“What’s wrong with you?” That’s what my dad asked me the day I started having an uncontrollable crying rush in front of him. Being thirteen, I had no answer to his question—but back then I desperately wanted one. For so long, I wanted to know what was wrong with me, and what the cure I needed was to fix it. I wanted someone to help me. Considering mental health has become increasingly more important the past few decades, with the implementation of suicide hotlines, improved treatment options, as well as more ethically run mental health facilities. However, when it comes to that of adolescents, their issues tend to be brushed off and avoided. It’s true that the mind and body of a teenager are always changing, but too often are their concerning symptoms seen as “dramatic” behavior, or that they’re having those typical “teenage mood swings.” It’s insulting and disheartening to go to people for help and to be dismissed because “you’re too young” to have mental illness. I stand firmly in the belief that teenagers deserve to be heard, to be acknowledged and seen. It’s important to take adolescent concerns seriously so that they know they have people they can go to and find help in. Regardless of whether or not their concern is “legitimate” or not, just listening to them makes a world of difference. Mental health in teenagers seems to only be taken seriously when it’s far too late to make a change, when someone far too young has already taken their life. How many lives would have been saved if someone had stepped in? Who would still be here today had someone really been there? Fighting my own mental battles throughout the years has been challenging, but my biggest obstacle in recovering was doing it on my own, having no support from my parents. By going into the healthcare field and specializing in mental health, I can be there for those who are in the position I was in years ago. It’s for those teenagers stuck in their own heads, for the teenagers staying up late only to cry themselves to sleep because they’ve never felt more alone. I wish to give them what no one else could for me; help, even if it’s just a small amount. Awareness and informing those about teenage mental health would be the start of my initiative. Parental figures and guardians should know what to look for in their children and should know to be open-minded to their kid’s problems. Teenagers should know coping mechanisms and practices that aid them when they need it. Not only that, but therapy should also be more accessible to those whose parents can’t or won’t provide it. Having school therapists should be more normalized in schools for all students, being a separate profession from school counselors. Group therapy sessions could also help teenagers feel seen and find people they can relate to. My dad didn’t know how to help me that day, so he never did. Silence is known to be a killer, but what if no one answers when they do speak up? It’s far deadlier.

“What’s wrong with you?” That’s what my dad asked me the day I started having an uncontrollable crying rush in front of him. Being thirteen, I had no answer to his question—but back then I desperately wanted one. For so long, I wanted to know what was wrong with me, and what the cure I needed was to fix it. I wanted someone to help me. Considering mental health has become increasingly more important the past few decades, with the implementation of suicide hotlines, improved treatment options, as well as more ethically run mental health facilities. However, when it comes to that of adolescents, their issues tend to be brushed off and avoided. It’s true that the mind and body of a teenager are always changing, but too often are their concerning symptoms seen as “dramatic” behavior, or that they’re having those typical “teenage mood swings.” It’s insulting and disheartening to go to people for help and to be dismissed because “you’re too young” to have mental illness. I stand firmly in the belief that teenagers deserve to be heard, to be acknowledged and seen. It’s important to take adolescent concerns seriously so that they know they have people they can go to and find help in. Regardless of whether or not their concern is “legitimate” or not, just listening to them makes a world of difference. Mental health in teenagers seems to only be taken seriously when it’s far too late to make a change, when someone far too young has already taken their life. How many lives would have been saved if someone had stepped in? Who would still be here today had someone really been there? Fighting my own mental battles throughout the years has been challenging, but my biggest obstacle in recovering was doing it on my own, having no support from my parents. By going into the healthcare field and specializing in mental health, I can be there for those who are in the position I was in years ago. It’s for those teenagers stuck in their own heads, for the teenagers staying up late only to cry themselves to sleep because they’ve never felt more alone. I wish to give them what no one else could for me; help, even if it’s just a small amount. Awareness and informing those about teenage mental health would be the start of my initiative. Parental figures and guardians should know what to look for in their children and should know to be open-minded to their kid’s problems. Teenagers should know coping mechanisms and practices that aid them when they need it. Not only that, but therapy should also be more accessible to those whose parents can’t or won’t provide it. Having school therapists should be more normalized in schools for all students, being a separate profession from school counselors. Group therapy sessions could also help teenagers feel seen and find people they can relate to. My dad didn’t know how to help me that day, so he never did. Silence is known to be a killer, but what if no one answers when they do speak up? It’s far deadlier.

