Ruth Hunde, Staff Writer

January 30, 2025 

High school is often portrayed as “the best years of your life,” but for many students, it can feel like a battleground. With academic pressures, social expectations, and personal struggles, mental health can easily take a backseat. Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding mental health prevents many students from voicing their challenges, leading to feelings of isolation and hopelessness.

 

Today's students face a unique blend of stressors. The pressure to achieve good grades, excel in extracurricular activities, maintain friendships, and prepare for the future can be overwhelming. Social media adds another layer of stress through constant comparisons to seemingly “perfect” lives. It’s unhealthy to compare oneself to someone who may be hiding their struggles behind a smile. Many students grapple with this difficult topic for various reasons, including fear of judgment, misunderstanding, or feeling weak. Often, they feel as if they are falling short, even if no one says it out loud. Schools emphasize grades, test scores, and extracurricular achievements, but how often do they ask students, “Are you okay?”—and genuinely mean it?

 

Over the past 50 years, statistics on anxiety and depression have surged among high schoolers. The CDC reports that over 40% of high school students feel sad or hopeless. This staggering number indicates a mental health crisis among teens and calls for urgent action from schools and communities to foster supportive environments. Some students reach their breaking point, and by then, it’s often too late—a missed text, a canceled plan, or a social media post that didn’t seem alarming at the time can lead to tragic outcomes. While the world continues to spin, those left behind experience a halt in time.

 

Finding the courage to talk about mental health can be daunting, but starting a conversation with a trusted friend can open the door to support. 

 

Please, reach out. Talk to a friend, a teacher, a counselor, a coworker—anyone. Anxiety and depression are burdens no one should carry alone. In moments of sadness, it's vital to connect with others and remind ourselves that we’re not alone. Together, we can create a space where every emotion is embraced, and everyone feels valued. Remember, it’s perfectly okay to seek help and support; you deserve to feel understood. Surround yourself with people who remind you of your worth. You matter.