People feel down from time to time, and that’s perfectly normal; everyone feels emotions, including negative ones. Students should seek help when they start to feel troubled more often than not. 

According to UC Davis Health and USA Today, mental illness and suicide have skyrocketed recently up to 60% between 2007 and 2018 among young students; however, many people do not realize the extent of the crisis.

A new study, published in The Journal of Pediatrics, found that “there has been a steady increase in the number of children who are seen in emergency rooms for suicidal thoughts.”

Source:CNN https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/14/health/suicide-er-visits-kids.

As rates grow higher, the goal is to spread awareness and help students who are struggling to understand themselves or battling depression find practices and habits that will help them.

“Problems have been building since Covid-19 started. Some students who had never exhibited signs of anxiety and depression are now manifesting signs of those mental issues,” Kami Nelson, a counselor, said. “Covid-19 has caused a lot of social anxiety because school was shut down and to teenagers, school is a place to socialize.” 

Some students described how it affects their work and school patterns.

“Mostly it messes me up with school because I don’t want to get out of bed in the morning,” Alyssa*, a junior, said. 

Another student expressed a similar feeling.

“Sometimes I’m trying to be productive, but it’s hard when you have no motivation to get out of bed,” said Alex*, a senior.  

Fortunately,  there are things individuals can do to help themselves. Whether it’s taking a walk on a sunny evening, or baking your grandma’s famous chocolate cake recipe, there is always something you can do.

One student, Michael*, a  junior, described his time spent in the yoga room:

“It [yoga] lets out all the stress and it’s helpful,” he said

Physical and mental health go hand in hand, and to keep one up, you must keep the other up as well.

“Even if it’s just getting up and moving,” Nelson said, “it’s good for all of us to get out and walk around; get some air because it activates other parts of your brain.”

She elaborated that breathing and other mindfulness activities could be useful. For example, a few techniques are writing in a journal or the using the box method.

“There’s always hope,” Nelson said. As Kate Strobel explained, “Life isn’t easy, but we get better at doing hard.”

It is crucial to seek help if you (or someone you know) are feeling suicidal: https://intermountainhealthcare.org/blogs/topics/live-well/2018/04/suicide-prevention-resources-in-utah/

*real names withheld for privacy