“What’s wrong with you?” That’s what my dad asked me the day I started having an uncontrollable crying rush in front of him. Being thirteen, I had no answer to his question—but back then I desperately wanted one. For so long, I wanted to know what was wrong with me, and what the cure I needed was to fix it. I wanted someone to help me. Considering mental health has become increasingly more important the past few decades, with the implementation of suicide hotlines, improved treatment options, as well as more ethically run mental health facilities. However, when it comes to that of adolescents, their issues tend to be brushed off and avoided. It’s true that the mind and body of a teenager are always changing, but too often are their concerning symptoms seen as “dramatic” behavior, or that they’re having those typical “teenage mood swings.” It’s insulting and disheartening to go to people for help and to be dismissed because “you’re too young” to have mental illness. I stand firmly in the belief that teenagers deserve to be heard, to be acknowledged and seen. It’s important to take adolescent concerns seriously so that they know they have people they can go to and find help in. Regardless of whether or not their concern is “legitimate” or not, just listening to them makes a world of difference. Mental health in teenagers seems to only be taken seriously when it’s far too late to make a change, when someone far too young has already taken their life. How many lives would have been saved if someone had stepped in? Who would still be here today had someone really been there? Fighting my own mental battles throughout the years has been challenging, but my biggest obstacle in recovering was doing it on my own, having no support from my parents. By going into the healthcare field and specializing in mental health, I can be there for those who are in the position I was in years ago. It’s for those teenagers stuck in their own heads, for the teenagers staying up late only to cry themselves to sleep because they’ve never felt more alone. I wish to give them what no one else could for me; help, even if it’s just a small amount. Awareness and informing those about teenage mental health would be the start of my initiative. Parental figures and guardians should know what to look for in their children and should know to be open-minded to their kid’s problems. Teenagers should know coping mechanisms and practices that aid them when they need it. Not only that, but therapy should also be more accessible to those whose parents can’t or won’t provide it. Having school therapists should be more normalized in schools for all students, being a separate profession from school counselors. Group therapy sessions could also help teenagers feel seen and find people they can relate to. My dad didn’t know how to help me that day, so he never did. Silence is known to be a killer, but what if no one answers when they do speak up? It’s far deadlier.

“What’s wrong with you?” That’s what my dad asked me the day I started having an uncontrollable crying rush in front of him. Being thirteen, I had no answer to his question—but back then I desperately wanted one. For so long, I wanted to know what was wrong with me, and what the cure I needed was to fix it. I wanted someone to help me. Considering mental health has become increasingly more important the past few decades, with the implementation of suicide hotlines, improved treatment options, as well as more ethically run mental health facilities. However, when it comes to that of adolescents, their issues tend to be brushed off and avoided. It’s true that the mind and body of a teenager are always changing, but too often are their concerning symptoms seen as “dramatic” behavior, or that they’re having those typical “teenage mood swings.” It’s insulting and disheartening to go to people for help and to be dismissed because “you’re too young” to have mental illness. I stand firmly in the belief that teenagers deserve to be heard, to be acknowledged and seen. It’s important to take adolescent concerns seriously so that they know they have people they can go to and find help in. Regardless of whether or not their concern is “legitimate” or not, just listening to them makes a world of difference. Mental health in teenagers seems to only be taken seriously when it’s far too late to make a change, when someone far too young has already taken their life. How many lives would have been saved if someone had stepped in? Who would still be here today had someone really been there? Fighting my own mental battles throughout the years has been challenging, but my biggest obstacle in recovering was doing it on my own, having no support from my parents. By going into the healthcare field and specializing in mental health, I can be there for those who are in the position I was in years ago. It’s for those teenagers stuck in their own heads, for the teenagers staying up late only to cry themselves to sleep because they’ve never felt more alone. I wish to give them what no one else could for me; help, even if it’s just a small amount. Awareness and informing those about teenage mental health would be the start of my initiative. Parental figures and guardians should know what to look for in their children and should know to be open-minded to their kid’s problems. Teenagers should know coping mechanisms and practices that aid them when they need it. Not only that, but therapy should also be more accessible to those whose parents can’t or won’t provide it. Having school therapists should be more normalized in schools for all students, being a separate profession from school counselors. Group therapy sessions could also help teenagers feel seen and find people they can relate to. My dad didn’t know how to help me that day, so he never did. Silence is known to be a killer, but what if no one answers when they do speak up? It’s far deadlier.

