There isn’t a doubt in anyone’s mind that school is a struggle for every student in some sort of way. Classes can be difficult, trying to reach that GPA that you have been wanting to get could be a challenge, and the the drama that comes with everyday life can be a factor that contributes to the stress.

For any student who is feeling down and is in need of help, the school board is on your side, and so are family and friends. There are ways to take action to save or prevent a serious situation that affects the people that you love and care about.

The first step is to start a conversation in a quiet place that is not overwhelming for the person who you are trying to talk to. Tell  them what is concerning you and encourage them to open up to you to explain what they are thinking and what’s going on.

The second step would be to listen, without judgment, and just listen to what they have to say and try not to solve their issues, or to change the subject. Make sure that you try to show interest in what they are talking about, and just be a friend with a shoulder to lean on.

The final step is to make sure that they are reassured that they have people on their side, and that they don’t feel like they are alone. Try to make a list on how you can help your friend get back on the right track, and what both of you can do in the long run to make sure that they don’t experience these feelings again.

Balancing everything out can be a sticky situation. A lot of people don’t take their mental health into consideration. Mental health could be a scary topic that not a lot of people want to talk about. More and more people today are being diagnosed with depression. Depression can trigger harmful factors on many levels, some of these levels can be with family, friends, work, and school.

“Mental health is important because if you’re not healthy mentally then you can’t be healthy emotionally (2020 and physically,” Athena Kariofilis (‘20) said.

Depression is a serious topic, and many people including teenagers don’t take the topic seriously enough, and that’s when a person’s life could be in jeopardy. There are certain signs and these signs are, but not limited to, friends or family members talking about death or depression regularly, selling their belongings, or going around telling everyone how much they appreciate them.

“Mental health is very important, especially when it comes to school. You need to have the right mindset to do school work and have a good work ethic. There’s nothing more important than being able to work at a good pace. When it comes to relationships it can matter so much. If you don’t have the right mindset, and you can’t think straight, and you’re depressed or sad, that affects not only your significant other but also your friends, family, and everyone that cares about you.” Abby Visalli (20’) said.

“It’s hard to believe that you’re worth something if you don’t think you are in the first place. It’s hard, but a lot of people deal with it. It’s also disappointing how adults say things like “you’re young you don’t know what stress is” or “you don’t know” because students nowadays have a hard time with school and dealing with pressure.” Mateo Flores (20’) said.

Mental health is an everyday problem and we can take the time out of our day to help someone in need. It would really make an impact and could save a life. Also, if you or someone you know is thinking about taking a life you can call the suicide prevention lifeline at (1.800.273.8255); other options are the 24-hour contact line: 2-1-1, or the crisis text line: text START to 741-741.