2024 Mental Health Essay Contest Awardee: Honorable Mention

Navigating Mental Illness in Teens

Jillian, Illinois

Seven years ago, I was diagnosed with OCD, and since then, I’ve dealt with plenty of ups and downs regarding my mental health. Something I’ve noticed in the pattern of recovery is that I always get significantly worse before I get better. In fact, I’ve noticed that I have clear signs that I’m getting worse again before experiencing episodes, periods in which I cannot function on my own anymore. The problem, however, is that I’ve never been encouraged to seek professional help until then.

I find it interesting how, when asked, four out of six of my friends (including me) had said they’d experienced symptoms of depression at some point in their life. However, of this group, only I had ever gone to therapy. Upon further investigation, it became very clear to me why. My friends' struggles never became debilitating. Yes, their efficiency and mood decreased alarmingly, but they were still able to get through daily life without a significant outward change or cause for action. If their performance was up to their standards, why should they seek help?

There are plenty of factors that play a role in mental illness and how it develops. Unfortunately, it's very easy for parents or friends not to notice that something’s wrong until you speak up. This is because it's internal, making it much easier to store away until it's unbearable. For my friends, they never got to the point where they couldn't handle their feelings on their own. Thankfully, they've recovered, but this is sadly not always the case.

A large part of the reason my friends never sought help when they were struggling was because they felt unable to. Some of their concerns were that their parents might overreact or not understand what they were feeling, so they felt it better to just handle it on their own. To any parent, a simple analogy of mine is this: If someone breaks their arm but can still function entirely without it, that doesn't mean their arm isn't broken. They wouldn't be written off as whiny or overdramatic because they don't need two arms. They would be treated because their arm is still broken, and getting it fixed would greatly improve their quality of life.

Sometimes, it isn't necessary to seek professional help for your mental health. However, wanting to, necessary or not, is never a bad thing. Therapy is often viewed in a negative light because it seems intimidating. It makes people feel like there's something wrong with them if they go, or that they don't have enough reason to, although this is far from true.

Therapy is not as black and white as it appears from a surface level- there are many different types to choose from for different needs. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is used to help people learn to manage their thoughts or feelings and learn problem-solving skills. While many people who have gone to CBT have a diagnosis, it can be just as effective for people looking for ways to manage stress in everyday life.

Distressingly, therapy can be costly and inaccessible. If you were interested in therapy for your child but weren't sure where to begin, I would suggest looking into peer groups in order to create a safe, supportive environment for them. NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) offers classes and support groups for people to connect with others going through similar experiences. While mental health can be a difficult topic to bring up at home, it’s important to make sure your children know that they can talk about it if they need to. It’s impossible to alleviate all the stress that these topics can cause, but initially removing the idea that it is or should be a taboo subject will relieve pressure and likely increase trust.

You can never fully know what’s going on in a teen's life. With patience, trust, and respect, however, you can leave a positive impression on them for their future. Being an understanding parent will ultimately lead to being a role model for your children, and creating a healthy home for them to grow up in.

NIH recognizes these talented essay winners for their thoughtfulness and creativity in addressing youth mental health. These essays are written in the students' own words, are unedited, and do not necessarily represent the views of NIH, HHS, or the federal government.

Page published May 31, 2024