“What’s wrong with you?” That’s what my dad asked me the day I started having an uncontrollable crying rush in front of him. Being thirteen, I had no answer to his question—but back then I desperately wanted one. For so long, I wanted to know what was wrong with me, and what the cure I needed was to fix it. I wanted someone to help me. Considering mental health has become increasingly more important the past few decades, with the implementation of suicide hotlines, improved treatment options, as well as more ethically run mental health facilities. However, when it comes to that of adolescents, their issues tend to be brushed off and avoided. It’s true that the mind and body of a teenager are always changing, but too often are their concerning symptoms seen as “dramatic” behavior, or that they’re having those typical “teenage mood swings.” It’s insulting and disheartening to go to people for help and to be dismissed because “you’re too young” to have mental illness. I stand firmly in the belief that teenagers deserve to be heard, to be acknowledged and seen. It’s important to take adolescent concerns seriously so that they know they have people they can go to and find help in. Regardless of whether or not their concern is “legitimate” or not, just listening to them makes a world of difference. Mental health in teenagers seems to only be taken seriously when it’s far too late to make a change, when someone far too young has already taken their life. How many lives would have been saved if someone had stepped in? Who would still be here today had someone really been there? Fighting my own mental battles throughout the years has been challenging, but my biggest obstacle in recovering was doing it on my own, having no support from my parents. By going into the healthcare field and specializing in mental health, I can be there for those who are in the position I was in years ago. It’s for those teenagers stuck in their own heads, for the teenagers staying up late only to cry themselves to sleep because they’ve never felt more alone. I wish to give them what no one else could for me; help, even if it’s just a small amount. Awareness and informing those about teenage mental health would be the start of my initiative. Parental figures and guardians should know what to look for in their children and should know to be open-minded to their kid’s problems. Teenagers should know coping mechanisms and practices that aid them when they need it. Not only that, but therapy should also be more accessible to those whose parents can’t or won’t provide it. Having school therapists should be more normalized in schools for all students, being a separate profession from school counselors. Group therapy sessions could also help teenagers feel seen and find people they can relate to. My dad didn’t know how to help me that day, so he never did. Silence is known to be a killer, but what if no one answers when they do speak up? It’s far deadlier.

“What’s wrong with you?” That’s what my dad asked me the day I started having an uncontrollable crying rush in front of him. Being thirteen, I had no answer to his question—but back then I desperately wanted one. For so long, I wanted to know what was wrong with me, and what the cure I needed was to fix it. I wanted someone to help me. Considering mental health has become increasingly more important the past few decades, with the implementation of suicide hotlines, improved treatment options, as well as more ethically run mental health facilities. However, when it comes to that of adolescents, their issues tend to be brushed off and avoided. It’s true that the mind and body of a teenager are always changing, but too often are their concerning symptoms seen as “dramatic” behavior, or that they’re having those typical “teenage mood swings.” It’s insulting and disheartening to go to people for help and to be dismissed because “you’re too young” to have mental illness. I stand firmly in the belief that teenagers deserve to be heard, to be acknowledged and seen. It’s important to take adolescent concerns seriously so that they know they have people they can go to and find help in. Regardless of whether or not their concern is “legitimate” or not, just listening to them makes a world of difference. Mental health in teenagers seems to only be taken seriously when it’s far too late to make a change, when someone far too young has already taken their life. How many lives would have been saved if someone had stepped in? Who would still be here today had someone really been there? Fighting my own mental battles throughout the years has been challenging, but my biggest obstacle in recovering was doing it on my own, having no support from my parents. By going into the healthcare field and specializing in mental health, I can be there for those who are in the position I was in years ago. It’s for those teenagers stuck in their own heads, for the teenagers staying up late only to cry themselves to sleep because they’ve never felt more alone. I wish to give them what no one else could for me; help, even if it’s just a small amount. Awareness and informing those about teenage mental health would be the start of my initiative. Parental figures and guardians should know what to look for in their children and should know to be open-minded to their kid’s problems. Teenagers should know coping mechanisms and practices that aid them when they need it. Not only that, but therapy should also be more accessible to those whose parents can’t or won’t provide it. Having school therapists should be more normalized in schools for all students, being a separate profession from school counselors. Group therapy sessions could also help teenagers feel seen and find people they can relate to. My dad didn’t know how to help me that day, so he never did. Silence is known to be a killer, but what if no one answers when they do speak up? It’s far deadlier.

