“I have struggled with bullying, mental wellness and not fitting in since I was 10 years old. When I first felt like taking my life, I didn’t think anyone cared about me. Just hearing that someone cared helped me a lot. The biggest thing to support my mental health is for my friends and family to be there for me and always check on me, even if things look good. My parents have helped me a lot with my mental health. They are willing to get me to treatment and do whatever it takes. And they also are always asking me how I feel and checking up on me.
When I have had mental breakdowns, people thought I was seeking attention or going through a phase and didn’t take it seriously. When I try to talk about it, people are not clear about mental health. More education or discussion needs to take place. Emphasize mental health in school more. Provide better access to those who can assist teens in crisis.
At the beginning of the quarantine, there were good days and bad days. To promote my mental wellness I try to stay active. I continue to see a trainer, as I have found that athletics and exercise improve my mental health. Our high school football season was a big help for me, too. We were able to get a full season in this year, and if I had a bad day I could always look forward to football practice or a game. I was able to take the focus off of being down that day and just focus on football. And being able to be around my teammates helped me out a lot.
It gets better. No matter how long it takes, it gets better. Talk to someone. Reach out and let family or friends know how you are feeling. Search for the one thing that makes you feel good or better and figure out how to be involved with it more often.”
— Ethan
Featured Story: Ethan
