by Annie Augustine ‘14 and Whitney Marie Halllaby ‘14

One out of every 20 adolescents has a mental illness, which can range from anxiety disorders, eating disorders, depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. An unfortunately prevalent assumption is that people who have these illnesses are too weak or incompetent to function normally in society. This is typically not the case. Mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety are rather common, especially in young adults with stresses such as school and relationships. The shame around mental illnesses causes many sufferers to be too afraid to reach out for the help they need. The consequences of not seeking help can be tragic, ranging from drug abuse to suicide.

When someone is diagnosed with a mental illness there can be feelings of humiliation, which can form from internal or external sources. While society cannot eliminate the internal shame, accepting people for who they are can help individuals accept and, if possible, recover from their mental illness. A way to fix this is to have more in-depth education on mental illness in Health classes. All students are required to take the course, so this would be an effective way to further the understanding of mental illnesses.

Health class does currently have a mental illness unit; however, it does not cover as much as is needed. The unit goes over the basics of the symptoms but fails to give mental illness a face and does not go into enough detail. For example, the curriculum could include having individuals share their experiences of overcoming mental illnesses such as post traumatic stress disorder, depression and bipolar disorder. Such lessons would illustrate that mental illnesses are more common than one might think but that sufferers can lead normal and productive lives with proper treatment. The National Alliance of Mental Illness has spokespeople who go around informing those with or without mental illnesses what it is like to struggle with this issue and how one can overcome it.

Part of the treatment for mental illness is talking about it and having support from loved ones. To be able to provide this support, individuals must be well informed, not just on how to recognize disorders, but how to continue relationships and how to truly listen.