“What’s wrong with you?” That’s what my dad asked me the day I started having an uncontrollable crying rush in front of him. Being thirteen, I had no answer to his question—but back then I desperately wanted one. For so long, I wanted to know what was wrong with me, and what the cure I needed was to fix it. I wanted someone to help me. Considering mental health has become increasingly more important the past few decades, with the implementation of suicide hotlines and improved treatment options. However, when it comes to adolescents, their issues tend to be brushed off and avoided. It’s disheartening to go to people for help and to be dismissed because “you’re too young” to have mental illness. I stand firmly in the belief that teenagers deserve to be heard, to be acknowledged and seen. It’s important to take adolescent concerns seriously so that they know they have people they can go to and find help in. Mental health in teenagers seems to only be taken seriously when it’s far too late to make a change, when someone far too young has already taken their life. By going into the healthcare field and specializing in mental health, I can be there for those who are in the position I was in years ago. It’s for those teenagers stuck in their own heads, for the teenagers staying up late only to cry themselves to sleep because they’ve never felt more alone. I wish to give them what no one else could for me: help. Awareness and informing those about teenage mental health would be the start of my initiative. Parental figures and guardians should know what to look for in their children and should know to be open-minded to their kid’s problems. Teenagers should know coping mechanisms and practices that aid them when they need it. Not only that, but therapy should also be more accessible to those whose parents can’t or won’t provide it. Having school therapists should be more normalized in schools for all students, being a separate profession from school counselors. Group therapy sessions could also help teenagers feel seen and find people they can relate to. My dad didn’t know how to help me that day, so he never did. Silence is known to be a killer, but what if no one answers when they do speak up? It’s far deadlier.

The best way I would describe myself is that I try to exude limitless passion for anything I’m in. There’s nothing more disheartening to me than feeling like giving up, so I make an effort to fight it anyway I can. Of course, I understand and know my limits. How can I climb that mountain if I end up pushing myself off it halfway? When I look back on the things I’ve done, I can spot my passion I have in all of it. I remember the days I was just starting to find myself in creating artwork; I’d compare myself to other artists around me, and instead of putting my pencil down, I used that internal jealousy to work twice as hard. I can turn back to Sophomore year, watching myself practicing piano for the first time, using only free, online resources to learn, relying on myself to teach the chords and rhythm. In middle school, I found I had an interest in photography, meaning in high school I became the Photography Club President, even working to buy my own personal camera. I do what I can, because I’ve never earned a reason not to. I don’t just have a passion for myself though, I have a passion for others too. The summer of my Junior year, I was asked if I wanted to be a summer teaching assistant at the middle school—I said yes. During that program, I worked with the teacher to create a weekly schedule, as well as collaborating with the students on their coursework. That same summer, I joined a hospital volunteering program, cleaning messes and organizing papers, helping visitors around the hospital and running a free hospitality cart. At the start of my Senior year, I found a senior home that I’d put my time into, volunteering weekly to help set up and plan activities for the day, even teaching some classes alongside an instructor. I am immensely proud of the work I’ve done and the outcomes that each has had, because it all means so much to me. If given the opportunity, I’d go back and do it all again. This scholarship, if received, would go toward fueling my passion even more. I’m planning on pursuing a psychology degree, hoping to find a career in clinical psychological work and or counseling. Mental health care and treatment is a big deal for me, as I’ve seen and heard what ignoring mental illness can do to someone. It feels like everyone I’ve ever met has had experience with mental illness, whether they’ve had something themselves or someone in their life has succumbed to one. I want to be the person that tries to make it better, to help those who need it work around their mental illness and learn how to manage having it. The only obstacle in my way is money, and while FAFSA and personal savings can go a long way, it’s that little stretch to the finish line that seems to make the biggest difference.

I had a plan, a date, and a choice. It was a period of my life that I used to be ashamed of, when I felt like I was watching someone else conduct my body, strings laced alongside my fingers. I know that legs moved, and lungs breathed, and eyes cried, but they never felt like they were mine. Days were tiring performances, set for only my eyes as the lone audience member. I was so tunnel visioned, only seeing the bad things happen around me, and always refusing life’s offers to be happy. That heavy, burgeoning sensation continued to unfold until finally leading into one moment. That moment happened the summer I was thirteen. At the time, I was living in a huge, amalgamated family, one that was a simple touch from collapsing at its shoddy seams. It was hard to get a moment alone, but the day I had picked was one where no one else would be home, a day that had the sun shining and a gentle breeze—an ordinary Tuesday. I remember the house being so eerily still, free of its usual stomping and yelling. I was a ghost, drifting from room to room one last time, taking in the state of each of them: the living room that desperately needed a good vacuum, the kitchen that had a trash can too full and a sink that reeked of frozen pizza, the bathroom with a stubborn laundry pile squeezed behind the door. My parent’s room, with that big, warm bed, and walls spotted with dusty family photos. My room, housing mounds of worn childhood toys and a sketchbook whose pages I thought would never get finished. When I got to my mirror, I was forced to see myself—cheeks wet, eye bags hefty, hair tangled and matted. Staring into my eyes, my mind was racing with the biggest decision of my life. I ended up on the floor, one hand at my heart, and the other holding a small bottle of deadly pills. A choice between life or death. It turns out, I had made the right decision, because I’m alive today. I’ve grown so much since then, in age and in mindset, teaching myself to be strong-willed, yet still remembering my limits. I’m not in that audience anymore, because now I am walking that stage of life earnestly and proud—no performing needed. I’m no longer ashamed of how I used to be, as it has helped me find my passion for mental health awareness and treatment. Whether it be volunteering at my local hospital, or just being there for a friend, I want to help those that are in the position I used to be in. It’s thanks to that choice I made that I’ve grown to have such a great appreciation for life, valuing that I’m here and able to do all the things I love. With my new plan, and several dates ahead of me, I’m ready to keep making choices, ones that will further my future, and not ones that will end it.

