Mental Health Awareness

This post is written by a Palo Alto teen.

The topic of mental health is something that has always been an important issue that I feel must be addressed more. It affects how we think, feel, act, and what choices we make. Therefore, mental health can have a detrimental impact on the everyday lives of students who are struggling. In the community of Palo Alto, hundreds of resources have been created to help solve this issue, so why is it still such a huge problem? I believe that more can be done to encourage teens to reach out and use the resources available to them. I am still in the process of coming up with the best way to make an impact on this problem, but I feel that as a high school student, there are many actions I can take. 

As a teen, like many others, I have struggled with days where my mental health state has not been very good. In those times, I turn to one of my favorite things to do: designing and creating clothes and jewelry. There is something I find soothing and enjoyable about turning my creative ideas into something I can physically wear and admire. Sometimes a piece will take hours and hours to make, and I love every second of the process. I want to use and incorporate this hobby of mine into making an impact on the community and supporting teens who are struggling with mental health. My idea is to make jewelry pieces that others can buy to help raise money that goes towards helping young people in Palo Alto. 

I also feel like young people are not aware of how helpful the existing mental health resources in Palo Alto can be, whether it is a trust issue or they simply do not think it will do anything to solve their issues. For example, at Palo Alto High School, the school that I attend, they opened the Wellness Center, which was made to provide a “safe and supportive environment where students can discuss a variety of topics in a confidential, nonjudgmental space. The center is staffed with professionals who are dedicated to improving the health, well-being, and educational outcomes of all students.” However, through my freshman experience and others, it is concluded that a student struggling with their mental health would most likely not go to the wellness center for help. This is a problem because the community is working to create these resources that most students do not look at as a reliable source for support. My big goal to work towards is making sure that every student in Palo Alto has a mental health support resource that they can go to and feel comfortable with. 

I know that this is a lot to aim for, but I want to start small. I believe that raising money towards the cause as a young person would be a great way to open up the eyes of others in the community about the ongoing problem of students struggling with mental health.