Letter to the Editor
With our country (and world) in so much chaos right now, mental health can be easily overlooked. Whether your friend, sibling, parent, or even you struggle with a mental illness, when life gets crazy, we can overlook how much pain we or they are in until it becomes unbearable.
This may not be the case for everyone, but I know this is how I feel. I am a teenager who struggles with mental illness.
At the beginning of the pandemic I felt alone, sad, anxious, and even angry, as I bet many of us felt. I let my feelings spiral out of control until I felt so terrible inside I couldn’t take it anymore and I snapped. I know you don’t need my whole story, but I figured I would let you know part of it so you understand why I’m writing this.
Mental health has impacted me most of my life, but it has impacted me a lot heavier these past few months. There is such a stigma around having some sort of mental health “disorder,” but why? I didn’t choose to have depression, anxiety, or OCD.
One in four people will encounter a mental health disorder or disorders. So why is it that we can’t talk about this without feeling embarrassed, or less than someone who may not struggle with it? Twenty-five percent of people are going through something right alongside you, but when you’re at your lowest, or even a high point, you still feel alone.
Mental health matters. As a society, we don’t support one another to begin with, but we need to. Treatments are available to everyone, but two-thirds of people with a known mental health disorder don’t seek treatment. This is because of discrimination, stigma, and even neglect.
Can you imagine how many people who don’t know they have a mental health disorder are struggling out there with no help? No one wants to tell people that they are hurting.
If you struggle with a mental illness, you shouldn’t feel ashamed. You are strong, brave, and you matter. Next time you need help, tell someone. Next time you see someone who needs help, ask them if everything is okay.
We are in this together. Mental health matters. You matter.
Sophie Petta
Verona