I had a plan, a date, and a choice. It was a period of my life that I used to be ashamed of, when I felt like I was watching someone else conduct my body, strings laced alongside my fingers. I know that legs moved, and lungs breathed, and eyes cried, but they never felt like they were mine. Days were tiring performances, set for only my eyes as the lone audience member. I was so tunnel visioned, only seeing the bad things happen around me, and always refusing life’s offers to be happy. That heavy, burgeoning sensation continued to unfold until finally leading into one moment. That moment happened the summer I was thirteen. At the time, I was living in a huge, amalgamated family, one that was a simple touch from collapsing at its shoddy seams. It was hard to get a moment alone, but the day I had picked was one where no one else would be home, a day that had the sun shining and a gentle breeze—an ordinary Tuesday. I remember the house being so eerily still, free of its usual stomping and yelling. I was a ghost, drifting from room to room one last time, taking in the state of each of them: the living room that desperately needed a good vacuum, the kitchen that had a trash can too full and a sink that reeked of frozen pizza. My parent’s room, with that big, warm bed, and walls spotted with dusty family photos. My room, housing mounds of worn childhood toys and a sketchbook whose pages I thought would never get finished. When I got to my mirror, I was forced to see myself—cheeks wet, eye bags hefty, hair tangled and matted. Staring into my eyes, my mind was racing with the biggest decision of my life. I ended up on the floor, one hand at my heart, and the other holding a small bottle of deadly pills. A choice between life or death. It turns out, I had made the right decision, because I’m alive today. I’ve grown so much since then, in age and in mindset, teaching myself to be strong-willed, yet still remembering my limits. I’m not in that audience anymore, because now I am walking that stage of life earnestly and proud—no performing needed. I’m no longer ashamed of how I used to be, as it has helped me find my passion for mental health awareness and treatment. Whether it be volunteering at my local hospital, or just being there for a friend, I want to help those that are in the position I used to be in. It’s thanks to that choice I made that I’ve grown to have such a great appreciation for life, valuing that I’m here and able to do all the things I love. With my new plan, and several dates ahead of me, I’m ready to keep making choices, ones that will further my future, and not ones that will end it.

“What’s wrong with you?” That’s what my dad asked me the day I started having an uncontrollable crying rush in front of him. Being thirteen, I had no answer to his question—but back then I desperately wanted one. For so long, I wanted to know what was wrong with me, and what the cure I needed was to fix it. I wanted someone to help me. Considering mental health has become increasingly more important the past few decades, with the implementation of suicide hotlines, improved treatment options, as well as more ethically run mental health facilities. However, when it comes to that of adolescents, their issues tend to be brushed off and avoided. It’s true that the mind and body of a teenager are always changing, but too often are their concerning symptoms seen as “dramatic” behavior, or that they’re having those typical “teenage mood swings.” It’s insulting and disheartening to go to people for help and to be dismissed because “you’re too young” to have mental illness. I stand firmly in the belief that teenagers deserve to be heard, to be acknowledged and seen. It’s important to take adolescent concerns seriously so that they know they have people they can go to and find help in. Regardless of whether or not their concern is “legitimate” or not, just listening to them makes a world of difference. Mental health in teenagers seems to only be taken seriously when it’s far too late to make a change, when someone far too young has already taken their life. How many lives would have been saved if someone had stepped in? Who would still be here today had someone really been there? Fighting my own mental battles throughout the years has been challenging, but my biggest obstacle in recovering was doing it on my own, having no support from my parents. By going into the healthcare field and specializing in mental health, I can be there for those who are in the position I was in years ago. It’s for those teenagers stuck in their own heads, for the teenagers staying up late only to cry themselves to sleep because they’ve never felt more alone. I wish to give them what no one else could for me; help, even if it’s just a small amount. Awareness and informing those about teenage mental health would be the start of my initiative. Parental figures and guardians should know what to look for in their children and should know to be open-minded to their kid’s problems. Teenagers should know coping mechanisms and practices that aid them when they need it. Not only that, but therapy should also be more accessible to those whose parents can’t or won’t provide it. Having school therapists should be more normalized in schools for all students, being a separate profession from school counselors. Group therapy sessions could also help teenagers feel seen and find people they can relate to. My dad didn’t know how to help me that day, so he never did. Silence is known to be a killer, but what if no one answers when they do speak up? It’s far deadlier.

