In recent years, students at Marriotts Ridge have continued to take on academic challenge and responsibility, stretching themselves to cover rigorous classes and time-consuming extracurriculars. Community leaders recognize students’ need for achievement, but also worry about their mental health and well-being under so much stress. In response, mental health has been made a greater priority in schools, with staff and coursework changing to better fit the needs of students. This same sentiment also exists in local and national government with representatives pushing for transformative lawmaking, namely the new nationwide suicide and crisis lifeline, 988.
“[Mental health] is of primary importance, it’s right up there with nutrition, shelter, and human connection. It’s there with the most basic needs… [But students] are hard on themselves and I do see students worrying a lot and suffering from stress and anxiety,” explained school counselor Mrs.Wohnsigl.
Her findings as a counselor are well backed by nationwide statistics. Mental Health America has found that one in ten youth experience severe depression and many don’t receive treatment for the issues they face.
However, there is hope for students around the state. Local legislators have been working to roll out mental health services, focusing especially on helping the younger generation.
“The goal is to directly provide services to students in need. There is going to be a real focus in the years to come to provide more of those services in schools and have them available for students of all ages,” explained state senator Guy Guzzone.
Guzzone is chairman of the State Budget and Taxation Committee and has been a long-standing advocate of mental and behavioral health. The services he mentioned include the nationwide call number 988, funding for mental health awareness in the school system and infrastructure to support healthcare professionals and new call centers.
“A lot of people can be in a lot of different places along a large spectrum of how they’re feeling and the state of their mental health. You want people who are able to handle those calls when people are in their most difficult situations. It’s the idea of continuously building to ensure that reliability is there as time moves forward,” emphasized Guzzone.
Students are being taken care of at the state and even national level, but it will take close action within the local community for students to feel understood and accounted for. That is why counselors, teachers and school clubs have taken up a greater focus on mental health in recent years. The Active Minds club, run by counselor Mrs. McKechnie, is committed to raising awareness for mental health. They sponsor inclusive events that give students a safe space to learn and get advice. They also run a website with extensive resources. Changes have also been made in the education system. Mental health is now a large part of the standard high school health class, with a focus on the signs of mental health crisis and how to respond effectively.
Students have also taken it upon themselves to care about their own mental health, “I value mental health pretty highly, especially in this time when people are more stressed out with everything going on in the world. For my own mental health, I like to engage in physical activity like lifting, and for others, I feel like all you need to do is take some time for yourself, self-reflect, and take a minute to breathe,” advised senior Neev Saraf.
This same sentiment is shared throughout most of the MRHS student body. With all the resources available, students have begun to appreciate their mental health, being willing to talk about their issues and offer advice to others.
“You just gotta push through and know that what you’re struggling with right now is gonna be better as life goes on. There’s gonna be hard times and there’s gonna be good times but you just gotta push through,” said sophomore Copper Igla.
Mental health is an issue that many within the school community struggle with. It’s important to remember that resources are open and readily available to provide assistance to anyone in need. It’s also important to hold oneself accountable for staying healthy, making sure to take time to enjoy hobbies and friends, without getting too tied down to all the responsibilities that students face.