Mental Health at Pitman

 Throughout the hallways you can hear students say phrases such as “ I want to kill myself”, “I hate my life” and ect. Most of the time you hear people just reply with “same” or “me too”  so that leaves you with the question, why are teens so desensitized to mental health issues?

The normalization and desensitization of poor mental health is a serious problem, many people even joke and act like they have real problems therefore taking away from people who are actually struggling. From ages ten to thirty-four, suicide is the second most common cause of death. -How Does Playing a Sport Affect Your Grades? By Crystal VanTassel-Lopez

“Sometimes I feel like school is the main reason my depression is so prevalent. It’s all so overwhelming” , said an anonymous student.

They continue to talk about how school work can be another unnecessary addition with everything going on.

Some enjoy going to school and seeing their friends, but for others they feel as if this is the worst part of their day. School can be a place where students feel excluded and alone.

“Even when I’m around others I feel alone”, added the same source.

Another anonymous source said, “Sports are the thing that keep me going, they really help. Sports help me get my aggression out and make me get my mind off things, without them I’d be nothing.”

Studies show that being active releases endorphins and students who do sports are more likely to get better grades.

“I know some of this is hormones but if you’re an adult don’t tell a someone  that it’s just hormones, this makes someone feel alone and like their problems aren’t real”, continued the second source.

Other than depression many students deal with anxiety and eating disorders.

One student told me “School can be hell, I always compare myself and bodies and I feel gross and fat. I used to have a really bad eating disorder because I thought being skinnier meant being prettier. I just want to be perfect.”

Eating disorders can be a huge problem considering that up to 80% of cases are genetic. One in five cases of anorexia ends in suicide. The idea of perfection is very prevalent because of social media. Teens and even young children are comparing themselves and will go to crazy extents to look perfect. -Eating Disorder Statistics

Everyone gets occasional anxiety but when it starts to take over your life that’s when you know you need help .

“I miss school often because the idea of getting out of bed is a lot, school makes me feel scared and other kids don’t help”, says another student.

I think schools need to be more aware about struggling students. People who seem happy all the time could be going through a lot. I wish I knew a way to make school a more happy place because this should be a place of education and not just a chore. You should feel safe at school to make it a more healthy environment but instead students are staying at home because of their poor unattended mental health.