“What’s wrong with you?” That’s what my dad asked me the day I started having an uncontrollable crying rush in front of him. Being thirteen, I had no answer to his question—but back then I desperately wanted one. For so long, I wanted to know what was wrong with me, and what the cure I needed was to fix it. I wanted someone to help me. Considering mental health has become increasingly more important the past few decades, with the implementation of suicide hotlines, improved treatment options, as well as more ethically run mental health facilities. However, when it comes to that of adolescents, their issues tend to be brushed off and avoided. It’s true that the mind and body of a teenager are always changing, but too often are their concerning symptoms seen as “dramatic” behavior, or that they’re having those typical “teenage mood swings.” It’s insulting and disheartening to go to people for help and to be dismissed because “you’re too young” to have mental illness. I stand firmly in the belief that teenagers deserve to be heard, to be acknowledged and seen. It’s important to take adolescent concerns seriously so that they know they have people they can go to and find help in. Regardless of whether or not their concern is “legitimate” or not, just listening to them makes a world of difference. Mental health in teenagers seems to only be taken seriously when it’s far too late to make a change, when someone far too young has already taken their life. How many lives would have been saved if someone had stepped in? Who would still be here today had someone really been there? Fighting my own mental battles throughout the years has been challenging, but my biggest obstacle in recovering was doing it on my own, having no support from my parents. By going into the healthcare field and specializing in mental health, I can be there for those who are in the position I was in years ago. It’s for those teenagers stuck in their own heads, for the teenagers staying up late only to cry themselves to sleep because they’ve never felt more alone. I wish to give them what no one else could for me; help, even if it’s just a small amount. Awareness and informing those about teenage mental health would be the start of my initiative. Parental figures and guardians should know what to look for in their children and should know to be open-minded to their kid’s problems. Teenagers should know coping mechanisms and practices that aid them when they need it. Not only that, but therapy should also be more accessible to those whose parents can’t or won’t provide it. Having school therapists should be more normalized in schools for all students, being a separate profession from school counselors. Group therapy sessions could also help teenagers feel seen and find people they can relate to. My dad didn’t know how to help me that day, so he never did. Silence is known to be a killer, but what if no one answers when they do speak up? It’s far deadlier.

“What’s wrong with you?” That’s what my dad asked me the day I started having an uncontrollable crying rush in front of him. Being thirteen, I had no answer to his question—but back then I desperately wanted one. For so long, I wanted to know what was wrong with me, and what the cure I needed was to fix it. I wanted someone to help me. Considering mental health has become increasingly more important the past few decades, with the implementation of suicide hotlines, improved treatment options, as well as more ethically run mental health facilities. However, when it comes to that of adolescents, their issues tend to be brushed off and avoided. It’s true that the mind and body of a teenager are always changing, but too often are their concerning symptoms seen as “dramatic” behavior, or that they’re having those typical “teenage mood swings.” It’s insulting and disheartening to go to people for help and to be dismissed because “you’re too young” to have mental illness. I stand firmly in the belief that teenagers deserve to be heard, to be acknowledged and seen. It’s important to take adolescent concerns seriously so that they know they have people they can go to and find help in. Regardless of whether or not their concern is “legitimate” or not, just listening to them makes a world of difference. Mental health in teenagers seems to only be taken seriously when it’s far too late to make a change, when someone far too young has already taken their life. How many lives would have been saved if someone had stepped in? Who would still be here today had someone really been there? Fighting my own mental battles throughout the years has been challenging, but my biggest obstacle in recovering was doing it on my own, having no support from my parents. By going into the healthcare field and specializing in mental health, I can be there for those who are in the position I was in years ago. It’s for those teenagers stuck in their own heads, for the teenagers staying up late only to cry themselves to sleep because they’ve never felt more alone. I wish to give them what no one else could for me; help, even if it’s just a small amount. Awareness and informing those about teenage mental health would be the start of my initiative. Parental figures and guardians should know what to look for in their children and should know to be open-minded to their kid’s problems. Teenagers should know coping mechanisms and practices that aid them when they need it. Not only that, but therapy should also be more accessible to those whose parents can’t or won’t provide it. Having school therapists should be more normalized in schools for all students, being a separate profession from school counselors. Group therapy sessions could also help teenagers feel seen and find people they can relate to. My dad didn’t know how to help me that day, so he never did. Silence is known to be a killer, but what if no one answers when they do speak up? It’s far deadlier.

