Every parent can remember the phenomenon of a temporary behavioral curve; maybe your child had been moodier than usual, staging an unusual temperament. Most parents can just assume it’s a part of growing up and completely move on, but was it really just a teenage attitude? The fact of the matter is that most cases of poor mental health, especially in youth, go unnoticed. Nearly 1 in every 5 youth, aged 3-17, experience struggles with mental health. For older teens, this rate is further increased to 1 in every 3 students. And though it may not seem like a societal dilemma, psychological well-being impinges many aspects of a teenager’s life. Components that are crucial to an adolescent’s life: education, social dynamics, academic and athletic performance, or even the will to get out of bed in the morning is universally implicated by the status of your mind.
Despite this, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau noted 40% to 60% of teens battle psychological stability with little to no recognition. A survey conducted at my own school by students rated their mental health on a 10-point numerical scale, (one point being the worst and 10 points being the best), as a school average of six points. Under the auspices of peer evaluation, students rated the amount of classmates that struggle mentally as 70% to 80% of all scholars. Via a follow-up inquiry directed towards educators, teachers stated that, “Yes, I believe more students struggle with mental health today than they did 10 years ago.” And, “Yes, I think mental health struggles, especially anxiety and depression have increased in the last decade.” Obviously teen emotional wellness is an apparent problem in our present stature; it’s undeniable. However, every problem needs a solution. This dilemma forces us to reconsider the underlying paradigm: how do we help with this?
I presume a more sensible question would be, “Who can help with this?” In your head, you might think of parents or teachers; a trusted adult that a student could go to in a time of need. Despite the familial connection, the truth is that many parents — as well as teachers— aren’t equipped to fully aid their child. Another proposal in my teacher-based survey asked staff how comfortable they felt with assisting students difficulties. Over half of the participants stated that they were less than “somewhat comfortable.” While this is absolutely justifiable, it creates a turning point in which we must turn to mental wellness professionals instead. Therapists can be of much help, nevertheless are expensive for many families in Massachusetts. A health professional that students should have access to (that is completely free to families in public education) is a school guidance or adjustment counselor. The core principle of our state, however, is that Massachusetts bears a higher student to counselor ratio compared to the national average — some schools don’t have counselors at all. In my own middle school, there are around 240 students and only one mental counselor, of which many students in my middle school have not interacted with once. And while our counselor tries her best, she has other work to tend to rather than have a check in with each individual student.
The most efficient way to aid our youth would ideally be to legislate more mental health professionals in public schools. Passing a bill that requires schools to provide a stable counselor to student ratio could significantly improve the health of our teenagers. Bill H.680, introduced in the Massachusetts House by Rep. Estela A. Reyes, ensures that every school in our commonwealth employs one mental health professional for grades 3-12; the professional must meet once with every student per year. If you care about our youth, don’t be afraid to speak up about it. You can email your state legislators to advocate for the bill, or simply sign this petition at: https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/advocating-for-ma-bill-h680.
I know that teen mental health has been a problem for years, and that it often goes unnoticed or in worse cases is normalized. In reality, I hope that our community can work together to improve and advocate for this topic. Psychological well-being matters to everyone — the adolescents of today are the adults of the future.
Gracie Jo Philip
Lake Pleasant