 2023-2024 school year, which would be 1,301 students, approximately 260 students could have suffered from suicidal ideations. Schools need to bring more awareness to mental health; not only can students suffer in silence, but so can staff and faculty. On the back of every student’s ID is the National Suicide Lifeline and Crisis Text Line, but that’s not enough. One phone number on the back of someone’s ID won’t change their motivation or mental state.
Instead, schools could have motivational posters up in halls, incorporate mental health education into the curriculum, perform a school-wide educational assembly recognizing the signs of mental health issues, create clubs where students can express feelings with peers/adults, and overall create a more positive environment.
Mental health is usually overlooked until it’s too late, and you personally know someone struggling. Often, people try to hide how they feel and don’t want to be a burden, so they may change their body language to see if others notice a difference.
On November 10, 2024, my sister-in-law passed away from her battle with mental health. This changed every person in my family. Now we are reaching out to loved ones more and checking in on people frequently.
Recognizing mental health more and reducing the stigma could help so many people, especially if schools participate, because that’s where students spend at least seven hours of their day, five days a week, and accumulate stress, emotions, and make difficult decisions. Faculty and staff need to be aware that students struggle in and out of school buildings. School can be an escape for students’ thoughts, but without a supportive environment and feeling seen, students may feel they have no reason to be here, resulting in a negative mindset. Some students also don’t feel comfortable enough to reach out to their counselors or may not be aware of the resources a school provides to help.