“How do you make a tissue dance? . . . You put a little boogie in it.” If my dad was reading that, he’d be laughing to tears, because he had always found awful jokes like that funny. Dad was a dork, and he would admit it too: he’d collect Smurf McDonald’s toys, he’d sing the guitar parts of his favorite Ratt songs—he’d even sit and watch SpongeBob with me late at night before I needed to go to bed. But on top of being a dork, he was a hard-working family man. When my mom left, he somehow raised five kids by himself, working overtime and picking up shifts at every chance he could. He would wake up at four in the morning and come home at four in the afternoon, and still have the energy to be there for all of us. All of his kids were in clubs and school extracurriculars, and no matter how exhausted he was, he would show up to everything he could. Looking back on it now, I don’t know how he did it. My Freshman year had just started when he died. He had gotten COVID-19, beaten it, then pneumonia, that he also beat, before he had gotten diagnosed with a staph infection, which would end up being his killer. All of them happened in the span of a couple weeks. Unfortunately, my Dad couldn’t take the toll of such successive blows like that. Still, consider the fact that it took three illnesses right after another to take my dad down. Even up until his last moments he was a fighter. After his death, I didn’t really know what to do with myself. He was the only real parent I ever had, and up to that point I had firmly believed he would be there with me through everything. I thought he’d be the one to teach me how to drive, I thought he’d see me get my first job and earn my first paycheck, I thought he’d go on college campus tours with me and see my graduate in my cap and gown. I thought he’d see me through it all. The hard-hitting reality that none of that was going to happen still to this day is difficult to process. But Dad didn’t raise a quitter, he raised a fighter like himself. With all the commotion that Dad’s death put in Freshman year—family tension, new school, planning to move, grieving, sickness—I managed to keep straight A’s. It will forever be my biggest accomplishment. I did it for myself of course, but also for Dad, as he wouldn't have wanted me to put my future to an end just because he wasn’t there anymore. Years later, there are still nights where I cry thinking about Dad. When I hear a movie that’s coming out that he would’ve loved to see or news about the Steelers winning games, words can’t describe the heart ache I feel. It’s depressing to have love for someone who isn’t here to receive it anymore. But knowing Dad, I’m sure he knows how much we all miss him. Those tissues I blow my gross, snotty tears in? When I look at them, I realize I’m making them dance, and Dad would find that beyond hilarious.

“What’s wrong with you?” That’s what my dad asked me the day I started having an uncontrollable crying breakdown in front of him. Being thirteen, I had no answer to his question, but in that moment, I desperately wanted one. For so long, I wanted to know what was wrong with me, and what the cure I needed was to fix it. I wanted someone to help me. Considering mental health has become increasingly more important the past few decades, with the implementation of suicide hotlines, improved treatment options, as well as more ethically run mental health facilities. However, when it comes to that of adolescents, especially younger girls, their issues tend to be brushed off and avoided. It’s true that the mind and body of a teenager are always changing, but too often are their concerning symptoms seen as “dramatic” behavior, or that they’re having those typical “teenage mood swings.” And, of course, girls repeatedly hear comments about it being their "time of the month." It’s insulting and disheartening to go to people for help and to be dismissed because “you’re too young” to have mental illness. I stand firmly in the belief that teenagers deserve to be heard, to be acknowledged and seen. It’s important to take adolescent concerns seriously so that they know they have people they can go to and find help in. Regardless of whether or not their concern is “legitimate” or not, just listening to them makes a world of difference. Mental health in teenagers seems to only be taken seriously when it’s far too late to make a change, when someone far too young has already taken their life. How many lives would have been saved if someone had stepped in? Who would still be here today had someone really been there? Fighting my own mental battles throughout the years has been challenging, but my biggest obstacle in recovering was doing it on my own, having no support from my parents. By going into the healthcare field and specializing in mental health, I can be there for those who are in the position I was in years ago. It’s for those teenagers stuck in their own heads, for the teenagers staying up late only to cry themselves to sleep because they’ve never felt more alone. I wish to give them what no one else could for me; help---even if it’s just a small amount. Awareness and informing those about teenage mental health would be the start of my initiative. Parental figures and guardians should know what to look for in their children and should know to be open-minded to their kid’s problems. Teenagers should know coping mechanisms and practices that aid them when they need it. Not only that, but therapy should also be more accessible to those whose parents can’t or won’t provide it. Having school therapists should be more normalized in schools for all students, being a separate profession from school counselors. Group therapy sessions could also help teenagers feel seen and find people they can relate to. My dad didn’t know how to help me that day, so he never did. Silence is known to be a killer, but what if no one answers when they do speak up? It’s far deadlier.

