Mental Health is a worldwide issue and is prevalent in many people’s lives. This topic is very important for students, and at DePaul Prep, it’s taken very seriously. Whether it’s anxiety, stress, or handling the everyday challenges of school, friends and life, students today struggle with mental health more than ever.
School makes up most of a teenager’s life as it consists of classwork, homework, quizzes, tests, grades, and other stressful factors. Trying to balance school and other aspects of life can become stressful for teenagers, causing poor mental health.
Junior Audrey Ruger explained that she struggles with her mental health, especially when it comes to school. “The main thing that causes my mental health to not be good is school, especially when I have a lot of homework building up,” said Ruger.
DePaul Prep offers many resources to help support students who are struggling with this common problem. Whenever she feels stressed about school she always turns to her counselor to help guide her through her emotions. “I have utilized my counselor, Ms. Lewis, who has helped me learn how to balance my school work whenever I feel stressed,” said Ruger.
Freshman Edward Tray explained how he utilizes his counselor at school as well. “I go to my counselor to help me figure out what works best for me when it comes to balancing my school work,” said Tray. “The only thing that really causes me stress is getting my work done.” While it sounds simple, school work in general plays such a major role in students’ mental health.
Finding healthy ways to manage stress is so important and something that students at DePaul Prep are learning to prioritize. Students are highly encouraged to find manageable ways to work through their struggles whether that be talking to someone or even just working on their time management. DePaul Prep is a comforting environment where students can be open about their struggles. Through normalizing mental health conversations, DePaul Prep wants students to make use of the support that is offered at the school.
“Broadly speaking, your mental health is just the overall status of how you are feeling and what’s going on in your brain,” said Clare Tiemann, a counselor at DePaul Prep. “It’s important because everything else stems from how our brains and hearts are feeling — our relationships, how we perform in school, sports, or activities-it all connects back to mental health.”
Students tend to struggle with stress and anxiety, which are the two most common factors that affect mental health. Stress and anxiety often affect students’ sleep, relationships and sometimes even their physical health. “I’ve talked to students who say, ‘I’ve been snapping at my parents because I’m just so overwhelmed,’” Tiemann said.
Here at DePaul Prep, the Counseling Department plays a significant role in supporting students who are struggling with their mental health. “One of the reasons I love our counseling department is because we truly care about how you’re doing,” Tiemann said. Students have the opportunity to talk to a counselor about anything they may be struggling with, or counselors can even recommend outside sources to support them if necessary.
That’s not the only resource DePaul Prep offers though.
DePaul Prep has a school social worker, Kamiah Morgan, who is always available to help students with personal challenges. Along with that, DePaul Prep offers many mental health focused lessons during students advisory sessions. These sessions include lessons on mental health and what that looks like in someone, and lessons on recognizing signs of suicide in others, which are all crucial lessons designed to help students understand themselves better and get the right support if needed.
Some students have shared that they struggle to sleep or focus because of stress while others have said that social media adds unnecessary pressure to their daily lives. “There’s a lot of social comparison-who’s hanging out with who, what you look like, or what kinds of life you have,” Tiemann said. This presents more anxiety in teenagers, which is why social media needs to be used in the right ways.
When it comes to mental health and balancing a healthy lifestyle, one key message that the school promotes is self-care. “Are you moving your body? Are you putting your phone doesn for a while? Are you drinking enough water, eating well, sleeping enough? That’s what self-care really is,” Tiemann said. While it is fun to go get a coffee or go on a Target run, it is crucial to remember the importance of mental health and that it stems from taking care of yourself through focusing on your essential needs.
For students who are struggling with their mental health and don’t know where to turn, they should start off by knowing that school is a safe place to start. Whether it’s a teacher, a coach, or a trusted adult, there is always someone available to turn to. “It is our hope that every student in this building has a trusted adult,” Tiemann said.
Mental health isn’t simple, as it affects people in different ways. The message at DePaul Prep is simple for students: you’re not alone. Help is all around for students to turn to if they are mentally struggling. Whether it’s a quick check in with their counselor or a daily conversation about how they feel with someone they trust, help is always available for students at DePaul Prep.
