Let's Talk About Mental Health by Sarah

Let's Talk About Mental Health by Sarah - January 2023 Scholarship Essay

In my 11 and 1/2 years of schooling, I regretfully admit it is incredibly rare for a class to make a substantial impact on me, or become memorable. Sadly, as the years blend together, so do the classes. I remember in 8th grade signing up for my freshman year classes and meticulously choosing them to best fit my interests and curiosities for the future. A short three years later, I no longer take classes that spark my interests, but rather any classes that will fulfill my credits to graduate.

However, amongst the many forgetful classes I took during my high school career, there was one that stood out: health. In particular, the mental health section of my health class. Most describe health as a dull class that they only take because it's required. I highly attribute the impact of this class to my teacher, who emphasized mental health education as a key aspect to his course. We did projects researching various mental illness and had important discussion regarding the topic. However, despite my teachers best efforts to provide an adequate amount of time on mental health, it wasn't nearly enough. This is why I believe there should be an education course solely focusing on mental health. Within this class, students could learn about different mental illnesses, how to identify if they are struggling with a mental illness, how to combat mental illness, and how to support those struggling with mental illness.

It is no surprise that most mental illnesses start around teenage ages, or during middle/high school. High school is time full of unwanted change, worry about the future, unavoidable drama, and constant stress. These factors compound together to create an environment that is likely to induce some form of mental stress like anxiety or depression. As a high school student, I have personally seen the unsettling amount of students struggling with mental illness. Instead of seeking ways to combat their illness, many choose to ignore it through friends, partying, and social media. Rarely do these students choose school work to distract themselves, which ultimately leads them to drown in their own struggles as well as important school work. I, myself, have struggled with mental struggles such as anxiety so I know firsthand just how difficult it can be to be successful when you're struggling. However, I was given resources to help combat my struggles, which not everyone are as lucky enough to receive. However, one thing that everyone can receive is a free public education, where they could potentially learn how about mental health.

By 2023, the world is becoming incredibly more accepting and open to mental health awareness. Conversations regarding mental health are becoming easier and more frequent. However, there is still a serious stigmatization around it. The world can always do better, and I believe introducing a mental health class could be a crucial step to easing the stigmatization around it and the pain it causes on students. A class addressing mental illness wouldn't cure mental illness or its effects, but it could make it manageable enough so that student can focus on the importance of education and learning. People will always struggle with mental illness. However, it doesn't need to control them.