Mental Health Awareness Month is a time to reflect back on our behaviors, our habits, and how they impact our own mental health (positively or negatively.) We also should truly be trying to reflect on how our actions impact those around us. At first, I was not sure where I wanted to go with this topic for a post. I have decided that we should pay tribute to the Covid-19 pandemic as well as talk about how it has impacted our youth. Because it has.
During the pandemic, schools closed due to CDC, federal, state and local requirements. While it was meant to protect our teachers’ and students’ physical health, it had the opposite effect on mental health. When children and young adults face academic stress, they are more likely to experience anxiety and depression. (Conversely, when academic situations and supports improve, so does mental health.) There was a loss of access to teachers, tutors, and in-person instruction. Not everyone had a dedicated space to do homework because they had to share the space or share with parents who were working from home. Students and teachers had to learn how to navigate new technology in order to turn in their assignments and had to rely on email responses to have questions answered. Some family members moved back home or in with relatives due to job loss, lack of affordable housing, loss of a loved one, etc.
During closures, school aged individuals not only lost academic support, but they lost social supports, social interactions and milestones in their lives. Some could not complete the requirements for their driver’s license. Others could not attend prom, sports, after school activities and even graduations. These activities may seem trivial to you, but they are important memories. They are things you do not get to do over or take back. They are lost. My own graduation for my Associate’s degree was held virtually. It did not have the same emotional impact as a typical graduation does. I could not have loved ones there to support me and I my diploma was mailed to me. I felt that. I sympathize with anyone who went through these losses.
This is important when we think of Mental Health Awareness Month because the truth is, adolescent mental health has been taking a hit for a long time. Recently, the CDC released a report detailing the mental health concerns within adolescents. In it, I found some very troubling stats. I read the report so that I could give you some of the highlights. Teen girls and LGBTQI2S+ youth reported the most detrimental findings. (That does not mean that boys came out unscathed. This was simply a statement to point out who is struggling the most.) In 2021, “nearly 3 in 5 (57%)” of teen girls in the U.S. “felt persistently sad or hopeless.” That is nearly double what teen boys reported. It is also a “60% increase in the last decade.” Violence, suicidal thoughts, and suicidal behaviors were the most commonly reported concerns. Also concerning:
- 1 in 3 (30%) seriously contemplated suicide
- 1 in 5 (20%) experienced sexual violence in the past year
- More than 1 in 10 have been forced to have sex
- 52% of LGBTQI2S+ students reported poor mental health
- More than 1 in 5 (22%) LGBTQI2S+ students attempted suicide in the past year
“High school should be a time for trailblazing, not trauma. These data show our kids need far more support to cope, hope, and thrive,” Debra Houry, M.D., M.P.H., CDC’s Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director for Program and Science. “Proven school prevention programs can offer teens a vital lifeline in these growing waves of trauma.”
CASA-Trinity offers and provides these “proven school prevention programs.” Last year, we obtained grant funding in order to place a full-time Prevention Professional in two of the schools in Tioga County. Others rotate between schools. CASA-Trinity has locations in Dansville, Elmira, Geneseo, Hornell, Olean, Owego and Salamanca, N.Y. as well as in Sayre, P.A. If you or someone you know is struggling, please visit our website and reach out to one of our offices. We are here to help. (The link can be found under References.)
I encourage you to read through this report. Whether you are a parent, student, teacher or a concerned member of our communities, our young people need help. The report is broken down into charts that talk about threats of violence by demographic, whether students have missed school due to feeling unsafe and much more. Years ago, small communities could say “those are big city issues” or “that would never happen here.” Sadly, last year the Tops Supermarket shooting in Buffalo proved that this is no longer true. Hate, violence, depression and suicide do not discriminate. They do not care how big or how small your community is. They do not care whether you lived a life of struggle or one of privilege. These things can happen to any of us. Now is the time to stand together and have the difficult conversations so that we are better prepared during our times of struggle.
The reality is that we have to stop telling our youth that “we understand” or “it’s not a big deal.” Because we don’t…and it is. What students, teachers and first responders have gone through this last year is unprecedented. Those deemed “essential” workers have had to work without the ability to social distance or stay home. And yet, I continue to see comments online that negate these experiences. The world has changed and we have to acknowledge that.
So, What Can We Do?
- First and foremost, show up and listen! When someone is struggling, one of the most supportive and effective things we can do is to be there for them when they ask and to listen to what they have to say. Just because we did not have the same experience does not make their experiences any less valid. Those experiences do not make them weaker. They do not need to “grow a thicker skin” and some of this will not simply go away just because they graduate, move or change jobs. The last 3 years have been traumatic.
- With staff shortages, workers were pushed to limits that were reminiscent of the times before labor laws and worker protections existed. Stop comparing nurses to teachers to grocery store cashiers. Everyone experienced illness, loss, uncertainty, anxiety, etc. Everyone worried about protecting their loved ones and paying their bills. It was not unique to any single profession. Show each other grace and kindness.
- Stop judging! Yes, the White House has declared the pandemic health emergency over. That does not mean that everyone can return back to pre-pandemic living. If you see someone wearing a mask, instead of judging, consider the possibilities. I am the full-time caregiver of a parent (who lives with me) that has overcome terminal cancer. Treatment for many conditions can destroy healthy immune responses. Medications, like biologics (that are used for autoimmune diseases), make it harder to fight infections. Others may work with vulnerable populations and make the choice to continue masking in order to protect them. That is completely ok.
- Understand that “no” is a complete sentence. Set healthy boundaries for yourself and understand when others do the same. If someone is not feeling like attending a social gathering or event, that is completely ok. Self-care and time to ourselves is a normal and healthy coping mechanism.
- Most importantly…reach out! Never ever be afraid to admit that you are struggling. Ask for help. Whether that is to a parent, a teacher, a friend or a mental health professional, do it. Make use of the 988 Mental Health and Suicide Crisis Line. It is available 24/7 365 days a year. You are not alone and I hear you. I see you! Do not struggle in silence.
- Keep reading these blogs. Ask questions. Learn more about those around you and what their struggles are. The more we know, the more we can help.
References:
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2023/p0213-yrbs.html
https://www.turnbridge.com/news-events/latest-articles/does-school-cause-mental-illness/