It feels like everyday I hear about someone who has taken their own life. Maybe they were just out of high school, eighteen and jobless, struggling with the stress of being forcefully shoved into the real world; maybe they were someone’s grandparent, who lived far away, alone, and rarely saw the face of another person. Most people don’t talk about it, and if they do, their response is somewhere along the lines of: “If only someone had noticed sooner.” That “sooner” should be now. If I could make changes to the healthcare system, I would create more accessible and affordable mental health resources, such as free group therapy programs, federal financial aid programs, and easy access classes for those wanting to learn about topics concerning mental health. Typically one of the reasons people don’t go therapy is because of the cost, since sessions can range in the hundreds just for a weekly meetup. Those who are in low-income situations tend to avoid therapy, as they just can’t afford the time and money it takes. If the federal government could set in place a financial aid program for those who are in low-income situations, I feel it would positively affect the American mental health crisis significantly. Imagine a single parent, working minimum wage, with a child that has some sort of psychological illness or disability: a program that would help that parent's child with reduced or even free therapy could pave the way for a good future for them. Think of people who are drowning in bill after bill, desperately trying to crawl their way out of debt—free therapy for them could help them clear their minds and help them through that incredibly stressful time. Group therapy is a great way to get together with people who are in situations similar to one's own, and together as a group learn to heal and grow. Being able to see in-person that no one is alone is a great revelation for people to have when seeking to better themselves. I strongly believe that implementing free group therapy sessions throughout cities and towns would help people nourish personal connections and give that sense of support that a lot of people desperately need.There also needs to be effort to advertise: flyers at restaurants, signs at intersections, access through workplaces and schools. In America, little is done to inform people about mental illness’ reliably. Having advertised and free—online as well as in-person—resources available to people who want to know more about themselves or someone in their lives. Hospitals, schools, and clinics could host classes teaching people exercises, skills, and coping mechanisms that someone may want to use to further improve their livelihood. Teaching about the causes and symptoms could also be beneficial for those who are unaware, maybe even help recognizing that it applies to someone in their life. Using the internet as a go to method to learn about crucial information is nowhere near safe, as one whiff of misinformation could make someone believe the wrong thing about their or someone else’s mental health. Time and time again, there will be headlines about the mental health crisis in America, about the suicide and depression rates. It’s alarming to anyone who sees it, but nothing is being done to help—a hotline is just not enough. People deserve to know how to manage their mental health, they deserve to have free and reduced therapy to better themselves, and they deserve ways to gain access to support in their area. There needs to be something done now, not when it’s already far too late.

“What’s wrong with you?” That’s what my dad asked me the day I started having an uncontrollable crying rush in front of him. Being thirteen, I had no answer to his question—but back then I desperately wanted one. For so long, I wanted to know what was wrong with me, and what the cure I needed was to fix it. I wanted someone to help me. Considering mental health has become increasingly more important the past few decades, with the implementation of suicide hotlines, improved treatment options, as well as more ethically run mental health facilities. However, when it comes to that of adolescents, their issues tend to be brushed off and avoided. It’s true that the mind and body of a teenager are always changing, but too often are their concerning symptoms seen as “dramatic” behavior, or that they’re having those typical “teenage mood swings.” It’s insulting and disheartening to go to people for help and to be dismissed because “you’re too young” to have mental illness. I stand firmly in the belief that teenagers deserve to be heard, to be acknowledged and seen. It’s important to take adolescent concerns seriously so that they know they have people they can go to and find help in. Regardless of whether or not their concern is “legitimate” or not, just listening to them makes a world of difference. Mental health in teenagers seems to only be taken seriously when it’s far too late to make a change, when someone far too young has already taken their life. How many lives would have been saved if someone had stepped in? Who would still be here today had someone really been there? Fighting my own mental battles throughout the years has been challenging, but my biggest obstacle in recovering was doing it on my own, having no support from my parents. The reason I’m going to be a psychologist is not for myself, but it’s for those who are in the position I was in years ago. It’s for those teenagers stuck in their own heads, for the teenagers staying up late only to cry themselves to sleep because they’ve never felt more alone. I wish to give them what no one else could for me; help, even if it’s just a small amount. Awareness and informing those about teenage mental health would be the start of my initiative. Parental figures and guardians should know what to look for in their children and should know to be open-minded to their kid’s problems. Teenagers should know coping mechanisms and practices that aid them when they need it. Not only that, but therapy should also be more accessible to those whose parents can’t or won’t provide it. Having school therapists should be more normalized in schools for all students, being a separate profession from school counselors. Group therapy sessions could also help teenagers feel seen and find people they can relate to. My dad didn’t know how to help me that day, so he never did. Silence is known to be a killer, but what if no one answers when they do speak up? It’s far deadlier.