You walk past hundreds of people each day. Each person is different, with a unique story to tell. Some people are happy and content, while others are feeling down or worried. These people aren’t out of the ordinary, they just might be affected by something called a mental illness. People with conditions such as depression and anxiety are all around us, whether at school, a park, or even the mall. But, we don’t talk about it as much as we should. Why? Mental illnesses are often thought of as stupidity, when they’re anything but.

    So what are mental illnesses?  “Mental illnesses range from anxiety and depression to anger issues. There are many other types of illnesses, but those are most common, especially in students,” said Cassandra David, our school psychologist. They affect mental health, which is the state of how someone is feeling and thinking. People without these issues will sometimes experience worrying over a big project at school, or anger at their siblings when they take their things. Mental illnesses are like having extreme versions of these feelings. In the case of depression, it’s feeling very sad and down frequently. Anxiety is feelings of unease and intense fear more often than most, and anger issues are problems controlling temper. These illnesses are sometimes caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain.

    The thing is, having a mental illness doesn’t mean that person is stupid. It’s an illness, like if someone was to have diabetes or cancer. You wouldn’t make fun of someone with those diseases, so you shouldn’t make fun of those with mental illnesses. David says the way we students can help support people who have these issues is “to remove the current social stigma that mental illnesses are these horrible things.” Mental illnesses are nothing to be ashamed of. If you have a friend with a mental illness, the best thing you can do is support them. Most importantly you shouldn’t make them feel worse by excluding them or gossiping about them if they’re acting different than usual. If you think you have a mental illness the best thing you can do is talk to someone you trust.

Those with mental illnesses can control their conditions by getting help from a therapist or psychologist, who can give advice and sometimes prescribe medications. Remember to stay positive and encourage others to do the same. The happier people are, the better the community.

If you are looking for a discreet way to find help you can visit some of these websites listed below.
https://www.changetochill.org/

Replika
https://replika.ai/

CALM App
https://sites.google.com/isd192.org/bms-mental-health-mission-poss/home/stu
dent-resources – This resource is from Farmington Middle School.